Dispelling Some Myths About the Split Between Theology and Science in the Nineteenth Century

For any viable present discussion of the relations between theology and the sciences, it is essential to understand the profound changes in the theological scene that have occurred since the beginning of the nineteenth century. All too often in the contemporary discussion, both by scientists and by theologians, attention is focused sharply on the impact of new scientific views; the equally dramatic theological changes have been ignored or misunderstood. My concern here is, therefore, to direct attention to aspects of the nineteenth-century story, though with a few suggestions of implications for the present. ¹