Science and faith are complementary elements of
human knowledge because “so far, science does not have a clear notion of
the basis of life,” or rather, of the “so-called creation from
nothing”: a subject which should be seen through a philosophical lens.”
This
was one of the key points of the speech given at the Synod of Bishops
on the new evangelisation, held by Professor Werner Arber, winner of the
1978 Nobel Prize in medicine and a guest of honour at the at the
assembly. In 2011, Benedict XVI nominated the Swiss microbiologist as
President of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the first Protestant to
fill the post.
In his speech on the relationship between science
and faith, in Pope Benedict XVI’s presence, Arber based his
argumentation on an awareness that so far, science has not managed to
find any relevant answers to all of man’s questions; particularly to
those which “transcend the natural sphere.”
This role can be performed
by religious faiths. The President of the Pontifical Academy even
quoted the Book of Genesis to demonstrate that there has been a
concordance between faith and science dating back to then, as the Old
Testament describes a logical sequence of possible events for the
creation of life.
Arber’s wish is that the Church, civil society,
economy and science take on part of the responsibility for establishing a
new conception of the future with long term benefits for all humanity.
For this reason, modern societies should respect the correct rules of
conduct, which are easily acceptable if rooted in religious faith. After
all, Arber said, even Jesus would have favoured the use of science for
the good of humanity, respecting the laws of nature.
In his speech on the relations between science and
faith, given before Benedict XVI during the Synod of Bishops on the new
evangelisation, the Nobel Prize winner touched on the topic of
genetically modified organisms, claiming that they can “alleviate the
undernourishment and famine which still afflict people in the developing
world.”
“I presume that if Jesus Christ was living among
us today - Arber said – he would favour the application of solid
scientific knowledge for the long term good of humanity and its natural
environment, at least insofar as this application, which moulds the
future, can guarantee that the vital laws of nature are fully
respected.”
He then pointed to transgenic plants as a
practical example of this principle, revealing that the progress being
made in genomics today “has made it possible to orient biological
evolution to better suit our needs for a healthy diet, contributing to
important improvements in the medical field.”
In 2009, the Pontifical Academy dedicated a study week to the theme
of transgenic plants, concluding that “the methods recently adopted for
the preparation of transgenic organisms – the Nobel Prize winner said –
follow the natural laws of biological evolution and do not pose any
risks linked to the methodology of genetic engineering.”