Science and Faith

            Rosie and I listened to a debate on public radio the other day while we were going into the city to see our granddaughter’s family, her husband and her two glorious sons, our great-grandkids.  The debate was about whether or not science can trump religion.  There were people arguing both sides of the question and after listening to it for about a half hour, we decided that none of them really knew what they were talking about.  The people on the side of religion were always trying to prove what nobody could see, and the other side simply held up the triumph of science as proof that they were right.  What they both seemed to leave out of the question was the simple word faith, which to me is the crux of the whole argument.  

           

            Here we are in the magnificent Easter season, the time when we hold up Jesus’ resurrection as consummate proof that God intends only good for human-kind and has defeated death forever in raising our Lord from the tomb.  For most of us, the simple testimony of the disciples to this is proof enough, and the heritage of the building of the church in those early, uncertain times is what that proof produced.  For the scientific minded, much more is needed.  They want to know why we are so certain of the resurrection, when we have no physical evidence that such a thing happened.  When have you seen a resurrection, is their frank and honest question to all of us who offer only our faith as our proof. 

            The encounter that Jesus has with his disciples following the resurrection is a case in point:  the Lord meets them in an upper room where they are shut away in great fear that they are the next to be arrested.  He speaks to them and they know him.  They are in awe of their risen Lord, who told them that he would rise again.  Thomas, the “scientist” wasn’t there when that happened and when he was told, demanded proof.  Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe, says Thomas.  

            A week later, Jesus comes again.  He says to Thomas: put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe!  And Thomas says: my Lord and my God! Jesus responds to him:  Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.  

            There we all are.  We are the ones who have not seen and yet have come to believe.  That is the essence of faith.  It is what drives our religion from front to back.  It is why we know the presence of the Christ in our lives, always forgiving, always giving.  That is the only answer to the strict followers of science that we need.