What the Bible Says About Science and How the Utilitarians Would Have Viewed the Biblical View

Biblical Views of Science, Technology, And Business

One of the more difficult aspects of trying to live a biblically-inspired life is that the Bible is, in many ways, a historical document. It was written thousands of years ago and describes events that are, in many ways, very unlike the challenges faced by modern human beings. This is particularly true in the 21st century, when modern science, technology, and business advances seem to be, at times, in direct opposition to the Bible or biblical teachings. That view ignores the basic underlying premise of the Bible, which is that it is both a historical document and a living document. As a living document, it has the ability to grow with the advances of mankind. In fact, it does not actually grow with mankind; on the contrary, as man's understanding expands to encompass more of the universe, as reflected in advances in science, technology, and business, the explanations in the Bible for previously misunderstood phenomenon become clear.

For example, many people believe that science stands in direct opposition to the Bible because of scientific theories that contradict information contained in the Bible. The biggest topic of debate in this context is the question of evolution, and, in modern times many people believe that the idea of a six-day creation of the world could only be allegorical, not literal. They believe that science reveals truth and religion reveals belief. However, for those who are devout, religion is the source of truth and science, rather than revealing truth, is a tool that humans can use to help fulfill biblical commandments. "Science enables us to fulfill the mandate of Genesis 1:28," which instructed Adam and Eve to exercise dominion over nature (Crampton, 1997). Therefore, rather than viewing science as a means of revealing the truth about the world, people should view science as a tool to help increase mankind's dominion over the world. Such a view does not prohibit using current scientific advances to aid mankind, but it does suggest that human understanding of such advances may be limited.

Like science, the Bible takes a positive stance on technology. With the notion that humans are to exercise dominion over the world, God essentially commanded humans to develop the technology that would enable them to do so. While some Christians lament modern technological advances, it is important to look at their capabilities, not just their uses. "It is the way in which that technology is applied that makes it sinful or not. The same car that carries someone to a bar can also carry him to church, and the same internet that can deliver pornographic images can also deliver the gospel. The outcome, whether negative or positive, is determined by the application" (Westbrook, Unk.). That does not mean that all technological advances adhere to biblical principles, because the Bible's guidelines for behavior would continue to apply to all human innovation, including the advent of new technologies. Therefore, while technology itself is considered useful, specific technological advances may require examination of the potential applications of the product. Jimmy Westbrook suggests that people consider some questions when determining if the development or use of a particular technology is following biblical principles: "Does it empower people or control them? Does is meet needs or generate wants? Does it value life or demean it? Does it respect people's dignity as God's image bearers? What is its potential for evil? Does it appropriately use resources?" (Unk). The answers to these questions can help determine whether a particular technological advance is in-line with the biblical order to exercise dominion over the natural world.

While scientific and technological advances have changed the face of modern science, business has expanded with globalization, but the underlying principles for business have remained somewhat unchanged. The Bible takes a very clear pro-business position, but that does not mean that all modern business practices are considered acceptable. In fact, the Bible very clearly prohibits some modern business practices. George Fooshee examined the Bible to reveal some principles about finances and business. In short, he discovered that the Bible advocates savings, helping people in need, living within your means and on a margin, avoiding debt, sticking to a budget, not cosigning on loans for others, and working hard (Fooshee, 2014). It is also well-known that the Bible takes issue with some business practices, such as usury. If one avoids prohibited business practices and examines new business practices from a biblical perspective, there is no reason that the Bible and modern business cannot coexist.