Thursday 31 December 2009

Background

The beginning of the universe is the domain of both science andreligion. Scientists are still divided over their understanding ofthe birth of the physical universe and that divided understandingis echoed among people of faith: some Christians are evolutionists,some are creationists.

The first ten verses of John's Gospel give an answer as to whatpreceded the act of creation. "In the beginning was the Word, andthe Word was with God, and the Word was God." It is a New Testamentpassage that reminds us of the opening words of Genesis.

John the Baptist is sent from God as a "witness to testify to thelight ... He was in the world, and the world came into beingthrough him; yet the world did not know him."

This verse captures the breadth of a non-reciprocal relationship inthe broadest sense: John perceives the world, yet the world doesnot perceive him. John has a message of goodwill to convey, yet notall will accept it. His situation recalls the story of the Tower ofBabel in Genesis 11:1-9, when language mutated andcommunication became more difficult as a result of the peoplewanting to achieve a sense of equality with God. When the Lordheard that people wanted to build a city in the form of a towerwith its top in the heavens, God said, "Look, they are one people,and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning ofwhat they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now beimpossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse theirlanguage there, so that they will not understand one another'sspeech."

The frustrated communication would doubtless cause much pain. Butif we remember that God sent John to bear witness to the light,then verse 5 of John's Gospel shines through the despair - "Thelight shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcomeit".

To Ponder

Do you think scientific understanding conflictswith the religious understanding of the origin of the universe?Why?

Why do you think God made communication moredifficult between people by confusing the unified language? Do youthink God's plan brought out the better or worse facets of humannature?