Title

Prophet of Science–Part Three: Arthur Holly Compton on Science, Freedom, Religion, and Morality

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2009

Abstract

The final part of this essay examines Compton’s views on immortality and the morality of atomic warfare. He affirmed life after death, basing this on his faith in the value that God places on the conscious persons produced by the divinely guided process of evolution; however he did not accept the bodily resurrection of Jesus. He also used a type of “just war” theory to defend the decision of the American government to use weapons of mass destruction against Japan – a decision in which he himself had a prominent voice. Related to this, Compton suggested that divine providence had enabled a free nation to win the race to develop nuclear weapons. Anti-Semitism drew his opposition before, during, and after the war, as he served as Protestant Co-Chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Comments

Originally published as:

Davis, Edward. (2009). Prophet of Science–Part Three: Arthur Holly Compton on Science, Freedom, Religion, and Morality. Perspectives on science and Christian faith: journal of the American Scientific Affiliation. 61. 240-253.

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