Although grievancesleap to mind when we consider making peace with an old foe, ultimatesuccess depends on identifying not where each side is wrong, but whereeach is right. Seeing some good in others doesn't mean blindingourselves to what's wrong, and harping on the latter is no way to makepeace.Current attacks on religion are ignoring the fact that itgot some very big things right. However, religion must acknowledge thatits spokesmen have repeatedly failed to distinguish between its greatdiscoveries and its mistakes. Not only have some religiousleaders ignored compelling evidence, but they, like the leaders ofsecular institutions, have all too often failed to live up to thestandards of behavior they espouse.Paradoxically, science makeseven more mistakes than religion; but it saves itself by being quickerto recognize and correct them. Niels Bohr, the father of atomic physics, ascribed his breakthroughs to "making my mistakes faster than others." The difference between science and religion is not that one has "babies" in its bath water and the other doesn't. The difference is that sciencedrains its dirty bath water faster, leaving its gleaming babies for allto admire.Science gives us reason to think we can vanquishfamine, disease, and poverty. Religion heralds "peace on Earth, goodwill toward men." Neither of these venerable institutions can deliver on its promise without help from the other, but together there is reason tohope that they can.
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