108 HAS SCIENCE DISCOVERED GOD? 



should be rational. What exists, exists; and accept- 

 ance is man's first task. "I am that I am" is a far 

 truer piece of theology than all the deductive phi- 

 losophy of the scholastics. 



A further consequence of the adoption of the scien- 

 tific outlook must be the break with any rigid or fixed 

 authority In religion, and a willingness to accept 

 change. It has been a matter of frequent comment 

 in recent years that, whereas change In scientific ideas 

 Is generally regarded as a mark of scientific progress, 

 change In religious Ideas Is generally thought of as a 

 mark of religious degeneration. The new conceptions 

 of evolution and relativity are victories for science. 

 But when the belief in miracles Is abandoned In favor 

 of natural law, or the theory of the verbal Inspiration 

 and absolute rightness of the Bible dropped for one 

 of progressive religious development, the majority of 

 men, whether religious or no, still seem to look upon 

 it as a defeat for religion. 



This comes solely from the part which dogmatism 

 and false theories of revelation and authority have 

 played In the past history of religion. It is perfectly 

 possible to be religious and yet to welcome change 

 without forfeiting stability. Science Is always chang- 

 ing; but It is not unstable, only progressive. If prog- 

 ress itself be looked upon as a sacred duty, progress 

 becomes an element In religion, and religious change 

 will no longer alarm and shock religious minds. 



Hence it is obvious that with the abandonment of 

 the idea of God as a single independent power, with 

 a nature akin to personality, many current religious 

 practices will become meaningless. There will be no 

 room for services of intercession, for prayer in the 



