This author explores the intricate dynamics of solar and stellar atmospheres, delving into star and planet formation using data from NASA and ESA spacecraft. Their work grapples with profound questions of existence, bridging astrophysics and faith. Through their widely recognized book on the future of the universe, translated into ten languages, they illuminate the relationship between science and belief. Their extensive background in theoretical physics and astronomy, coupled with significant leadership roles in international astronomical organizations, shapes their unique perspective on the cosmos and our place within it.
Set against the backdrop of a suspenseful space mission to Saturn, this novel intertwines physics and religion through the interactions of an astrophysicist and a theologian aboard the spaceship. Their thought-provoking discussions explore profound questions, such as the connection between cosmic events and spiritual themes. By blending science fiction with educational elements, it challenges readers to consider the intersection of science and faith, opening new avenues for dialogue in contemporary society.
While written by a prominent and active scientist, this book is based on personal experience and biblical theology. It doesn't try to derive God's existence from science and it's critical of scientific inferences on the notion of God (Natural Theology). Cosmic fine-tuning and other coincidences are no proof of God, but are amazing, astounding and will never be fully explained. Amazement is the appropriate emotional perception of reality. The objective world is not a matter of course and may well not exist at all; thus reality, at times, is experienced to be very special. Human life, the beauty of nature, the habitability of planet Earth can be considered undeserved gifts. In the light of these gifts, the universe is metaphorically interpreted and existentially believed as a divine Creation. Science cannot create such faith but can foster it. Is God necessary to explain the universe? Is the idea of a Creator excluded by modern science? Why continue speaking of a Creator and to believe (trust and hope) in His continuing creation when God cannot be demonstrated in scientific data? Arnold Benz, a renowned astrophysicist and Christian, insists that human perception reaches further than science and demonstrates this in various examples, personal, biblical, and literary.
