Science and Faith...

Deep theological/philosophical question of the day...

A scientist, studying the causes, progressions, cures for disease (or anything other kind of scientist, frankly) deals with mystery.  Perhaps the cause is mystery.  Perhaps the cure.  Perhaps the function of cells or proteins are a mystery.  But you assume that what you don't know is real, has something to teach, something to explore.  You also, unless you are psycho, accept that you usually work on a small piece of the whole picture.  No one person, no one experiment enables an understanding of the whole picture.  Sometimes, breakthroughs happen science achieves a quantum leap in understanding (think mapping the human genome or the discovery of the polio vaccine), but typically, the work of science is slogging through daily details, working and studying for the promise of enlightenment at some level.

Why, then, assume that the journey of faith, the relationship with God is different.  Why the beginning assumption (by many) that God/isn't real because God can't immediately be seen, because humans understand this faith thing in small pieces.  Occasionally, we get a quantum leap.  I think Moses bringing the Hebrew people out of Egypt and into the identity of a "people of God" was one.  I think Jesus was one.  Spending a week learning that homeless people are people first was one for me. Mostly, though, the faith journey is daily details, working and studying for the promise of understanding, the way to make our world better for all people.  It is never about the individual.  God's work and understanding is always for the whole world.

I, for one, would like to stand up for a celebrated life of faith, living in a mystery greater and more powerful than any science.  We don't always get the practice right.  But attempting to understand and serve as God works to bring reconciliation and wholeness to all people is a choice worth making.