By Mrs. Linda Kautz
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Psalm 19:1
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
These two Scriptures lie at the heart of my view of science. So many people see science as being at odds with a Christian worldview; I couldn’t disagree more! Each year as I teach science classes at CHESS, I develop a deeper appreciation of the incredible engineering skills of our God.
For instance, this past week in Chemistry, I taught my students about atomic structure. Did you know that most of the atom, and therefore most of all matter on earth, is empty space? If the proton at the center of a hydrogen atom were one inch in diameter, its single electron would orbit at a distance of approximately three -quarters of a mile – nothing in between. If the ratios of mass and charge among the subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons) were off by a mere fraction of a percent, matter would not be able to exist!
In Anatomy, I teach about the numerous negative - feedback systems in the human body. They function like the thermostat in your house to keep track of thousands of variables in your body. These feedback systems spring into action when those variables wander out of their normal range, working to bring them back within range. Most of the time, we are not even aware of their actions, yet they are responsible for keeping us healthy and alive!
In Physics, we learn that gravity, sound, and light, despite their dissimilar natures, all obey the same rules when we measure intensity at different distances. All three vary in intensity with the square of the distance. I suspect that there is a relationship we’ve not yet discovered – maybe all three are different facets of the same thing?
Is it a Coincidence? Is it a “coincidence” that our planet is tilted on its ax is at the precise angle to give us our four seasons? Coincidence that our atmosphere contains the perfect percentage of oxygen to sustain life, with the rest made up of nitrogen, an inert gas which doesn’t burn and doesn’t react within our bodies? Coincidence that water has some very unique and unexpected properties which make it perfect to assume the central role it plays in all living things?
It is Elegant! In science, the term “elegant” refers to a design or solution that is ingeniously simple. It’s a paradox of something so simple it’s complex; so complex it’s simple. Creation is bursting with elegance! The incredible, amazing details of everything in Creation (yes, everything!) speak to me of a Creator who loves us so much that He meticulously designed a universe, a planet, a body for us to live in. He wants only the best for us, and that’s exactly what He created!
That’s what I see in all things science. The more I learn, the more I am in awe of how carefully God created everything. I can think of no other reason to create with such care than love, God’s incredible, all-encompassing, never-ending love. And that’s why I like science!