Think Christian about Wonder and Science?

"Wonder: the quality of exciting, amazed admiration... rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience." —Merriam-Webster Dictionary 

Scientific work is for people who wonder. It's for the insatiably curious and the awestruck. Science isn't about answering questions to drain the joy and mystery out of them—it's about answering questions to increase our appreciation for this incredible universe. 

As a Christian, I'm especially thankful for the wonder of science, because it points to even greater wonder at the Creator of science. Because I believe God is behind creation and telling His story through it, I have reason to be thankful for nature's beauty and the thrill of exploring this incredible universe. 

 God of Wonder 

God designed us with the capacity to wonder, just as He gave us all our emotions. The psalmist captures this beautifully: "O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures" (Psalm 104:24). 

He made the universe to reflect His glory and delights when we delight in His work. We're meant to look at creation with awe and, in response, turn and glorify its Maker. It's similar to how we praise Shakespeare for his plays and Mozart for his music. Our bent hearts too often make an idol of creation, but that wasn't God's intention—we're settling for lesser worship when we do that. Nature should point us back to the Designer. 

 When Wonder Meets Materialism 

"But nature is always more subtle, more intricate, more elegant than what we are able to imagine." —Carl Sagan 

 Carl Sagan proved that wonder is something we can experience even when we can't fully explain it. To Sagan, we are insignificant specks of dust in a vast, empty cosmos, and our feelings of awe are nothing more than electrical bursts in our brains—wonder becomes a kind of evolutionary illusion. 

 Yet even a materialist like Sagan couldn't help but take wonder seriously as he marveled at the universe's majesty. He couldn't explain it, but he couldn't shake the sense that our feelings of wonder connect to something real. As a Christian, I believe he's right about wonder's reality—and I have a good explanation for it. I'm thankful for people like Sagan who point us toward wonder despite themselves. 

Stories That Spark Wonder 

"Jurassic Park is the greatest science story ever told." —Ari N. Schulman 

 The book and movie Jurassic Park were formative for me as a young science lover. The story gave me deep appreciation for marveling at the natural world. Jurassic Park is an incredible modern parable about nature's wonder and danger, and how we should respect it rather than arrogantly trying to control it. Michael Crichton crafted a fantastic story, and Steven Spielberg brought it to life nearly perfectly—igniting the imaginations of young scientists like me. 

Jurassic Park exemplifies how stories can induce wonder and help us process our place in creation's greater narrative. As a Christian, I believe the best story for both life and science is the Gospel. It teaches us that God is Creator and King of all, appointing us as His representatives on Earth to explore and humbly care for all He's made. Stories are powerful and important—the best ones point us back to the Great Story, even when they don't do so explicitly. 

We're also blessed to live in the golden age of nature documentaries, with offerings like Planet Earth, National Geographic, and Disney Nature. These incredible films reveal that we live on an amazing planet in an amazing universe. It's easy to think of nature as bug-filled, dangerous wilderness where humans don't belong, while viewing civilization as home. But these documentaries show that even in places where we're unsafe, there's beauty, wonder, and even magic as life teems on our little planet and nature's seasons cycle through the ages. 

 Wonder and Gratitude 

 "The worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has no one to thank." —G.K. Chesterton 

 Anyone can feel awe and wonder at nature, from the complexity of unseen atoms to the splendor of galaxies billions of miles across and away. While often dangerous, scary, or gross, this universe really is wonder-full. But Christians have a special advantage when experiencing these feelings—when we're made breathless by a sunrise, overcome with emotion seeing a newborn baby, or sit in silent smallness beneath a star-filled sky, we have Someone to thank. Not just an impersonal force, but our Creator, Savior, and Friend. 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). This universe was no accident. It's the loving creation of the master Artist, an expression of His love and power. He has broken through into creation Himself, becoming an actor in the story and experiencing it from the inside. And He will come again to make all things new, restoring us to glory and creation along with us. 

When Christians wonder at creation, the One who made it stands at our sides and lives in our hearts, and we can thank Him for the good job He does. I'm grateful for the privilege of gratitude. 

This is what it means to think Christian about science—to see wonder not as an accident of evolution, but as a gift from our Creator that draws us deeper into worship and gratitude. 

The Gift of Wonder 

 A sense of wonder is a gift from God, and Christians are blessed when we take time to marvel at the glories of life in the universe God made. When we wonder, we can glorify God and are spurred to thankfulness for all He's made, done, and is. 

 "For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy" (Psalm 92:4). 

Wonder isn't just a feeling—it's a doorway to worship.