教会与科学的关系

一百多年来，不少华人颂扬宗教支持科学，基本是出于不够了解和崇拜而一厢情愿为之涂脂抹粉。

宗教与科学的关系有复杂性。但是，在根本上是矛盾的、经常有很大的冲突。

在起源上，科学并非起源于宗教，而是在现代流行的单一神教(犹太基督穆斯林）之前。

在机构上，宗教场所给部分有生活需求和工作条件需求的人提供了从事科学研究的庇护所，并非宗教本身的目的，而是具体到有些人口是心非：一方面吃教（打着宗教的旗号作为“职业”），一方面从事自己真正喜欢的工作（科学）。

很多颂扬宗教支持科学的，经常用的“证据”就是神父孟德尔。理由是作为神父，他做出了伟大的科学工作。

其实，正好相反。孟德尔的科学研究，就是他不热爱宗教的表现。他能够得到工作条件，也是因为有足够的人（可能主要是教会内部的神父）其实都不喜欢宗教，而获得支持。

布鲁恩教区主教Anton Ernst von Schaffgotsch (1804 - 1870)多次与孟德尔所在的修道院发生冲突。

主教直接批评过入修道院不久的孟德尔曾经加入请愿希望全部精力教书。

1854年Schaffgotsch主教受布拉格红衣主教委托巡视各修道院。他视察圣汤玛斯修道院后，对它有全面而且具体的批评。

他于1854年9月写的报告非常不满修道院院长纳泊过多外面的兼职、修道院其他神父过多参与科学和教育而忽略传教。

他基本把纳泊手下的每一个修道士都批评了一遍。

对当时在维也纳大学进修的孟德尔，Schaffgotsch批评道：“他，用修道院的经费，在维也纳的世俗机构学习亵渎上帝的科学，以期成为国立机构的同类科学的教授”。这是Schaffgotsch对同一修道院修士中较温和的批评。

Schaffgotsch给上级的报告认为圣汤玛斯修道院无可挽救，建议撤销。因为纳泊已当选为终身道长，Schaffgotsch主教建议给他退休养老金，其他神父个案处理。

1855年底，布拉格红衣主教将它转交给了罗马教廷。我们不知道罗马教廷和布拉格红衣主教如何决定，只知道圣汤玛斯修道院没有被关闭。

当时的修道院院长反对关闭，而且成功。恐怕不是因为他一个人有能耐，而是上级也有恻隐之心，理解和支持神父们的课外作业。但这种理解和同情显然并非教会的政策，而是浑水摸鱼的人很多。

也可以说，世人其实对自然的好奇远远超过被蒙/或被迫信神信鬼。

Johann Anton Ernst von Schaffgotsch (1804-1870), the bishop of Brünn, had multiple conflicts with Cyril Napp and the Abbey of St. Thomas. 

In 1853, Schaffgotsch was asked by the cardinal of Prague to inspect local churches and monasteries. Napp protested but failed to prevent the inspection. In 1854, Schaffgotsch wrote a highly critical report to the cardinal. In his report, Schaffgotsch criticized each and every member under Napp, and the comment on Mendel was that “he studies profane sciences at a worldly establishment in Vienna, at the expense of the monastery, to become a professor of such sciences at a state institution”. This was milder than Schaffgotsch’s criticisms of other frairs.

Schaffgotsch pointed out the obviously non-religious activities: “In a word, in the house tending the Rule of St. Augustine reigns a secular spirit which the few lappets of the Augustinian habit fail to cover up. Any hopes that the spirit could be exorcized and the order returned to a conscientious observance of its rules and constitutions must be given up. With its current individuals, it would be impossible to turn the community around to form a real monastery. Among these individuals, not one would be found who could be entrusted with training novices and so educate a new generation of Augustinians”. Schaffgotsch recommended that St. Thomas Abbey be abolished.

A year later, the cardinal endorsed all the criticisms in the Schaffgotsch report and asked Napp to respond. Napp and 10 of his frairs responded humbly. In 1855, the cardinal still sent the report to the Vatican.

However, no record existed for the response of the Vatican. St. Thomas was not dissolved. Napp and all the friars remained there. Mendel was thus able to begin his research.

Had the St. Thomas Abbey been closed, it was difficult to predict where Mendel would make his living, and what would be the fate of his budding research on the garden pea.