[From the archives.]
I heard a space scientist on the radio last week. He was saying that in space there is no up or down or left or right. One star appears to be right next to another, he explained, but they might really be hundreds – perhaps thousands – of light years apart. And in relation to one another, neither is higher or lower than the other. He said our vocabulary for spatial relations here on earth is inadequate to the task of understanding the spaces between the stars.
He tries to explain this to his students by telling them to see themselves here on earth and view the stars out there as being all around them, to look up at the stars above them and know that in the universe the relations between bodies is vast and wonderful.
It was that look up part that got me. In one sentence he was saying that there is no up or down, then he says he tells his student to look up at the stars above them. Even a scientist who has been studying the issue his entire career cannot find the words to explain what he means.
It’s like he was mimicking Paul trying to explain the nature of God …
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! (Romans 11:33.)
… and God’s love for us.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19.)
Unsearchable … beyond tracing out … surpassing knowledge.
You think explaining the universe is hard? Try explaining God.
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Several weeks ago, in the midst of interesting times, I looked up at the clouds set in perhaps the bluest sky I had seen for awhile, and I said out loud: I believe. Now, whenever I see clouds, I affirm I believe. Feeds my soul…
As years go by I am much more comfortable with what I cannot explain; I am quite content to say I believe.
Me too. Belief does not require complete understanding. Love is like that.
When you’re standing on a planetary surface looking at the sky, the stars DO appear to be up above you.
Hasn’t stopped them from trying.
The Perfectly-Parsed, Utterly-Correct Theology that Has God All Figured Out.
We do tend to use the frame of reference we find ourselves in. It’s when we fail to recognize that another person’s frame of reference exists that we get into trouble, both theologically and cosmologically.
Related to this is my reaction to the Rush Limbaugh definition of planet (published in one of his books): “Liberal-speak for ‘World’.”
My reaction (as an Old School SF litfan):
* If you see a landscape, it’s a World. If you see a globe, it’s a Planet.
* If you’re on the surface looking up at the sky, it’s a World. If you’re in the sky looking down on it, it’s a Planet.
* The dividing line is when the horizon starts to curve into a sphere. Straight horizon = World, curved/spherical horizon = Planet.
I think it’s good to ponder both the natural world and God — it keeps us humble and reminds us that our language is inadequate and finite, as the “look up” example shows!
When our kids were young and heading to school each day I’d pray that they’d learn things about the world they live in and in the process learn more about the God who created the world.
And NOT be exposed to Ken Ham et al.