________________
Ve.
meaning and both have been and will be perennially inter-woven in the fabric of human history. Religion and science no longer stand as antithetical entities trying to oppose each other as sworn enemies as happened prior to the advent of the 20th century. Religion and science now display a strange convergence, which was unbelievable only decades back. Science has now entered into the realm of the ultimate, which has been the domain of religious quest since the very origins of religions. The search for the ultimate truths now seems to be a joint enterprise of science and religion. Therefore, it is imperative that education accords a place of as much honour to religion as to science in its universe of discourse. Any curriculum inspired and constructed exclusively by the spirit of classical science and showing apathy and indifference to the authentic spirit of religion is likely to be skewed and counterproductive.
The intellectual arrogance of science has turned into an intellectual diffidence before the inscrutable nature of reality. For science also reality has become indescribable and imponderable. Science too has learnt to wonder at the mysterious nature of the universe. This wonder in the case of religion had always been the parent of adoration; it is becoming so now in the case of science also. The questions concerned with the ultima thule such as 'how' and 'why' of the universe, death and destiny of man, life hereafter, infinity of space and time are equally baffling to science as well as religion. It is only through a cooperative endeavour that their answers could ever be discovered hopefully. Scientific epistemology is no longer considered capable of unraveling the paradoxical nature of reality, it must be complemented by mystic intuition and revelation of religion. Albert Einstein was aware of the cardinal role of religion in attempting to comprehend the nature of reality. He used to say that science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind. It is, therefore, essential that a creative synthesis of religion and science be evolved to provide a proper guidance to the bewildered humanity and no area of human striving is more appropriate and competent than education to accomplish this task and in this task lies the succour and salvation of man. Conclusion
Religion is an expression of man's existential urge which cannot be banished through the use of force or the propagation of a materialist ideology. It is an answer to man's fundamental problems that emanate from his position in the universe. In its spiritual essence, religion is a question of being & becoming and not believing as Vivekanand proclaimed. Its mission is to transform man into a spiritual being by imbuing him with the truths of the spirit, by making life conform to its laws and rhythms. Religious truths are not the effusions of a neurotic psyche but the discovery of a most sublime
138
AM|||||||||||||||
W
met 451 310 111-112
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
