Scientific materialism is at the opposite end of the theological spectrum from biblical literalism. They both discuss conflict between contemporary science an classical religious beliefs. Both don't have a sure foundation, and both claim that science and theology make rival literal statements about history if nature, etc.

Scientific Materialism Starts at science -> broad philosophical claims David Hume; evolutionary naturalism 19th century

• Scientific method is the only reliable path to knowledge (epistemological)
• matter or energy is the fundamental reality in the universe (metaphysical)
• Linked by the assumption that only the entities with which science deals are real Reductionism; laws and theories of all the sciences are reducible to physics and chemistry All phenomena can be explained by actions of material components

Biblical literalism

• starts at theology -> scientific claims

Logical Positivism 1920's - 1940's asserted that scientific discourse provides the norms for all language The only meaningful statements are empirical propositions verifiable by sense data Ethics, metaphysics, religion are not true or false