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Return to November/December 2015 articles.

Nobel title

Owen Gingerich, born 1930, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and History of Science at Harvard University

Owen Gingerich“It doesn't disturb me that the universe could be designed for life, superstitious as that might be. I must warn you that I'm psychologically incapable of believing that the universe is purposeless … Perhaps the universe is designed to be understandable, and we as human beings are at work trying to understand the universe and its laws. The human brain is the single most complex thing we know about in the entire universe. What better instrument to contemplate the universe? Ironically, our brains are complex enough to contemplate the possibility that our brains might not be the most complex things in the universe.”

“If we regard God's world as a site of purpose and intention and accept that we, as contemplative surveyors of the universe, are included in that intention, then the vision is incomplete without a role for divine communication — a place for God both as Creator-Sustainer and as Redeemer … .”

“Within the framework of Christianity, Jesus is the supreme example of personal communication from God, an exemplary life of service, of forgiveness, of sacrifice.” “Let me say simply say that the sheer beauty of the heavens declare the glory of God.”

(For more on Dr. Gingerich see our May/June 2015 issue, page 9.)


Picture credits:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eccles_lab.jpg.