Summertime. There is no better time to sit outside and enjoy the warm night breezes, the twinkling orbs in the heavens, and the flashes of falling stars—all while contemplating the vastness of the Milky Way galaxy and our place in it. This past year astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, National Geographic, and Fox television teamed up to reintroduce the world to the Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Passionate about science, Tyson continues the work of legendary astronomer Carl Sagan who captivated millions in 1980 with his PBS show, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. This new series combines elements of the old series with more recent information and scientific discoveries. Like Sagan, Tyson invites the viewer to question, discover, and share in the process of scientific discovery. If you missed the series this spring, you can still watch full episodes online and be drawn into the past and the future as deGrasse Tyson explores the mysteries of the universe.

The Mysteries of Faith

Like the cosmos, our faith can seem vast, deep, hard to fully grasp, and sometimes difficult to explain to others. Historically speaking, science and religion have often been at odds. In the 1500’s the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated and even killed people like Giordano Bruno who questioned the accepted understanding of the universe which affirmed that the earth was center, not the sun. But recently scientists and theologians have been more open to what each discipline has to offer in understanding the created order and the Creator. Scientists still have many questions and untested theories that centuries from now may be proven right or wrong. Theologians and people of faith also have unanswered questions about why people suffer, how evil can exist, what happens when we die, and so much more. Yet despite our questions, we continue the journey of faith using Scripture as our guide and incorporating our faith traditions, faith communities, and personal experiences to shape our understanding of the world and the universe in which we live.

Question of the Day: What mysteries would you like solved?

Focal Scriptures: Job 38; 42:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Ephesians 3:7-20

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC here!