God of the Gaps

Our God is a beautiful creator. His artwork can be seen all round, from the strongest mountain to the most delicate flower.  His direction is present in the intricacies of the cell and the details of the stars. His creation leaves me full of wonder.

Being a Christian and a scientist, I have already been faced with the science v. God discussion. Though, I don’t understand why it has to be a ‘versus’ situation. Some Christians fear science as a threat to their understand of God the creator, the overseer, or to the very majesty of God. If we discover how everything works, where is God’s role in our lives? In our world? 

Many Christians look at everything that science does not understand and uses God to fill that gap. We understand this much, but don’t know why something else happens, so that must be God. God is the answer to the unanswered questions. God fills in the gaps.

[<--- SCIENCE --->|<-- GOD -->]

This “God of the Gaps” mentality is dangerous! Recently, I attended a departmental chapel through the Science and Mathematics department at my school and we watched a film where one of the scientists discussed the dangers of this thought process. It called me out, as I often had used that argument, and I thought it was a good one. I actually said that to my roommate the night before I saw this film. 

If we are constantly using God to fill in the gap, what happens when science finds the answer and the gap get’s smaller? God gets smaller. 

{<------ SCIENCE---->|<-GOD->]

While it is comforting to think that God is in control of what we do not understand, there may come a time that we begin to understand. If we are constantly basing our concept of God’s majesty on the unknowns of science, our God must be shrinking daily based on the speed of scientific discovery. For example, what if before Isaac Newton, Christians said “the reason why this apple fell on my head is because God makes it fall instead of floating away” and then Newton comes out with Gravity. These Christian’s view of God’s majesty and power based on the unknown of gravity just shrunk. No longer is God making things fall because there is now a scientific reason.

God cannot, and should not, be confined to a gap. By saying that God myst be divinely and unknowably in control of something, we are risking destroying God by discovering the true answer. Instead, God must be seen as interwoven throughout nature. He is majestic and mysterious, but he has also given us the minds and ability to discover his handiwork. If we use him to fill the gaps we are either limiting God or limiting ourselves and by limiting ourselves, limiting God again because we are his creation. 

As Christians, I encourage you to avoid using God to fill in your gaps. Though it is tempting to try to “win” the God v. Science discussion by saying that God is the driving force behind the scientific unknown, you are putting God on trial until science progresses and eventually makes that discovery. Then the scientists can come back and say, "where is your God now?"

I am not saying that God is not present throughout nature. I believe that the intricacies, interrelatedness and complexities of our world are support of the presence of a higher power, a Creator God.  I believe nature provides evidence which supports the theory of God (this could be a whole different post. . .) The reason I love science is because I have the opportunity to study God’s craftsmanship.  I don’t believe there is anything in nature which is unknowable, I don’t believe there are God-filled gaps. His creation is complete and I am here to discover it.

Starved For Science?

I'm reading this book:  Starved For Science: How Biotechnology is being kept out of Africa. Being that I am going to be be researching this summer in agricultural biotechnology at the Danforth Center for Plant Science, I was very interested to read it.

I've always grown up with this untraceable notion that biotechnology (Genetic Engineering, really) was bad. That it was going against God's creation, going to destroy the ecosystem and bring doom us all. Even in the first few pages of this book I have realized my opinion was naive, at least when it comes to agricultural biotechnology.

I didn't realize how many GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms- what a scary phrase) are already being approved, grown and consumed by Americans. Yet, nothing has happened. In fact, there have been studies that have shown NO negative effects of GMOs on human health, and for as long as we've been consuming them, I trust theses studies.  For the people who are afraid it might destroy the ecosystem- it is even suggested that these GMOs may even help the environment by reducing the need for other toxic chemicals. To me- that's a good thing.

Now, I don't want to go on and on about all the things Paarlburg says in his book. I don't need to summarize it for anyone who actually reads this. But it is causing me to reflect. My speech final last year was a persuasive speech- and I gave it about genetic engineering. My argument? That it was going against God's creation, going to destroy the ecosystem and bring doom us all.  It was a pretty good speech, too. Boy, I'm starting to feel like a hypocrite. I realize now that I was mislead, under informed and accepted the majorities viewpoint.

This was the viewpoint of most Americans and Eurpeans. We're all scared of GMOs. Starved For Science has shown me that it is this uninformed fear has been keeping biotechnology and agricultural science, and therefore agricultural improvement, OUT of Africa- the place that needs it most. These technologies (not only biotechnology, but mechanical as well) helped America and Europe reach their agricultural stability. Now that we are stable, we see no benefit for GMOs, so why take the risk? (Even if there hasn't been one proven yet...) We are no longer struggling to put food on our tables, in fact, we probably have too much. Therefore, as a society, we have decided to protest genetically modified agriculture because we no longer need or notice the improvement these technologies can bring. Okay, we can be picky, we're well off enough. If we want to choose the organic pasta over the umpteen other types of pasta we are able to purchase, that's fine.  If we choose to buy the non-GMO corn over the GMO corn- more power to you!

Not the struggling farmer in Africa. The poor family who have to battle against drought and disease every year just to feed their family, let alone make a profit from it. We have the technologies to help their farms, but our fears have been cast upon these people. We decided that agricultural biotechnology was dangerous and scary, convinced the leaders of African countries of the same and have therefore barred the application of biotechnology in Africa. One leader even rejected corn aid from America because it was a GMO. African farmers do not have the access to the technologies that helped America and Europe develop to the agricultural stability they have now. Essentially, they are stuck.

I've probably lost a lot of readers, and I'm only part way through Chapter 2. This book is rocking my world, showing me that I need to reconsider by opinions and become more informed. About any opinion that I hold. I urge you to do the same. The world is a big place, and I never thought that a speech I did my freshman year of college could have an impact on the fields in Africa. Jeepers.

I'm entering myself into the blogosphere. I'm hoping that this will allow me to think about life more as I process everything through words.

As someone who loves to cook- this will be my outlet to save and gather what I learn in my kitchen.

As a student- this will be where I nerdily share the science tidbits I find interesting.

As a Christian- this will be where I process my growth in Christ. 

As a dreamer- this will be where I document my journey pursuing a solution to world hunger and towards a better world.

Let's see what happens.