Faith, Science, and Truth and Reality

I would love to hear others' thoughts on this new Creation Museum built near Cincinnati. I am one of those Christians who does not see it as my goal to be in some battle about science and religion. I just want to try to live my life in a way that is reflecting the life of Jesus. Although many Christians see in the scientific world a direct challenge to their religious faith, I'm not so sure this is the case. When I was in college I remember sitting in a Sunday School Class at my home church where a Junior in college made the comment that he did not believe dinosaurs existed because the Bible does not mention them. My jaw dropped and I thought, and actually said, "are you nuts?" That line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail came to mind. It's when Arthur and his knights are surveying the cave guarded by a fierce creature that they learn is a little rabbit. Arthur and the Knights are feeling at ease thinking about why they got so worked up about a rabbit. The Wizard who brought them there, directing their attention to the ground around the cave, said, "Look at the bones?" And this is exactly what I said to that student after I said, "Are you nuts?" Now, I am a person of faith, and I believe that there is more to life than science. I don't believe science can "prove" everything. But, when science does validly prove something to be true, shouldn't we just say, WOW!, even as Christians.

I mean, how can we as Christians look reality in the face and "just say no." Look at Copernicus and Galileo (for a good discussion of these guys related to faith, read A Heretics Guide to Eternity by Spencer Burke and Barry Taylor). Copernicus and Galileo, through their study and searching and experimenting discovered things that challenged the conventional beliefs of the day which were based on the Bible. Namely, they realized that the earth was not the center of even our own solar system, they concluded that the sun was. I'm sure there are lengthy faith and scienfic discussions that can take place around these issues of creationism and science and I welcome any responses to these questions, especially from those people of faith who struggle in the seeming paradoxes between the two. I would especially like hear some other Christians' thoughts related that new Creation Museum.

I guess I see all truth and reality as God's truth and reality. To trap God's truth into the biblical text seems like human arrogance to me. Or maybe Christian institutional arrogance. I think sometimes the "institutional church" mistakes its interpretation of truth as being God's truth. Of course the scientific world can be arrogant as well in their own denials of truth and reality beyond what one can see, taste, hear, touch, or smell - or experiment upon. The Bible does not really make the claims for itself that we often place upon it, I think. But that is not to say it does not reflect God's truth. I believe it does, especially in the life of Jesus. So where are you on this? What do you think? Is this Creation Museum just a confusing, reality denying enterprise? Or does it reflect God's true reality even in the face of science? And what about truth? How do you understand truth? In terms of revelation or experimentation? Or should there even be this either/or understanding of the truth and realities of life and nature? Maybe it is both/and?

Welcome to my blog!

Thanks for checking out my blog, Nexus Jesus. I call it that because it is how I am attempting to focus and live out my life - seeing Jesus as the Nexus (or core, or connection, or center) of who I am and who I can become. Of course, I am no where near being totally like Jesus, but I continue to learn and be drawn to his path as I attempt to walk with God. I have always had and always will have questions about Jesus, the Bible, God, interpreting the Bible, and interpreting the life of Jesus. As you read some of my post, and hopefully the post of others as we are in dialogue together, maybe you will be inspired to ask questions along the path as well.

I am not full of answers to all questions. Usually I have more questions when people ask me questions. But I do like to be in conversation with people about spiritual things and just daily things. I guess since I really see all life as sacred and holy, then daily things are spiritual things. As you read what I might muse about on any particular day, please feel free to comment or request to be able to post something. I would also invite you to check out some other links websites or blogs you might find interesting as well as a list of books I've been reading and have read that have been especially helpful or challenging to me in my journey to follow in the path of Jesus. Thanks for dropping by and spending some of your time in conversation with me.