Why Should Christians Care About Science?
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
If Christianity is a system of beliefs about supernatural things, why should we spend our time thinking about the naturalworld? Put another way, if the "present form of this world is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31), and we are Heaven-bound souls anyway, does it make a difference if we understand the physical universe? I believe it does. Here’s why:
Christianity is much more than a set of beliefs about the supernatural; it is a complete worldview and offers a perspective for understanding every type of truth. As such, it has something to say about everything. Science, as you can imagine, is part of everything.
Science is a great tool to help better understand God through the stuff He’s made. Romans 1:20 tells us that the things that God made tell us about Him:
“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
Romans 1:20a ESV
Anything that tells us more about our incredible Maker is worthy of our time and effort.
We can use our knowledge about the creation to take better care of the things God has entrusted to us. Genesis 1:26-28 says that God gave mankind dominion over the Earth, meaning that we ought to practice good stewardship. We will have to answer for how we treat God's gift of creation:
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
Genesis 1:28 ESV
If Christians ignore science, we are opting out of big discussions about issues that matter to God. Reproductive ethics, environmental degradation, psychology and addiction, and other topics are moral flashpoints where we flesh out our knowledge of right and wrong. If Christians don't understand these issues from a scientific standpoint, no one will listen our moral arguments. Science is important for participating in our culture.
Christians should care about science because they care about truth. Science is a tool for discovering one type of truth. Since God is the foundation of all truth, to know God is to care about what is true.
A firm grasp of the truth is important for evangelism. If Christians say things that others know are wrong, or we make claims we can't back up with evidence, how can we expect to be taken seriously when we present the Gospel? Christians must be known as lovers of the truth in order to be heard.
We are destined for a physical resurrection, so we might as well learn to love the physical world. If you think your future in eternity has anything to do with becoming a naked angel sitting on a cloud playing a harp, you are unfamiliar with the incredible promises of the Bible. In John’s vision, he saw “a new heaven and a new earth.” (Revelation 21:1)
We were created as physical creatures from the beginning, and we will have bodies after Jesus returns. I don’t know exactly what that will be like, but since we were made to live in a tangible world, we should learn to love physical things, like the universe we inhabit now.
Even in the verse from 1 Corinthians 7 referenced above only says “the present form” of this world is passing away, not the idea of physical reality itself.
I’m not arguing that every Christian needs to earn an advanced degree in the sciences or sit around reading textbooks all day (unless that’s your thing – I’m not judging). But every Christian can have a good framework for evaluating truth, and apply that framework to science issues. And any Christian who is interested in the sciences should pursue scientific work and be great at it. God is glorified when people seek Him through every avenue of truth, and the world takes notice of people who care about what is true.
People were created for God's glory and pleasure, to have intimate fellowship with Him. We bear the image of God. It is only natural that the universe, which God was delighted to make, delights us to explore and know. If God created a supernova because it demonstrates His wondrous glory and power, then by learning about that supernova, Christians can better appreciate the wonder of creation's God, and everything that He does. Science, done well, is godly work.