This article examines the rationale behind philanthropist John Templeton’s investment in the field of science and religion. His support stems in part from the conviction that historical developments in science are finally leading us to the right understanding of God’s relationship to the created order. The older, mechanical picture of nature that science purportedly gave us implies that God is distant from nature, whereas more recent discoveries are revealing nature’s complexity, elusiveness, intangibility, unpredictability, and creativity and imply God’s intimate presence to, and involvement in, nature. This newer theological picture is consistent with a theological tradition to which Templeton had been exposed since childhood. Believing that science is finally uncovering theological truths about God and God’s relationship to the world, Templeton sought to shape science and (especially) religion so that comparable breakthroughs might continue to flow in the future.

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科学史的神学意义：约翰·邓普顿与科学和宗教的推广

本文探讨了慈善家约翰·邓普顿在科学和宗教领域投资背后的基本原理。他的支持部分源于这样的信念：科学的历史发展最终引导我们正确理解上帝与创造秩序的关系。科学据称给我们提供的古老的、机械的自然图景暗示着上帝远离自然，而最近的发现揭示了自然的复杂性、难以捉摸、无形性、不可预测性和创造力，并暗示上帝与自然的亲密存在和参与。这种较新的神学图景与坦普尔顿从小就接触的神学传统是一致的。坦普尔顿相信科学最终会揭示有关上帝以及上帝与世界关系的神学真理，因此他寻求塑造科学和（特别是）宗教，以便在未来继续取得类似的突破。