Dogma v Reason

There seems to be a lot of debate at the moment. I am reading this week's New Scientist declaring that the Enlightenment is starting to falter. Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Bhuddist Fundamentalism is up pretty much everywhere in the world, science is down everywhere except Western Europe. Yet, this war seems such a difficult thing for me to comprened. These two systems are talking accross each other. They should leave each other alone.

Religion should get out of science-bashing. Science should get out of telling religion its wrong. For one thing, if we take the Medieval approach to religious thought, then faith is a priori knowledge. Science is empirical and a posteriori. Therefore, nothing in the scientific world view should should ever be able impact on religion. For another, how long do scientific "truths" last for? Has anyone heard of social constructivism or critical theory? I don't see too many theorists now, especially in fields such as physics (the guide to the universe) telling everyone that their theories will hold up in 100 years time. Scientific theories are contingent on empirical fact. Once those facts change, the theories change. Religion seems to be having a major inferiority complex.

Science attempts to explain the way things are. It doesn't go out attempting to find evidence against God. It's just surprised by the fact that there is very little evidence for God, and a literal interpretation of the scriptures flies in the face of what we find out there. I don't see how religion can ever be angry will science. It's not like scientists create the world. They are just observing what is out there. They are finding out about God'sworld. I just don't get what religion is going on about.

For example, what does a religious authority do when it's confronted with empirical evidence? I can't see how they can just say "No, that didn't happen". It's not like scientists have a hidden agenda, they don't make things up. They just present to people the way the world is. I find the whole situation a bit odd.