A couple of years ago on a visit to Copenhagen, I was profoundly impacted by The Trinity Complex. The displays were alright and the view from the top was cool but what made an impact was the original vision behind the building. It was a combination of an astronomical observatory, a student church and the university library. There in one set of buildings faith & science came together and it was a perfect match. It made me wonder ‘what if churches were to again have that combination of faith, science and education? What would that look like?

There would be a powerful apologetic to it in these secular days. At a stroke one of the key misunderstandings or lines of attack on faith would be undone. Not only are we not against science but we’re promoting it, encouraging it, fostering it.

I think the Templeton Foundation in some senses has struck the right approach. Their vision is “one of infinite scientific and spiritual progress, in which all people aspire to and attain a deeper understanding of the universe and their place in it. We look forward to a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, motivated to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and overwhelmed by great and selfless love.” And they have undoubtedly put their money where their mouth is.

One of the most obvious outworkings of the idea that creation has a Creator would be a willingness to investigate it and explore it. Which is exactly what Christians have always done. Yet for as long as I can remember Christians have been painted as anti-science. Yet we’re not anti-science, or at least we shouldn’t be. We should be the most pro-science people of all, confident that wonder will increase in keeping with our knowledge.

The wonders of the universe

As I began thinking about this yesterday the first thought was the goodness of creation is a common meeting ground. We need to shed our defensiveness and embrace wonder. Life on earth is amazing, precious and so far for this universe, unique.

In an essay in The Hand of God*, Sharon Begley an award-winning science writer says, “Astronomers’ findings – both the new nebulae and novas and galaxies they spy with their telescopes and the inferences they draw about the orbs scattered across the universe – are restoring a sense of wonder, and even of purpose, in a world at times hostile to both. Instead of leaving less and less room for a Creator who, at least once, acted in the world, they are acting as an inspiration to and support for faith.”

I recently watched this with my son and what I appreciated about it, is Louie Giglio’s obvious sense of wonder. I think that’s a healthy characteristic. We need more wonder, we need more curiosity, to just sit back and marvel.

Albert Einstein said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt with awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”

I marvel at the grace of God, the love of God but there is something here about marvelling at creation, marvelling at the intricacy, the vastness, the beauty, the majesty, the power of it all is good for our souls if we just…wonder. Don’t explain, don’t rationalise, but just ‘pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe.’

Or if you prefer:

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

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