A Shifting Stance | Erich Robert Paul, Science, Religion, and Mormon Cosmology

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This is not just another book on science and Mormonism. Mercifully ab sent, for example, are inconclusive and dubious attempts to harmonize different scriptural versions of the Creation with each other and with modern scientific research. Also absent are attempts to apologize for various LDS doctrines in light of trendy scientific theories. 

The premise of this book is that Mormonism from its inception has not only distanced itself from mainline Catholic and Protestant movements in classical areas of doctrine, such as the nature of God, the fall of Adam, and predestination, but it has also fashioned a unique, positive scientific philosophy, in keeping with the best tradition of Greek rationalism. The author proceeds to discuss this philosophy in an ambitious and authoritative work. 

From our modern perspective, where most mainline Christian churches have made their peace with modern science, it maybe difficult for us to appreciate fully the freshness of the approach taken by early LDS writers. Largely for this reason nineteenth-century Mormonism was free of the strife between science and religion that marred other movements of the time. Typical of nineteenth-century LDS writers was George Reynolds, secretary to the First Presidency, who wrote in 1882, “[T]he Bible… was not written to teach men science by scientific methods,” and another writer who declared, “[T]rue science is as divine in its sphere as religion.” A third progressive thinker was B. H. Roberts, one of seven presidents of the Seventy, who noted that the name “Adam” means “many” and then argued that pre-Adamites implied in the theory of evolution could be comfort ably accommodated in LDS thought. 

Robert Paul describes the intellectual environment of Joseph Smith’s time, pointing out that the country was alive with discussions about a plurality of gods. Many were discussing Thomas Paine’s challenge to Christianity: “From whence, then, could arise the solitary and strange conceit that the Almighty, who had millions of worlds equally de pendent on his protection, should quit the care of all the rest and come to die in our world, because, they say, one man and one woman had eaten an apple? And, on the other hand, are we to sup pose that every world in the boundless creation had an Eve, an apple, a serpent, and a redeemer?” 

On page 113 Paul summarizes the themes of early Mormon science. These include notions that matter is eternal, that millions of worlds are needed for God’s offspring, that there is a hierarchy of gods and a corresponding hierarchy of worlds, that Kolob is the central con trolling sphere, that every world needs an Adam and a redeemer, that resurrected humans will minister to other worlds, and that there is communication among worlds. Paul documents in detail how these and other concepts were taught by nineteenth-century church leaders, including Brigham Young, Par ley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, B. H. Roberts, James E. Ta Image, Joseph F. Merrill, John A. Widtsoe, and Richard R. Lyman. Paul, for perhaps the first time in mod ern LDS literature, describes in detail Orson Pratt’s scientific writings, including his “law of planetary motion” and his book Key to the Universe. Pratt’s mathematical writings on the solution of cubic and quartic are also mentioned. 

Paul then discusses changes in the LDS philosophy of science during the twentieth century. Beginning with the First Presidency’s “Origin of Man” statement in 1909, LDS leaders started to withdraw not only from their earlier free-wheeling speculations but also from their generally positive stance to ward secular science. This trend intensified with publication of Joseph Fielding Smith’s book, Man: His Origin and Destiny, and with the incorporation of this literalist philosophy in Bruce R. McConkie’s popular Mormon Doctrine. Paul also describes material in recent LDS Church Education System manuals that favors a 7,000-year age of the earth and questions the scientific age of 4.5 billion years. 

Paul is quite direct in stating the dangers of such teachings. Not only does this philosophy run afoul of in creasing well-established scientific results, but “when neoliteralist Mormons adopt these ideas, they must realize they place themselves squarely into the evangelical Christian camp.” One positive development mentioned by Paul is a 1987 Ensign article by Morris Petersen, professor of geology at Brigham Young University, on fossils and the age of the earth. 

One final topic Paul deals with is the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI) and the anthropic principle of cosmology. Many scientists have speculated on these topics, of course, but recently NASA has initiated a serious effort to search the radio frequency spectrum for signals from distant intelligent societies. Paul discusses in detail, again probably for the first time in LDS literature, the Drake equation that estimates the prob ability that life exists elsewhere in our galaxy. Paul mentions how scientists, once optimistic about such a possiblity, are now increasingly pessimistic or at least neutral. Paul points out that if SETI explorations continue to come up empty-handed, this may pose a serious problem for Mormon cosmology which has embraced pluralism in such an essential way. 

Paul concludes that Mormonism needs to divest itself of any obligation to natural theology: “Properly conceived, science is not, and should never become, an intellectual partner of theology—including Mormon theology…. One can say that genuine faith can only be sustained outside the dimension of historical and scientific evidence.” 

If there is a weakness in Paul’s book it is that it understates the strength of the current neoliteralist movement in the LDS church. In my opinion, this trend deserves more attention than Paul has devoted to it. For if it continues much of the discussion in Paul’s book may be moot. In addition, many young LDS scientists who already experience a degree of pain and ostracism for their scientific beliefs may be further marginalized by the church. Finally, the church may lose credibility among educated people generally. 

One example of this modern-day literalism is Boyd K. Packer’s 1988 talk at Brigham Young University entitled “The Law and the Light.” In this speech, Elder Packer stakes out a position sharply opposed to certain fields of modern science, such as evolution. Al though the published version of this speech is prefaced by a clearly worded disclaimer, it is being cited by some as justification for an antagonistic stance toward modern science. In Paul’s book, this influential talk was given only fleeting mention in a note. 

In spite of this, Science, Religion, and Mormon Cosmology is a much needed and very well executed piece of modern Mormon scholarhip. I heartily recommend it for thinking Latter-day Saints. 

Erich Robert Paul. Science, Religion, and Mormon Cosmology. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1992.