In this new issue of Covalence, we are looking more closely at the more recent history of the faith and science dialogue with a snapshot of the work of Ralph Wendell Burhoe.
Burhoe was always looking for new ways to gather more scientists, people of faith and theologians into the fold. What he often fostered was intellectual curiosity — or more specifically, the type of curiosity that drove him over decades to expand traditional notions on how science should be viewed by people of faith and vice versa. He pointed to science as a way to illumine our faith rather than challenge it.
In in recent weeks — just in time for Advent — a group affiliated with the American Scientific Affiliation called Science Communicators of Faith is sharing a devotional, Be Magnified. Scripture, reflections, prayer and a small portable paper microscope called a "foldscope" promise to offer new views of creation and a way to see something new about God's creation.
"When we see the unseen, we get a glimpse of his empirical wisdom that is written in the languages of physics, biology, and chemistry. In a very real sense, magnification helps us magnify God," the authors write in the introduction to the e-book, which is available for download here.
The foldscope was developed by engineers at Stanford to be used for research in low-resource settings, but has also been a great tool for science outreach in that one can magnify a slide using the small lens embedded in the foldable card stock and a smartphone camera.
Whether it's a water bear or an intricate design of a tree leaf, the viewer is transported into the microcosmos. It may just be the perfect distraction for this season of waiting that leads into our seeing more clearly God's love for humanity in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Susan Barreto, Editor
Covalence
@luthcovalence
relandsci@gmail.com
