Friday, September 26, 2008

science and truth

Science is reliable, right? So, working at the Museum of Natural Sciences, things come up that I am not sure what to do with. Like yesterday. I was sitting in a meeting and someone expressed how important it is to have an exhibit that explains how we know how old things are. This comment followed: "yeah! we have these baptists coming in thinking the world is only 5000 years old!" I shot out of my chair and whipped out my reformation study Bible and started yelling Genesis... sike.

haha.

Now, I knew this would be a part of my job. Being surrounded by evolutionists. I am ok with that. I go back and forth though. I mean, God is sovereign and that is so much more important than how he created earth. Why would there be so much evidence of a really old earth if its not true? I thought Jesus was the stumbling block, not the age of the earth. I guess it is all connected. This is what was running through my head yesterday as the people around me so matter-of-factly wrote off creationists as deceived or uninformed. I think the hardest part is that the scientists I work with know much more than I do about archeology, etc. I know all about salvation through Christ alone, who is the way the truth and the life (halleluia!) But all I know about dating the earth is what people tell me, so how do I know what to believe? It also hit me that I need to be careful that I don't conclude that the whole creation story is symbolic and not literal. Perhaps, it is often misinterpreted, perhaps not, but it is truth. And if I let myself believe that one part of the Bible is symbolic, what about the rest?... I am weak and my heart and mind are prone to wander from the Truth and the One who stustains me and keeps me in His grace.

Then there is Mary Schweitzer who was also at this meeting. I think Mary is a Christian. She discovered soft tissue on a T-rex bone. Creationists said "you see! the world is only 5000 years old!" Mary and evolutionists said "That's amazing that the soft tissue survived millions of years!" .. sigh.. So, one goal I have for the next 12 months is to have a conversation with Mary Schweitzer. I appreciate that she looks at whats seems to be evidence of evolution and she sees the hand of an all powerful God and gives Him glory for it. It would also be good to talk to some creationist scientists.

Science is not God. God is completely sovereign and He created the universe by speaking words. He is over all and in all. I love these truths! I love God that He understands how all of this fits together. I love that as smart as we think we are, we still can't grasp the concept of a three person God, or a good God who allows/ordains evil, or an earth that seems to be billions of years old, but smashed into 5000 years. Our minds are limited. I am thankful that God is infinately smarter than us.

Yes! Please comment! I would love to hear your thoughts.