Most people are unaware that there are 35 craters on the moon’s surface that are named for Jesuit scientists.
Most people are unaware that the Vatican supports a huge observatory — two actually, one in Rome and one in Arizona, and that they are overseen by a Catholic religious — another Jesuit — Brother Guy Consolmagno
Most people are unaware that the Vatican supports scientific research, or that none other than Pope Benedict XVI committed funding for research into therapeutic applications of adult stem cells.
Most people are unaware that the man called the “father of genetic studies” was an Augustinian friar.
Most people are unaware that the father of the Big Bang Theory was a Catholic priest, Father Georges Lemaitre.
Contrary to the narrative, science and religion are not in opposition to each other. Faith and reason, in fact, are complementary. Both have a foundation in wonder and, as Gregory of Nyssa said, “Wonder leads to knowing.”
I bring this up because I came upon a video from Mayim Bialik of the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.” Bialik went from child star to scientist (she holds a PhD in Neuroscience) and back to acting, and in this video she charmingly explains how her scientific training and her dedication to the tenets of Judaism inform each other. Enjoy!
And today we celebrate...