Science and Theology: Fact or Truth

I am a student at Asbury Theological Seminary, and yesterday in class we took time to discuss the Rose Window at Drew Theological seminary. I have had some art history in my background so I found the discussion very interesting predominantly because of the way it depicts the relationship between science and theology. Science and Theology were not always at odds with each other, and I found the description so interesting I decided to copy the write up from Drew Theological Seminary's website and post it here. This is going to be a long post.

Before I post the window and the write up I’d like to throw this question out there. Do you think there is a difference between truth and fact? I do. Facts are determined by scrutinizing the smallest data to determine how quantifiably reliable these data are, and then these data are the basis for facts. A couple of years ago scientists decided Pluto was not really a planet because it no longer fit their definition of what a planet is. Their understanding of the data changed and so the facts changed. Suddenly in an afternoon there were only eight planets in our solar system. The truth is the truth because we cannot change it. The truth changes all of the people it impacts. This is a truth out approach as opposed to a data in approach. What I can testify to is the truth has changed me, and I have seen the truth change other people for the better. I have never seen a fact make a sincere difference in someone’s life for better or worse.

THE ROSE WINDOW

The Rose Window, displayed over the entrance of the present library building, was designed by Henry Holiday for Drew's first library, the Cornell (1883). Below: the Cornell Library, with the Rose Window on the back wall. The first photo was probably taken around the turn of the century; the second in the 1920s.
Photos courtesy of the Drew University Archives.

The Cornell Library was razed in 1937 when the Rose Memorial Library was constructed on the site; the window was removed at that time and placed in storage for over forty years. No formal records were kept of its whereabouts.

In 1978, when plans to add a Learning Center to the Rose Memorial Library were almost finished, the dismantled window was unexpectedly rediscovered in a crate in the attic of the Hall of Sciences. It was decided that the window should be restored to a place over the library's new entrance.

Gordon Henderson, a stained glass craftsman, reconstructed the window with the help of his son Todd. Because there was no original copy of the design, it took six months to piece together the small stained glass parcels. Henderson's great grandfather had restored stained glass windows in the Graduate School Building named after Samuel W. Bowne, back when the University was still a seminary.

"Rose" is the term used to describe a round cathedral or church stained glass window whose design emanates from the center, like the flower after which it is named. This rose window has a nine and a half foot diameter. A letter from Henry Holiday, dated April 20, 1888 (Drew University Archives), gives a fascinating explanation of its symbolism:

In the center is seated Theology ("Knowledge of God") as the focus of all knowledge. The globe upon which she is seated symbolizes her domain, and the nimbus around her head indicates her spiritual character. The dove in the panel that rests on her shoulder symbolizes the voice of God, and the two seraphs, angels who symbolize "Wisdom," kneel before her. The motto for this central panel is taken from Isaiah 55:9: "As the heavens are exalted from the earth, so are my ways exalted from your ways."

At the feet of Theology sits another female figure, Humility, leading a child towards Theology. The motto for this panel is taken from Psalms 25:9: "He shall teach the lowly his ways."

Above the figure of Theology are the three cardinal virtues: Faith (Fides) on the left, Charity (Caritas) in the center and Hope (Spes) on the right. Faith's text is from Hebrews 11:3: "By faith we understand that the ages were fashioned by the word of God." Hope's text is taken from Romans 8:25: "If what we do not see we hope for, we await it in patience."

At the sides of Theology are two panels. The one on the left is composed of philosophy (Philosophia), reflective, with her foot on a pile of books symbolizing knowledge. History (Historia) lifts a veil to symbolize her "retrospective search." She was almost omitted, but Holiday included her "because we study the relation of God to Man through his dealings with mankind."

On the right side of the central panel is another figure Holiday had some trouble with, Science (Scientia), but he felt that her presence symbolized the study of the structure of God's universe, and represented her interests by a globe (earth science), a flower (Botany), and a book (theoretical sciences). Art (Ars) accompanies Science because she symbolizes the beauty of the ordered universe.

The summary passage inscribed on the outer circumference of the circular window is from I Corinthians 13:10: "Cum venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est." ("When what is perfect has come, the imperfect will pass away.")

