Cartoon: Bill McArthur
Strength of a Seed
Many thanks to Ruth Bancewicz for this delightful article (Life and Work, June). We need to be inspired by our own observations of the universe, however simple. Lichens on trees, mosses, seedlings and flowers in cracks of the pavement bring science to life , even in urban environments. The thought of a 30,000 years lifespan for a seed is truly amazing. We had a biology student from Romania who described the germination of a seed as “the experience of the entire universe unfolding” and “the mystery and wonder of the unfolding of life itself”. Scientific discovery is encompassed by the unfailing love of God but why does Ruth address this wonder in the context of a fallen world? For me, the idea of a fallen world can be transformed if we focus on the creative activity of God in an evolving universe, and realise that God’s activity is happening here and now and is seen in all our scientific and artistic advances. It is not a fallen world, rather an incomplete one in which we in all of our creative activities are helping to complete the evolutionary process. In this view, we are co-creators with God.