Faith and Science

Making a solar system, science, creation and faith.

The will and desire to create is inbuilt within us as human beings. From the sandcastles of childhood to the buildings of the world, the smallest green space sown and nurtured to fruitfulness with loving hands, to the babes in arms created in love. Creation is miraculous. The millions of circumstances which have enabled us to be here, are so small, it’s a miracle we are all here at all.

It’s a surprise to some, when as someone deeply religious, I explain that I welcome science. I embrace all that science can show us - can bring us closer to that glimpse of the act of creation that got us here. To the God I believe in.

The Catholic Church sees Religion and Science as two complimentary halves of the same coin, many important theories in the evolution of this world, of the universe have been discovered and pioneered by Catholic scientists and Priests.

The Big Bang theory, the work of Belgian Cosmologist Fr Georges Lemaître, Heliocentricism, (the theory that that earth revolves around the sun) the work of Canon Nicolaus Copernicus. Gregor Mendel an Augustinian Friar founded genetics…the term recessive and dominant is all down to him. Blessed Nicolas Steno, made important contributions to our understanding of anatomy and is considered the father of the study of fossils. Moon Mapping pioneered by Jesuit priests means over 30 craters are named after them and saints on the Moon.

My 13 year old has become so absorbed in space and physics, he has decided to study the solar system so we dedicate our Sunday afternoons to talking about space, to making models of the solar system using card, paper and mod rock. The mind at 13 is one which revels in the scientific thinking, for a while now my son thinks about things in new and discerning ways. He is a brilliant debater and his passion, energy and conviction is so apparent. Inevitably with the dawn of all the complexities and mysteries of the universe before him, he is questioning his faith and it’s place in this world and I love giving him the information he needs to guide him to discover these truths for himself, in his own journey.

This is the world and spirituality opening up to him in all its complexity and glory and I am in awe of it.

A great resource for parents who want to explore science and faith in a complimentary way is ‘The Search’ documentary on @formedcatholic , cannot recommend enough, ‘Particles of Faith’ by @stacy.trasancos is a great book, and ‘Centered’ by @bishopbarron