Walking Home

I haven’t talked about why I named this blog Walking Home in a while, and this morning I woke up thinking about it so here goes. First of all I am a United Methodist. It is a part of our theology that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (especially me). Methodists believe all our lives the Holy Spirit is on our tales like some great Holy Hound from Heaven. In this capacity the Spirit is like a herding dog; nipping at our heels, and barking at us to go this way or that way. Methodists call this prevenient Grace. It is the grace which calls us home to a relationship with the Lord God Almighty. In the moment we are saved the Holy Spirit justifies us before God, and we are cleansed of all our sin because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Methodists call the removal of all our past sins at the moment of conversion, justifying grace. Now here is where the Methodists differ from our Baptist brothers and sisters. The path to God does not end once we are saved. Certainly our past sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ, but we are not like Christ yet. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism described what comes next as going on to complete sanctification. Through the power of sanctifying grace we seek to become more like Christ in every aspect of our lives, and to maintain the quest for sanctification until the race is finished, and we can finally return home. I am not completely sanctified, and I cannot hope to make it without the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. All of humanity is like the prodigal son, sitting out with the pigs and remembering how much better it was in the Father’s house. The only difference for me is I decided to stop sitting on the fence  watching the pigs. I decided to answer God’s call to walk home.

This blog is about me working out what it means to walk home, and learning to rely on Christ for every aspect of my life. Hopefully what I have written, or doodled or posted links too will help others to find their way as well.

How Do You Frame Your Future?

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful
            to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    til the storms of destruction pass by by.
I will cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose
            for me.”        (Psalm 57:1-2 ESV)

Last night was a long night and I am having a hard time getting myself in gear this morning. Evan woke up screaming twice last night. The first time Karen and I were still up trying to have a little quality time watching an episode of the Golden Girls (GGs) so we worked together to try to settle him back down to sleep. He wasn’t anywhere near due to eat, he couldn’t have more Tylenol, and we were pretty sure it was his teeth. All we could do was make him comfortable and put him back to bed. The second time he woke up it was just me on night duty, and Evan was both hungry and fighting with his mouth. That one was all me, but I managed to feed him, change him and get him back to sleep by 3am. All of that combined with a weekend full of “have to’s” makes it very hard to get going on a Monday. And this isn’t just any Monday. It’s the first day of the spring semester. I could fill this blog with complaints about the reading I need to start getting done, or whining about how I’m going to do the reading while Evan is teething. Instead I am going to look to the Psalms for a little help, and think about how I am framing my life.

My life is about priorities and how I spend my time. The way a person spends their time says a lot about who they are and what they value. I do my very best to try to line up my priorities in this order; God, Karen and Evan, school/work, church. This morning when I am tired and struggling to get going I am choosing to look to the Lord, the God Most High, and in Him I will take refuge and look for the strength to get through the day. God is stronger than I am. God is stronger than you are. If God can give Elijah the strength to run 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of God, God can certainly get me through the first day of the semester. If I stumble today – when I stumble today, I will remember from where my strength comes, and pick myself up to begin again. God has a purpose for me, and I will do my best to make myself open and available for God to work His will in my life. How will I frame my future? I will frame my future through the way I spend my time.

Evan Update

For everyone who's curious how Evan is doing here's an update. Can you say teething? Evan has a good ridge of teeth trying to push through the gums on the top and bottom. Right now when I put a finger in his mouth to rub his gums I can feel grooves and ridges going all the way back to his molars. We have officially moved from a touch of colic, with a bunch of reflux to grumpy teething. Some days I wonder if he's going to cut every tooth in his head all at once. There's no rest for Mommy and Daddy, but I tell you what. All of the fussing, crying and crankiness make his smiles that much more winsome. Evan is making good use of his hands, and trying to grab a hold of everything - shirts, plastic chains, toys, and just this morning two handfuls of Mommy's hair.

For those in the greater Charlotte area Evan will be baptized February 13th during the 9:40 service. We found out just this past week February 13th is Boy Scout Sunday as well. I guess we all better be prepared because here comes Evan. Will he be fussy? Will he be good? I don't know, but it will be entertaining.