Sometimes it seems religion and science describe two different worlds. The world of science and nature is the one that roots us in our daily lives. Religion, on the other hand, is about a world we hope exists but we cannot see. (Unfortunately, science sometimes discredits the knowledge Faith gives.)
Some think when we talk about religion we have to put our knowledge of this world on the shelf (Eg. our knowledge of astronomy.) Our Faith tells us Jesus “came down from heaven”, “he suffered death and was buried . . . and rose again”, then he “ascended into heaven”, and “is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
The words seem to indicate a heaven situated a few miles above us, from which he “came down” and then “ascended” back. It’s like a palace in the air with two chairs set side by side. One chair is for God the Father (he’s the older looking one with the silver hair); the other for the Son (who’s a youngish man (33) wearing sandals and a beard. This is Heaven.
Add to this Jesus saying, “in my Father’s house there are many mansions. . . I am going to prepare a place for you.” Jn. 14:2 and one can imagine a place not unlike Candyland. There’s the Candy Castle and there on his throne is King Candy.
I’m not trying to be a smart aleck here. This is what the words of the bible can cause us to imagine about God and Jesus and heaven. And these imaginings can seem childish next to the hard and sometimes scary facts about the limitless cosmos.
What can we say to help here? I think the first thing to remember is the difference between believing and imagining. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” This is a statement of faith . . there is one God, and all that is, comes from God.
But then we imagine. “What did making the earth look like?” Michelangelo tried his brilliant best in the Sistine Chapel. Remember that painting of God the Father on the cloud reaching out with his divine finger to touch the finger of the sleeping Adam? Did it really look like that? No. But does it convey a truth? Of course. God created us out of love. How exactly? We don’t know. Science can help here.
Or the story of Adam and Eve, the Serpent and the Apple. Did the “Fall of humanity” look like that? No. But is it true? Was there a moment, when, by the actions of the first human couple, we have become strangers to God and to ourselves? Absolutely!! (Read St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans Ch. 7).
So, two things are happening here. The WHAT of Faith and the HOW it happened.
- The WHAT of Faith . . . God the Eternal has come into our world from outside time and space to become one with the human race in the man Jesus.
- The HOW it happened . . . the Nativity scene or most any Christmas card.
- The WHAT of Faith . . . Jesus ascends into heaven to be with the Father and Holy Spirit.
- The HOW it happened . . . The picture in the dome at Holy Trinity Church or El Greco’s “Ascension”.
The church wants us to know what is true; then artists and poets imagine the visuals. Science offers some facts and then some theories. Some of those are helpful and inspir- ing. Some are silly and wrong. What is needed is a deeper understanding of MYSTERY. And science needs to keep in its lane as to what it knows and what it doesn’t know. How does science describe the moment of creation? The best it’s come up with so far . . . “something went Bang!”
There’s lot’s more to talk about here. Another time perhaps.
Hey it’s winter . . . stay warm . . . I’m in Florida! Heh, heh.
Fr. Tim
