Page Four -

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday. November ll. I9“

Gates lecturer Relates Religion um! Science

By MARTHA BERKEY

The Rev. Ernan McMullin,
head of the department of phil«
osophy at the University of
Notre Dame, delivered the fifty-
Second annual Gates Lectures
Novi 13-15 in a presentation
which cut broadly across cur-
ricular lines, and seemed to ap-
peal to the Grinnell pride in the
true liberal arts tradition. Sub-
jects ranging iron-i the history
of philosophy to the genetic ba-
sis of life, from mathematics to
the United Nations, and lrom
the Dead Sea Scrolls to the big
bang theory of the origin oi the
universe, were combined with
subtle amounts of Roman Cath-
olic theology under the general
theme of “Some Historical As-
pects oi the Relation oi Science
and Religion.”

in his opening iectum, “Chris-
tianity and the Origin of Natural
Science." Father McMullin em-
phasized the historical develop
ment of the questioning thought
process. From th e ancient
Greek idea of “mind" Came the
turn to the theoretical which in-
troduced a belief in the power
of man's mindi Man. through
use of his mind, could under-
stand things about his world.

This searching attitude, an im-
portant part of the Judaeo—
Christian tradition, had an im‘
ponunt influence on the devel-
opment of the scientific method.

Concept of Man

He also explored the histori-
cal context of a related concept
of man. “The idea of man l‘urm~
ing himself has always been in
Christianity. Now it is being
emphasized by existentialism,"
This theme of the questioning,
Searching, rational mind led
Father MCMullin to his conclu-

sion. “It was no accident that
science developed in the Chris-
tian West and even today finds
only an uneasy home in the
East.”

Father McMullin's second ad»
dress focused on the clash of
the scientific and religious
world views. Men pondered the
question of where man fitted
into the natural order. Was man
a spirit and therelore divorced
from nature; or was man a part
or nature? The attempt to look
at things objectively directed
man's thinking in the 16th, 17th,
and 18th centuries. This move-
ment led man away lrom the
religious view and the authority
of the new science grew.

‘The Christian religious faith
has tended upon the notion of

a revelation. The triumph of
biological and technological
science has opened up a gull,"
explained Father McMullin,

Faith and Reason

The final lecture examined
the topic of “The Contribution
of Science to Theology: A Look
to the Future.” He showed how
science has changed our picture
of ourselves and our universe.
”Christian theology today owes
a great deal to eiioris ot SCien-
tists oi all kinds.” He presented
technology as "simply an exten-
sion of ourselves. We can de-
slroy it or ennoble it. The limi-
tations now are those in man

.— his will to use the powers he

has, and to use them for the
good."

Scientilic interests and religi-
ous beliefs are both striving to-
Ward the same relationships:
man with the universe, and man
with God “We can’t cut apart
those two domains of man’s in.
terest, raith and reason, be-
cause man is a part or God. All
the fields oi science, theology,
and philosophy come to a point
in man for they all have some-
thing to say to him,

Haner Speaks
at Seattle
Charles F. Haner, psychology,

will speak on the topic “The ,

Driver” at a seminar on “The
Driver, the Automobile, and
the Law" at the University of
Washington (Seattle) tomorrow.

 

m

NDARD

 

WAYNE’S STEAKHOIJSE

"the lox"

restaurant -cocklail lounge

sled ks

Next to the theater ,

 

_‘ Are Country, Sel

l.oy Krathong

By LIVIA DENAVS

Thul Festival of Lights .
The evening of the hill moon in November
Is set aside for the propitiation ol the guard-
ian spirits of the rivers, ponds, and water-
ways. As darkness falls and the moon comes
. up, the Thais follow the ancient Brahmanic
custom of setting afloat (loi) little river rafts
or boats (krathong) bearing lighted candles.
incense sticks, and other gifts as thank-offer-
ings and as a gesture of conciliation to en-
sure protection during the following year for

All those who bathe in the water or travel on

it. Loy Krathong is one of the most popular

or on Thai customs, enjoyed yearly by young
and old alike,

The candle on the pink paper float flickered as
if to go out A small brown hand shielded it from
the wind, and as the flame began to glow,
placed the host on file dark sluggish water. With
a joyful abandon, the flame burned brighter and
brighter, ready to consume itself and the float.
The incense curled upwards in tight ringleLs,
then, stirred by the breeze, dissipated in the
moonlight like wisps of angel hair. The light will
captured and reflected in the small copper coin
which had been placed on the float as an offer-
ing to the spirits. Next to it, paper flowers of
dainty pastel pink, creamy white, and pale yellow
lay sprinkled with crunchy popcorn and pearl-
like grains of rice. Laden with these offering!
and the burden of a small boys' sins, the float
slowly began to move — first to the left, then to
the right, past the reeds and grasses trying to
ensnare it, then past the gnarled root, dark and
rimster in the moonlight, until finally, tree trom
restraints, it began to spin, this way and that,
faster and faster, iurther and further from the
shore, until tinally, it became lost among the
thousands of other lights — a new star in the
watery Milky Way.

