--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no possibility whatsoever of…" description: "\"There is no possibility whatsoever of reconciling science and theology, at least in Christendom. Either Jesus arose from the dead or He didn't. If he d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/h-l-mencken-245_agnostic_there-is-no-possibility-whatsoever-of-re_2994555.jpg" --- # There is no possibility whatsoever of reconciling science… ![“There is no possibility whatsoever of reconciling science and theology, at least in Christendom. Either Jesus arose from the dead or He didn't. If he did, then Christianity becomes plausible; if He did not, then it is sheer nonsense. I defy any genuine scientists to say that he believes in the…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/h-l-mencken-245_agnostic_there-is-no-possibility-whatsoever-of-re_2994555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/h-l-mencken-245_agnostic_there-is-no-possibility-whatsoever-of-re_2994555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/h-l-mencken-245_agnostic_there-is-no-possibility-whatsoever-of-re_2994555.jpg) > “There is no possibility whatsoever of reconciling science and theology, at least in Christendom. Either Jesus arose from the dead or He didn't. If he did, then Christianity becomes plausible; if He did not, then it is sheer nonsense. I defy any genuine scientists to say that he believes in the Resurrection, or indeed in any other cardinal dogma of the Christian system.” [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science and theology are fundamentally incompatible in Christian doctrine; belief in resurrection is essential for Christianity. **In simple terms:** Science vs theology conflict. Key Takeaway Question faith claims. Themes faith science conflict Mood skeptical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates on religion - academic discourse - personal belief Key Concepts epistemology religious doctrine Questions to Reflect On - Can faith and science coexist? - What evidence is needed for belief? A Different Perspective Some find personal reconciliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believes Resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believes-resurrection-583454/) [Cardinals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardinals/) [Christendom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christendom/) [Christendom Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christendom-jesus-4723543/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Plausible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-plausible-4723541/) [Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma/) [Genuine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genuine/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Plausible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plausible/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Reconciling Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconciling-science-4723542/) [Resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resurrection/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-theology-946230/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Sheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheer/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [“If we are talking about the victory over evil and the launch of new creation, it won’t make much sense unless we are working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/if-we-are-talking-about-the-victory-over-evil-and-the-launch-of-new/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [The immaterial told me that I was indeed an occidental, a right-thinking Christian who believes in the 'Resurrection of the flesh'. A whole phenomenology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-klein/the-immaterial-told-me-that-i-was-indeed-an-occidental-a-right/) [Yves Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-klein/) > [“It is love that believes the resurrection.”16 “Simon, son of John,” says Jesus, “do you love me?” There is a whole world in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/it-is-love-that-believes-the-resurrection-16-simon-son-of-john-says/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [It is love that believes the resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/it-is-love-that-believes-the-resurrection/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [To large numbers of American citizens life in certain parts of the country becomes intolerably hazardous. They may be seized on any pretext, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/to-large-numbers-of-american-citizens-life-in-certain-parts-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The American people, taking one with another, constitute the most timorous, snivelling, poltroonish, ignominious mob of serfs and goosesteppers ever gathered under one flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-american-people-taking-one-with-another-constitute-the-most/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The Bible does not speak to all issues (for example, where did AIDS come from?), and science says little about doctrine (for example, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-klusendorf/the-bible-does-not-speak-to-all-issues-for-example-where-did-aids/) [Scott Klusendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-klusendorf/) > [With a background in science I am extremely interested in the meeting ground of science, theology, and philosophy, especially the ethical questions at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/with-a-background-in-science-i-am-extremely-interested-in-the-meeting/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“If the physicists seem to achieve their ends more successfully than the theologians, that is simply a reflection of how much easier science is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polkinghorne/if-the-physicists-seem-to-achieve-their-ends-more-successfully-than/) [John Polkinghorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polkinghorne/) > [The antagonism between science and religion, about which we hear so much, appears to me to be purely factitiousfabricated, on the one hand, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/the-antagonism-between-science-and-religion-about-which-we-hear-so/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [I think the opportunity to deal with students and getting them properly oriented on science and theology and the relation between those is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/i-think-the-opportunity-to-deal-with-students-and-getting-them/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [“The quest for knowledge is the essence of science. The science of biology is a quest to gain a knowledge of living things, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-quest-for-knowledge-is-the-essence-of-science-the-science-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [I've done a lot of research on science and theology to try and get a better understanding of what happens to the human soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-research-on-science-and-theology-to-try-and-get-a/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [There is no conflict between science and theology, except where there is bad science or bad theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-hesburgh/there-is-no-conflict-between-science-and-theology-except-where-there/) [Theodore Hesburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-hesburgh/) > [Theology differs from science in many respects, because of its different subject matter, a personal God who cannot be put to the test in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polkinghorne/theology-differs-from-science-in-many-respects-because-of-its/) [John Polkinghorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polkinghorne/) ## More by H. L. Mencken > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [So few men are really worth knowing, that it seems a shameful waste to let an anthropoid prejudice stand in the way of free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/so-few-men-are-really-worth-knowing-that-it-seems-a-shameful-waste-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Man's objection to love is that it dies hard; woman's, that when it is dead, it stays dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/man-s-objection-to-love-is-that-it-dies-hard-woman-s-that-when-it-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The lunatic fringe wags the underdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-lunatic-fringe-wags-the-underdog/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Women have simple tastes. They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms and men in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/women-have-simple-tastes-they-get-pleasure-out-of-the-conversation-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The critic, to interpret his artist, even to understand his artist, must be able to get into the mind of his artist; he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-critic-to-interpret-his-artist-even-to-understand-his-artist-must/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/don-t-overestimate-the-decency-of-the-human-race/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Liberty ... was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-was-a-two-headed-boon-there-was-first-the-liberty-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [To the extent that I am genuinely educated, I am suspicious of all the things that the average citizen believes and the average pedagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/to-the-extent-that-i-am-genuinely-educated-i-am-suspicious-of-all-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Philosophy first constructs a scheme of happiness and then tries to fit the world to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/philosophy-first-constructs-a-scheme-of-happiness-and-then-tries-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For it is the natural tendency of the ignorant to believe what is not true. In order to overcome that tendency it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-the-natural-tendency-of-the-ignorant-to-believe-what-is-not/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) [Explore all 827 H. L. Mencken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. 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I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no possibility whatsoever of reconciling science and theology, at least in Christendom. Either Jesus arose from the dead or He didn't. 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