About my Research

This research is the product of a long and convoluted academic journey. As an undergraduate student studying cell and molecular biology, my interest in history extended only as far as genetics, which, I claimed at the time, was as close as you can get to history in a science lab. Two weeks into my first history class, taken only because it fulfilled a liberal arts requirement, I wrote an essay describing my relationship with history in which I stated that I would likely never take another history class again. That course, focused on the Renaissance and Reformation, went on to change the course of my life.

A lecture on Hans Holbein’s The Ambassadors (1533) piqued my interest in the relationship between religion and science in Early Modern Europe. As a student of science, I studied figures such as Galileo (1564-1642) and Charles Darwin (1809-1882) who faced opposition from the Catholic Church, leading me to believe that the animosity between intellectual progress and Christianity as a whole was inherent.

Even among historians, this sentiment retains a strong presence. Continued belief in that sentiment, however, does not change the fact that it is objectively false, especially in the seventeenth century. Faith has always been a way for humans to understand the world around them. Belief in a higher power allows the unexplainable to be explained, providing answers for questions that humans did not have the skill, knowledge, or resources to answer themselves. Science, however, is man’s attempt to approach those questions from an alternate angle.

The relevance of this ongoing debate is evident in today’s political climate; Christian arguments against topics such as abortion, transgender rights, and science-focused educational curriculum are all underpinned by a perceived age-old animosity between reason and faith. Changing the historical memory of Christianity’s relationship with science, technology, and innovation may help to bridge some of the modern-day divides that have become embedded in Western society. This capstone project serves as my contribution to the continued effort to map the intricate and complex relationship between science and religion throughout history.

Dedication

This capstone could never have been completed without the continued support and encouragement of my advisor, Dr. Helen Dixon. Her guidance has been invaluable to both this project and my own academic path. I would also like to thank Dr. Punam Madhok for her expertise and suggestions in the art history aspects of this project.

Any and all mistakes in formatting, typing, or content are entirely my own.