Epiphany begins on January 6th with the three Magi following the star to Bethlehem. They inquire in Jerusalem “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."(Matthew 2:2).
The universe is not only stranger than we imagine but stranger than we can imagine.
JBS Haldane
These ancient observers of the sky have a lot in common with the astrophysicists of today: they look upward and keep asking questions.
Perhaps you have watched the NOVA programs on string theory. It’s about the basic building blocks of the universe and a world view called cosmology. If this is not something that interests you it can put you to sleep in mere seconds. Strings they tell us are the elemental building blocks of the universe, and you guessed it, they are tiny. Science used to think that atoms were the smallest things in the universe (The word literally means not cuttable). But in the last hundred years we keep discovering smaller and smaller particles. Now we are down to the components called strings. Just how tiny are strings? If you took an atom and made it the size of our solar system, a string would be about the size of an average tree.
That’s not the only new thing. We know there is still an amazing amount of energy in the universe that seems to be unrelated to any matter. The empty vacuum that we call interstellar space apparently contains tremendous energy and no one knows where it came from. Ancient cosmologists and theologians called this something out of nothing. (God’s creative energy)
In cosmology and physics String Theory is giving rise to the new idea that there could be many universes. In some circles the hot new word is “Multiverse” (Like a Lutheran Hymn). But right now this only exists in theory because no one can actually see into another universe. Like other dimensions (now there are 11), another universe could exist along side of us and we would never know it.
At this point science becomes a matter of belief. The people of the Bible do not have any problems in believing in worlds beyond this one that “no eye has seen, nor ear heard,nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him" —
10these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God.” 1st Corinthians 2.
There will always be mysteries; we acknowledge that in our creedal faith: “I believe God has created me and all that exists” (Luther’s Small Catechism). We confess in the words of the Nicene Creed our belief in the “maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen”.
We perceive with our senses and the instruments that extend and expand our senses and become seers like the ancient prophets and Magi who see with imaginations and theories what “no eye can see”. Wise men are still following the stars to find Him.
