on April 25, 2023

All Things Created Through Christ, Galaxies Included!

Deb Haarsma shares a new video made in collaboration with the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship that can bring a sense of wonder into a church service.

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Photo by Guillermo Ferla on Unsplash

Astronomers are discovering more and more of the wonders of the universe with the help of modern telescopes. In the past year, the James Webb Space Telescope has brought us stunning new images of galaxies, stars, and planets! For anyone looking at these images, regardless of their religious beliefs, they inspire awe and wonder. But for Christians, our sense of wonder quickly becomes worship when we realize that we know the Creator of it all.

I’m excited to share a new video with you that can bring a sense of wonder into your church’s worship service. I was invited by the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship to co-produce a short video on themes from Colossians 1 “Christ in All Things”, using images from the Webb. Of course I said yes! This is one of my favorite themes that I never tire of sharing with audiences. We combined the images and narration with Scripture readings and original music (hymn arrangements by pianist Forrest Wakeman) to create this short video.

…for Christians, our sense of wonder quickly becomes worship when we realize that we know the Creator of it all.

The video is under four minutes, short enough to easily fit into a worship service. It could be paired with longer Scripture readings, such as Psalm 8, Genesis 1, or Psalm 104. It could be followed by a worship song or Scripture reading that refers to God’s creation, to allow the congregation to voice their own praise to God. The music in the video incorporates the hymns “This Is My Father’s World” and “Holy Holy Holy”, but you can pair the video with whatever creation songs your congregation knows.

For many Christians, the only time science is mentioned in church is when it is related to some controversy. Certainly there are controversies that need careful discernment (see our Common Questions and Forum for discussion of many of these!), but in the Bible, the natural world is mainly mentioned as a pointer to God. Creation itself is a revelation from God to us, prompting us to praise God for his power, his beauty, his care, and his goodness. I hope this video helps you and your congregation better appreciate the incredible beauty and power of God as you ponder these images of the universe he made.

In this video, BioLogos President Deb Haarsma reflects on how astronomy leads her from wonder to worship.

Christ in All Things

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About the author

Deborah Haarsma

Deborah Haarsma is President of BioLogos. She is an astronomer and frequent speaker on modern science and Christian faith at research universities, churches, and public venues like the National Press Club. Her work appears in several recent books, including Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Design and Christ and the Created Order. She wrote the book Origins with her husband and fellow physicist, Loren Haarsma, presenting the agreements and disagreements among Christians regarding the history of life and the universe. She edited the anthology Delight in Creation: Scientists Share Their Work with the Church with Rev. Scott Hoezee. Previously, Haarsma served as professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Calvin University. She is an experienced research scientist, with several publications in the Astrophysical Journal and the Astronomical Journal on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. She has studied large galaxies, galaxy clusters, the curvature of space, and the expansion of the universe using telescopes around the world and in orbit. Haarsma completed her doctoral work in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her undergraduate work in physics and music at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She and Loren enjoy science fiction and classical music, and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.