Suchat, still standing knee-deep in water, his
young legs firmly braced against the current,

strained his eyes to keep the tiny pinpoint of
light in View Then, with a frown, he gave up.
He scampered up the muddy bank, darted through
h group or giggling school-girls, and nearly
knocked me down in his enthusiasm to join his
brother and sisters in the further pursuit oi
sanuk or fun.

My float had been launched successfully an
hour ago, with all due and proper ceremony, and
i had watched it disappear under the gaping
iron jaw of the Old Bridge. 1, too, was willing
to pursue sanuk a little furthers (And, in Thai—
land, sanulr and eating are almost synonymous.)
As the fragrance of spicy Thai food waited
through the air, Jungiut, the science teacher, his
triend, and I made our way across the crowded
street to the campus of the Dara branch school.

The grounds of the school, normally crowded
With children at recess or quiet and dusty on
weekends, had been transliormed through the
wild fantasy of color, sounds, and smells into a
carnival kaleidoscope, The open-air restaurant oc-
cupied the prominent central position on campus.
Low tables and chairs squatted on the dirt
“floor'fi Dara students in their colorful red and
white uniforms hustled back and forth with sav-
ory dishes of steaming rice, curry, fried noodles,
and various meat dishes, as well as “foreign"

foods such as hot dogs, sizzling pancakes. vanilla .
and chocolate ice cream, and the ever-popular ‘

Coke, 7-Up, and Bairley's orange juice.
Christmas tree lights glowed in the dark tree-

tlnd illuminated the booths and entrance with

their cheerful Colors of red. green. blue, and

yellow. Here and there. young students passed .

through the holiday crowds setting 33ny colored
balloons for a tew Entangs apiece. Ping pong
halls llashed in steady rhythm across white nets,

The sound of popular music—"Tennessee Waltz", ,

“Sound of Music”, “Hang on Sleepy", the
Beatles — hlared through the loudspeakers, only
to be pierced occasionally by the still louder
shrieks and laughter ot kids having a good time.
@

shreh’Lewrence college shrine} Schools In: it w w

Girls Really Spoiled?
Yes —

Who spoiled lhem?
We Did

POYNTER'S

Ml A“. Fashion:

 

FRANCE

From June 16 to July zll in runs at 4 rue de Chevreuse. Two
com lete Prolrams in an llistoly. literature and Dhllowvhy

odern France and Classical l7tl| Century France will be
uttered along with an intensive langhuuge program. Advanced
liternture will be tau ht in Frenc : other cl-rses will he
taught in English. or N TO UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN.

lull. nom. tuition and he- excursion ,. $700

From June 16 to July 27 in Florence It Torre do hellosguiu.

do. 16th Century Villa. Centered on the tuition Renaissance.

courses in art history, literature, music, Florence from

name to the Medici, and humanism and philosophy will he

tau hr in En lish, All levels or itallnn language are offered.

01> N To U DERGRADUATE WOMEN. 7"
a, $

loud, room, tuition and two excursions ..

ENGLAND From June so tOvAugust ii in London at College Hall. Mslet

Street in Bloomsbury. lath Ind lsrh Century ranrush liter-
ature. trt history, iltealre and society will be‘tlughl. OPEN
To UNDERGRADUATE MEN AND WOMEN

herd. roam. tuition and thm excursion . ., S700

Classes in all schools are taught by Sarah Lawrence raculry nnd other-
lnclude lectures by distinguished writers. :ullsrs and political lenders.
A two-week tour of Greece and the Greek rslrnds will take place arrai-
the Florence and Paris summer sessions. A sum Lawrence lucuity
member accompanies the group, and the itinerary includes the most im-
portant historical and arehhelogicrl rues.

Sulalt Lnrvrencc College rlso accepts students uttering their iiinlor year
rroin other colleges tor its motion YEAR ABROAD progrrm in Paris;
Geneva and Rollie instruction is given in the language or the country.
thereiore, a knowledge or French or itulisn is required.

ror Inlorntlllon and
applications write:

Foreign Studios. Sarah Lawrence College
Ironxvillt. New Your Io7oa

 

The above piece will be
continued in next week’s 5&3.
Miss Denavs, Grimell, '65,
spent last year teaching in
Thalllnd on the Grinnell Fifth
Year Abroad Program.

Shah-pure. Vlllllaln,
I'Illllng oi the Shrew.

getter-l tdq

Shslrolpur- chiller. y. 4)

it anyone linen the when.
about. or thin library boul-
plm. return ll and contact:

c. chrlitl- Nun—In. In