Science and Religion. Conflict and Cooperation in a Secular World

Is religion dead? Many of us may agree to the famous sociologist Max Weber who predicted that the "disenchantment of the world" through rationality and science will make religions entirely obsolete in the future. On the other hand, a return of religions to the public sphere and global politics can be observed at the latest since 11 September 2001, so that some sociologists of religion have already diagnosed that the project of secularization has failed. This includes fundamentalist religious forces who seek to reinforce traditional—often reactionary—religious notions and values (e.g., D. Trump’s MAGA movement, extremist wings of Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and neo-religious currents). Anti-scientific as well as "alternative" and pseudo-scientific arguments can be found in these circles. The "comeback" of religion, in turn, gave rise to counter movements like "New Atheism"(R. Dawkins a.o.).

Between these extremes, highly diversified discourses negotiate the relationships between science and religion. Both are mutually entangled in complex ways and co-shape modernity with their own logic and knowledge resources. As one scholar of religion remarks: "Religion and science are arguable the two most powerful social forces in the world today" (P. Clayton), often in mutual antagonism, but likewise often in productive dialog.

In this course we are approaching this complex relationship from both perspectives:

1. religion-based science antagonism: voices proclaiming the defectiveness or inferiority of modern scientific methods and achievements, or the—discourse-analytically most interesting—claim that science is "just another religious belief"; important topics here are (young earth) creationism, intelligent design, flat-earth and similar theories, and the pro-life movement; special case: ancient astronauts
2. compatibility assumptions, dialog and cooperative partnerships between science and religion: these are promoted by religious protagonists but also by scientists, especially in borderline areas of science and cutting-edge research of, for example, quantum physics, relativity theory, Buddhist meditation in neuro-science, cognitive studies and depth psychology, research-ethical questions (e.g., human cloning, genetic engineering); special case: futurology (Kardashev scale).

We will systematically extend the topic to its often overlooked historical and transcultural dimensions.

According to the course curriculum, a candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome (defined as knowledge, skills and general competence):

Knowledge

The candidate

• has a good knowledge on modern discourses of the relationship of science and religion
• has an overview about most important arguments and counter-arguments discussed in the debates on science and religion
• is familiar with the most important secularization theories
• has basic knowledge about the cooperations and semantic overlapping between science and religion (past and present)
• has basic knowledge of cross-cultural differences in science/religion discourses.

Skills

The candiate

• is able to reconstruct, analyze and theorize complexes of social interaction with sociological/anthropological methodology,
• is able to critically reflect upon and contribute to controversial social discourses
• is able to switch perspectives
• is able to debate about controversial topics in an objective, respectful, science-based manner
• is able to cooperate in project-oriented learning/working groups.

General competence

The candidate

• has a deepened general understanding of modernity, secularity and the socio-cultural role of religion within cross-cultural and historical horizons
• has a deepened general understanding of how the diversity of worldviews constitutes modern societies on national and global scales,

Teaching consists of lectures, seminars and interactive components (e.g., debates with distributed roles).

In order to be admitted to the final exam an approved oral presentation of the exam topic (written assignment/video) in the current state of development towards the end of the lecture period is required.

The oral presentation can only be approved during the semester the course is taught. Since it is closely related to the self-developed project of the exam, the obligatory assignment is only valid for two semesters.