t
of natural science, but just as clearly in the direct interest of religion;
and that every attempt at limiting the freedom of scientific investigation
in a pretended religious interest, can only have its cause in the fullest
misapprehension of that which the religious interest requires. For the
religious view of the world consists in this: that it sees in the universe,
with all its inhabitants and processes, the work of an almighty Creator and
Ruler of the world; and therefore it cannot be unimportant to it, whether
we also have a knowledge of this work, to a certain extent, whether we make
use of the means which lead to the knowledge of the world, {253} and
whether we make progress in the knowledge, or not. The religious view of
the world sees in every correction and enrichment of our scientific
knowledge only a correction and enrichment of our knowledge of the way and
manner of the divine creation and action; and every such correction and
enrichment acts directly as an incitement to religiousness--although,
fortunately for the universal destination of religion, the degree of our
religiousness is not dependent upon the degree of our knowledge of nature.
Therefore, the religious view of the world does not throw any barriers in
the way of scientific investigation; it does not prescribe the route by
which the latter is to reach its aim, and it does not forbid it any
scientific auxiliary means, nor, indeed, any scientific auxiliary
hypothesis, nor does it, so far as the communication of scientific
knowledge is concerned, inquire after the religious or the irreligious
standpoint of those who offer it such knowledge. In all these directions,
it knows of but one requirement: that of exact and correct presentation; in
a word, of but one requirement of _truth_. Real, well-founded, and certain
results of natural science can never come into antagonism with religion;
for precisely the same thing which in the language of natural science is
called natural causal connection, is in that of religion called the way and
manner of divine action and government. Where man has adopted any view, the
proving of which, according to its nature, belongs to natural science, and
natural science should show an error in such a view, he must simply give it
up and surrender the erroneous opinion, that such a view is to form a
constituent part of our religious perception. Just as decidedly, on the
other hand, religion can ask of {254} natural science tha