Seeing is Believing: A Christian Perspective

When society takes a look at science, religion, and the overlapping space.

In the contemporary climate of the United States, and our world, we see that Christianity is on a sharp decline. The reasons for this are many and not necessary to delve into in this particular article. Today, I would like to address the seeming intellectual chaffing that occurs when science and religion, particularly Christianity, clash. Now, before you quit reading this, understand that I fully believe science and Christianity are capable of existing harmoniously, albeit without all the answers. 

It is odd to me that most Christians I interact with have such differing views and beliefs on the way our world works, when at the same time we all claim to be Christians. Now, I fully expect and control for the mild differences in doctrine, interpretation and so on. What I am referring to, is primarily in regards to some Christians’ violent reaction to and outright refusal of some scientific discoveries that at first glance SEEM difficult to refute statistically or theoretically from a biblical perspective. I see people within my faith ignore, alienate, and outright attack relatively substantiated scientific claims and their promoters, on the basis that believing these scientific discoveries would “disprove” their faith. I however do not think that this is the case at all.

I am here today to ask the question of Christians, do you think too lowly of God, that His existence can be overcome and “disproved” by insignificant scientific theories? Do you think so highly of yourself, that whatever you have always personally thought MUST be truth or the wholeness of knowledge such that your faith comes falling down? And lastly have you lost the love of the mystery and the beauty of faith where you actually have to lean in and trust God? Because, when the time comes, the Lord’s vindication for creating such that He did the way He did will be fully revealed when we are with Him in Heaven.

Because it has come up recently, I will use the example of Evolution. Christians are supposed to operate on faith, but when presented with evolution, demand that a complete fossil record is seen amongst other things. While there are certain “missing links” that have been found such as archaeopteryx , a complete fossil record is a flawed thesis from the get go in the fact there is realistically not enough room on the planet for the skeletons of every living thing ever. The second being that many “in between” species lived in places that are not conducive to fossil production anyhow. This is not to become a debate on the validity of evolution or not, as I myself am not sure what I think, it is just to say, that as people of supposed “faith” we should not think so highly of ourselves and so lowly of God that this has to happen. Where WE have to see to believe. I will tell you that, some theories fall, and some theories stand, but as we know from Isaiah 40:8 “the word of the Lord stands forever”. So have faith, you do not need to see the proof. 

Additionally, what I want people to understand today, is that you do not have to fear discoveries on a day to day basis. Science is beautiful and unique and allows us more specific knowledge about the world that I believe God has placed us in. If we have a true faith in God, we are then freed up to then learn and grow and discover because nothing we learn will disprove what we believe to be true about God, just maybe how we believe and experience it. 

Now, where is all of this coming from? Am I just blowing smoke? In fact no, this is an extrapolation of an argument presented by Diogenes Allen, a late professor of Philosophy at Princeton Theological Seminary. Something that I have thought about for years, and something that has allowed me to read and engage with others freely. After reading his book, “Christian Belief in a Postmodern World” my senior year of high school, I have been building a mental article on the topic since. Something Allen wrote on page 48, I think changes the game for most Christians, and while most of us don’t have the time or desire to read philosophy in our free time, I am sharing it with you today. Perhaps it will remedy broken relationships between you and our world, or doubts in your faith. Anyhow, Allen states and I believe quite correctly that,” the relations between members of the universe are AT BEST ONLY ANALOGOUS to the creative relation between God and the entire Universe. The comparison of the various kinds of causal relations between members of the universe to God’s distinctive creative activity does not enable us to comprehend the nature of divine causality itself. The mystery of how God creates is therefore not removed by advances in our scientific knowledge which steadily push back the frontiers of the unknown, finding more connections between members of the universe and discovering new members as well…science does not replace God’s activity”. 

So, moving forth, I beg that you bring back the mystery and love of God our creator into your faith. It is illogical to assume that God is a member of our universe, since I believe He created it, God cannot be quantified or qualified by discoveries of relationships between created objects or beings. The only source of truth about who God is, is through his word, prayer, general and special revelation as C.S. Lewis puts it. Therefore, enjoy science! Understand that discoveries about relations between created beings and things does not tell us who God is but maybe how he did and does the things He always has.