13 August 2026 | Sagunto, Spain [Vanesa Pizzuto]
From 10 to 13 August, greater than thirty scientists and science fanatics gathered in Sagunto, Spain, for the Religion and Science Convention, organised by the Geoscience Analysis Institute (GRI). However this was no bizarre convention. The occasion was organised to coincide with the overall photo voltaic eclipse of 12 August, one among nature’s most spectacular shows and an astronomical occasion that drew consideration throughout Europe. For individuals, it supplied a uncommon alternative to think about the science unfolding above them simply because the Moon was getting ready to cross the face of the Solar.
Below the theme “The Solar Nonetheless Shines,” representatives from greater than ten nations explored the connection between science and creation, guided by two worldwide visitor audio system, Josue Cardoso Dos Santos, PhD, and Daniel Blanco, PhD.
Dos Santos, a Brazilian scientist now primarily based in the US, is an Assistant Professor on the College of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), the place he specialises in celestial mechanics. Blanco, an Argentinian professor and researcher on the Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), specialises in epistemology and the historical past of science.
Coming from completely different tutorial backgrounds, the 2 audio system approached the connection between religion and science from complementary views. Their shows explored questions starting from Ptolemy’s mathematical cures for a “rebellious” cosmos and the fine-tuning of the universe, to the pace of sunshine and the problem of educating physics and astronomy from a biblical perspective.
The Complete Photo voltaic Eclipse
Not even the heatwave or the unforgiving Spanish solar prevented attendees and friends from slowly ascending the hill behind Sagunto Adventist Campus in time to witness the eclipse. Armed with hats, mosquito repellent and ISO-certified eclipse glasses, they gathered on the hillside and waited for a pure spectacle that one visitor would later describe as “fully not overrated.”
Starting round 7:30 pm and reaching most protection at roughly 8:30 pm, the eclipse steadily unfolded above them, prompting spontaneous cheers of pleasure from the group. For many individuals, it was their first time seeing a complete photo voltaic eclipse, making these jiffy memorable.
“To me, watching the eclipse collectively was some of the stunning components,” stated Noemí Durán, PhD, GRI Europe Director, and occasion organiser. “The sensation you get while you take away the glasses and see the solar absolutely lined, and the corona, and you already know that everybody else within the group is feeling the identical, is indescribable.”
“Everyone began cheering, and you could possibly hear individuals shouting: ‘Glory to God’ or ‘Thanks, God’. It was a present for your entire group,” Durán stated, reflecting on how the shared expertise of awe in the end led to worship.
Why Occasions Like This Matter
The convention introduced collectively a wide range of European professionals and college students, together with physicists, pharmacists, engineers, and even social media influencers excited by sharing religion and science content material on-line. Their backgrounds have been completely different, however many shared a need: to discover questions of religion and science alongside others who take each critically.
Claudio Gargano, the GRI Ambassador for Italy, first started attending these occasions as a result of, as a marine biologist, he needed to discover “how my perception in Christ suits on this planet that I dwell in. So, I used to be in search of a gaggle of people who shared the identical views.”
Now, as an envoy, he sees a chance to take these conversations past the convention. “We nonetheless lack plenty of information when it comes to science and the way creation [works]… We try to bridge the hole by means of native actions and worldwide occasions. For this reason I’m excited to share what GRI is doing,” he stated.
For German physicist and pastor Martin Borm, bridging that hole begins with understanding. “You will need to perceive how issues work; in nature and in scripture… Ignorance is harmful. Man has destroyed a lot as a result of he didn’t perceive and thus couldn’t respect,” he stated.
“We aren’t thrown about by random whims of chaos, however dwell in a universe that follows the legal guidelines of its Creator,” he continued. “Subsequently, ignorance in non secular issues is equally damaging. If man will not be utilizing his capability to know, he ignores the means God has given him for his personal salvation. There is no such thing as a such factor as a lazy and detached Christian.”
For Hector Postigo, a Spanish attendee ending a level in physics, the educational course of has been private. He sees schooling and scientific communication as key causes for attending occasions like this, and as a approach of avoiding the false selection between religion and scientific inquiry.
“Once I was a child, I used to have a really simplistic view of the Massive Bang concept (primarily rocks colliding and forming planets). So, I’d go to highschool and say: ‘No, no. All these concepts have been false…” With time, nevertheless, his understanding modified.
“What I didn’t perceive,” Postigo continued, “is that the Massive Bang was a concept that might aid you see that the universe has a starting.¹ And thru that, see the necessity for God. The idea didn’t shut the door to God, however indirectly, although not categorically, it opens a dialog about beginnings within the scientific spheres.”
For Postigo, studying how you can have that dialog is as essential as having a solution. “If we perceive it correctly, we [Christians] can speak [to non-believers] as a gaggle of people who find themselves excited by discovering the reality, relatively than imposing it, and who suppose critically.”
I See You
The entire occasion had a powerful non secular part, with devotionals each morning and specifically chosen worship music. The theme music, “I See You”, a tender ballad by American singer-songwriter JJ Heller, captured the spirit of the convention, highlighting the marvel of creation.
Every morning, individuals sang the music collectively, its phrases inviting them to look past the bizarre and recognise nature as one of many methods by which God reveals His energy and character.
“There are two books that God makes use of to disclose Himself, the Bible and nature,” shared António Cremades, PhD, throughout the closing remarks. “As Christians, we have now left one ebook apart… in consequence, evolutionists have picked it up. We try to defend our positions and reply again to them, however we’re not pioneering.”
“As Christians, we have now a lot to say about nature. We all know it has an clever Creator that designed it,” continued Cremades, a retired biology professor and theologian whose help for GRI has spanned a long time. “As a result of nature reveals His character, we should reclaim the ebook of nature and its message,” he concluded.
[Photos: Marti Szydłowska, Mitchell Cordero & Vanesa Pizzuto]
¹Note: Through the Religion and Science Convention, Dos Santos gave a presentation titled “What Is Not the Massive Bang Mannequin?”, by which he defined, amongst different factors, the excellence between the Massive Bang mannequin and organic evolutionary concept. The Massive Bang mannequin addresses the origin of the universe (it isn’t a concept of organic evolution). He additionally explored how scientific fashions that search to clarify the start of the universe can present beginning factors for conversations between religion and science. For additional data and a extra detailed context, see Aleksei Popov’s article, “The Big Bang, Standard Cosmological Model, and the Bible.”
