Introduction

Tradition is generally understood to include a substantial component of religion, which many people believe to be incompatible with science. It is therefore not surprising that there is a large body of literature which attempts to reconcile science with tradition, much of it by scientists who are religious believers. But these publications are predominantly concerned with the situation in the West, and very little research has been done on science within the context of the Indian tradition, of which the Hindu element is the most unfamiliar to European Christians, and also very complex. What follows attempts to correct this imbalance and open up new avenues for understanding the relationships between science and religious belief in an inter-faith context.