Hoezee to Kick Off "Faith & Science in the 21st Century" Radio Series

From the pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope to discoveries about the laws of quantum physics, modern science continues “to uncover incredible signs of God’s majesty,” says Rev. Scott Hoezee, director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary.

“Science is helping us to see that God created a world so beautiful and interesting,” Hoezee said. “Science keeps coming up with lists of things for which Christians can praise God.”

Hoezee, who has taught, preached and written extensively about the intersection between faith and science, will be the kick-off preacher on Sept. 27 for a special radio series titled “Faith & Science in the 21st Century.”

The series will be aired on “Day1,” the  nationally syndicated program — once known as “The Protestant Hour” — hosted by Peter Wallace.

Running through Nov. 15, the series features ministers who will explore in sermons major issues of science today with a goal of encouraging conversation — particularly among people of faith — on these topics.

In addition to the radio program sermons, brief videos featuring the speakers will be made available on YouTube and at Day1.org once the series starts.

Hoezee says his message, which serves as an introduction to the series, focuses on how science and faith can work together, helping to give deeper insights into and reasons for celebrating God’s creation. The sermon is based on Colossians 1:15-23 and is entitled “Every Creature.”

Hoezee opens his sermon by saying there are people today, especially some vocal scientists, who claim the universe makes no sense and has no purpose.

They argue, Hoezee says, that “we are tiny specks of life living on a tiny dust mote of a planet orbiting a tiny pin prick of light as we call the sun but that it is just one star among a billion in the Milky Way alone.”

But are they right? he asks. Does the universe have any meaning for humans?

In answering these questions, Hoezee turns to Paul who in his letter to the Colossians, some 2,000 years ago, addressed how God is revealed in creation itself and through the one who made it — Jesus Christ.

“Paul’s soaring words in Colossians 1 tell us that what we now call science and faith do inform each other and reinforce each other in wonderful ways if we have the eyes of faith to see,” says Hoezee.

With this faith, Paul tells his readers,  they can turn to and be reconciled in Jesus who created this universe in all of its intricacy and glory.

Paul tells the Colossians that it is Christ who “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...”

In his sermon, Hoezee says, “Paul found it impossible to praise Jesus for his glory without connecting it to the glory of creation. The more we learn about creation through science, the more reasons we have to praise God.”

By learning about the creation, we learn about Christ, says Hoezee.

Even though many people at that time (55-63 AD) didn’t know Christ, says Hoezee, Paul pointed out that “this Jesus is the creator of every blessed thing that exists, that this same Jesus rules the cosmos now, and finally that this erstwhile itinerant rabbi is the one through whom all reality hangs together!”.

The Day1 Faith & Science Series project is made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

Featuring preachers from the mainline denominations, Day 1 is currently distributed to more than 200 radio stations across America and overseas. The program is produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, based in Atlanta, Ga.