CAN GOD BE STUDIED?

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

In 1939 the life of a five-year old boy was forever altered when his parents took him to the NewYork World’s Fair. Writing years later, he said he was mesmerized by the America of Tomorrow exhibit. That boy was named Carl Sagan who grew up to become a world renown astronomer, astrophysicist, author and noted critic of the Bible and Christianity. Most know Sagan from the PBS series Cosmos he hosted in the 1980s. Carl Sagan died in 1996 at age 62, but since then there has been a debate among friends and colleagues as to whether Sagan was an atheist or an agnostic. But recently discovered evidence points to Sagan’s admitted agnostism. Dr Sagan, the scientist admitted he simply did not know if there is a God because that it is impossible to study God.

Theology is basic to the Christian faith. For over 150 years theology has been called the “queen of the sciences.” And for good reason---it is the study (or science) of God and His relationship with His human creation. But in most areas of our modern culture theology is out of vogue, replaced with progressive psychology and humanistic evolution. But this doesn’t negate the importance of theology. God’s greatest passion is to be known and understood. Everything  emits from our Creator God, even our knowledge of Him. Simply stated, theology helps us to know God, not just about God.

So, who is God? What is He like? And how can God be defined? First, it is important to understand that God cannot be defined; He is above all human comprehension. After all, how can the finite define or explain the infinite? We can’t! So where do we start to learn about God? We must begin with faith (Hebrews 11:1). The writer of Hebrews said we “must believe He is” (Hebrews 11:6), or in other words, we must believe that God exists.

Theologically, God is self-existent (Exodus 3:13-14); not dependent upon anyone or anything for His thoughts or actions (Romans 11:33-34), His will (Romans 9:19; Ephesians 1:5); His power (Psalm 115:3); or His counsel (Psalm 33:10-11). God’s existence is an historical truth and an existential reality, both being objective and subjective, evident in the world and in the human heart, but only to those who will believe. There is no evidence that Carl Sagan believed before he died. Sadly, he could not reconcile his scientific worldview with a spiritual reality. Think about it.