Early Mormon Apostle Parley P. Pratt taught that Theology includes “all other sciences and useful arts.” This puts the religion of the Latter-day Saints squarely on the side of science and advanced learning. There is no room for dogmatism, provincialism, or narrow-mindedness in the Church of Jesus Christ.
[Theology] is the science of all other sciences and useful arts, being, in fact, the very fountain from which they emanate.
Parley P. Pratt
Science seems to be very different from religion. The scientific method is forever tentative. It is always open to receiving, and adjusting to, new data. Periodically, accumulated data and new insights require science to undergo major paradigm shifts.
In religion, however, people seek the security and comfort of surety. They like to believe that God is unchangeable, and therefore that religious beliefs are static. However, while truth may be unchangeable, our discovery, understanding, and application of truth is an ongoing process. Both science AND religion are useful tools in the pursuit of truth.
In fact, their methods of finding truth are not all that different. For example, both science and religion are experimental. They begin with a hypothesis and encourage one to test the hypothesis. Alma 32, the Book of Mormon chapter about faith, even uses the word “experiment.”
But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
Alma 32:27
Science and religion are also both experiential. They measure and value growth and change in the real world.
But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow.
Alma 32:30
In addition, both science and religion seek to provide knowledge and insights that will improve the quality of our lives.
Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
Alma 32:43
The important thing for Latter-day Saints is to be always learning, always growing, always striving to improve. The realm of potential knowledge is a vast landscape and it is not possible in this life to master everything. But we should dedicate our lives to learning as much as we can. Ultimately, knowledge is the only thing we can take with us!
Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19
And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.
Source: Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, Seventh Edition, Deseret News, Salt Lake City, 1915.
I very much enjoyed this piece.
I find the biggest limitation to us getting knowledge is ourselves. I’ll call it my “Pickle Theory.” After years of telling my son how good mustard is, how every type of mustard is so different, and that eventually he’ll have big boy taste buds and will love mustard, I looked at myself and my disdain of pickles. There was a hypocrisy there on my part because I hated pickles. Finally I decided the problem was me limiting my choices so I tried a pickle and lived. Since them, I’ve tried a lot more. I’ve even volunteered to take pickles others don’t want to eat and I’ve found they are all very different, nuanced in taste and actually pretty good. Yes, we limit ourselves in gaining knowledge.