Three Modest Observations on the Interdisciplinary Work of Science-Engaged Theology

While interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity have been watchwords of the academy for decades, there has been less exploration of the different forms interdisciplinarity takes and how those forms depend upon the nature and structure of the fields involved. This paper makes an opening gambit to invite more such conversations by offering three observations about the shape of interdisciplinarity that science-engaged theology takes and suggesting the potential value such interdisciplinarity might hold for theology as a field. It claims, first, that the more delimited canon in philosophy of science centralizes and contains conversations in a way that contrasts with the contested canon and sprawling (yet siloed) conversations in theology and other humanistic disciplines; second, that the broad agreements in science and philosophy of science impart a public character to their work and builds into such work forms of accountability; and, third, that the questions pursued through engaging science and philosophy of science can tend in more explanatory rather than hermeneutical directions. The value of engaging science and philosophy of science for theology, this paper argues, ultimately ought not to displace the more humanistic directions in which much theological work tends but instead, complement and add to those directions.