Religious belief or faith is an example of a non-scientific way of understanding the universe.
The Apostle Paul defined faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, New International Version). Faith and religious belief, while essential elements of what makes us human, describe an area outside of scientific inquiry.
The faithful are exhorted to having faith like a rock, unmoving, unchanging, solid; all important qualities in a belief system, but qualities that are counterproductive to scientific inquiry.
Our scientific understanding of the universe—where it came from, how it evolves—continues to change with new observations, new data. Our philosophical understanding of our place in the universe, why we are here, what our purpose is, is the purview of philosophy and religion.
Science and religion are different ways of understanding the universe, both important but occupying separate realms.
Photo credit: http://www.cuttingedge.org/NEWS/earth7.jpg
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