A quick Google search will reveal that chemistry is essentially the study of matter. All those hours spent in the lab are usually aimed at transforming one substance into another through some chemical reaction of matter! We would consider it an unsuccessful experiment if this were not the case.
The applications for chemistry are remarkably numerous, attested to by the great strides we have seen in chemical research over the past centuries. Highly effective medicinal drugs have been developed; new polymer materials and plastics have been produced for a whole host of different purposes; we have seen resources poured into creating biofuels and investing in carbon capture technology; highly efficient catalysts have been discovered that favour otherwise inaccessible or inefficient reactions; there are injections that facilitate MRI scans; we have a wider understanding of crystal structure and growth; radioactivity research has led to advances in nuclear power and radiotherapy for cancer treatment; and interstellar chemistry begins to inspect the wider universe for signs of possible life outside our solar system.
But the question we want to address here is: Why does our study of chemistry matter? What can we, as Christians, add to the mix?
Working for the wellbeing of creation
To understand that question more fully, first of all we have to address our purpose on this earth. Crucially and perhaps comfortingly, our purpose does not depend upon the career we choose. As chemists, we might explore career paths in the paint industry, or pursue an interest in perfumes, or even apply for posts in environmental policy. Or you may end up doing something entirely different! But whatever you do end up doing, one truth applies universally. We are to rule over God’s creation, to steward it, and to help it flourish (Gen. 1:26-28).
What does this look like practically in the field of chemistry? Aspirin – first produced in a stable form by Felix Hoffmann towards the end of the 19th century – is a wonderful compound used for pain relief and reducing fevers. It is no miracle cure by any means, but it does hold the potential to improve lives when administered correctly. As with any chemical creation, we need to be careful not to misuse it, nor withhold it when it is needed, nor conversely treat it as something that will take away our pain forever. It is a good gift in creation, but it cannot replace the Creator.
We also need to think about its synthesis. Producing aspirin involves an esterification catalysed by a strong acid; generally, either phosphoric or sulfuric acid. If handled or disposed of incorrectly, they could cause damaging, corrosive fumes, pollute rivers and destroy aquatic life, and even result in some serious chemical burns. The way we handle hazardous compounds matters because it is a way for us to steward creation well; but it is all too easy for us to ignore or avoid it.
Unfortunately, we are no strangers to sin. From the very beginning of our existence, our natural propensity to sin by putting ourselves first has been utterly pervasive. Unchecked, it spreads into our relationships; our hobbies; and even our studies. In fact, it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit now residing in us that we can even begin to combat this. Yet because of that wonderful truth, we have the privilege of being vessels for God to reveal His glory through the things we say and do if we walk in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26).
So what hope does this offer us? Firstly, it means we can be encouraged that God will use us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to glorify Him even in our studies. Whether we are seeking to reduce air pollution, exploring the possibilities of nanoparticles, or researching the various properties and uses of organometallics, we can use our knowledge of chemistry to combat the effects of sin in the world, and steward His creation as we were commissioned from the beginning.
And secondly, it means that our study of chemistry, our study of the very matter that God created, can point us towards the Creator Himself. And that can happen both through the big picture and in the tiniest details of His intricate design.
Worshipping the God we work for
Have you ever stopped to think about water? That life-giving, refreshing, cleansing drink that sustains everything on our complex earth, from the things that crawl on the land to those that swim in the oceans, to the plants and vegetation, and even to those microorganisms that we cannot see with the naked eye.
What is water made out of? Two hydrogen atoms each bonded covalently to an oxygen atom. Two elements that, in their homogeneous state, form gaseous diatomic molecules at room temperature. And yet what do we have in water? A liquid that we are able to ingest, swim in, wash ourselves with, dissolve certain solids in, create hot drinks with, among numerous other applications such as hydroelectric power generation. Why is that?
At first glance, we might expect a water molecule to have a linear structure, much like carbon dioxide does. However, the oxygen atom has two lone pairs of electrons that push the hydrogen-oxygen bonds down into a bent shape. Now, this is where things get really interesting. Those same lone pairs are involved in the phenomenon we know as hydrogen-bonding. And it is that very same, powerful, intermolecular force that results in water being able to form a liquid at room temperature! Several water molecules can hydrogen-bond with one another to stop them drifting too far apart into the gaseous phase, as we might otherwise expect. What a remarkable design. But that isn’t all.
Water is not only life-giving and nourishing, it is also beautiful. When water gets cold enough, we know it freezes. And do you know why snowflakes have those very typical hexagonal crystal shapes that lead us to desire to capture them in art? Because of hydrogen-bonding and the angle of the H-O-H bonds! God’s creation and design is beautiful to observe, inspiring us to worship Him in thankfulness and awe.
And that’s just water; a relatively simple (yet important!) molecule in the grand work of creation. There is so much else out there in God’s awesome chemical design, even just thinking about the host of differences between graphite and diamond, both being made purely of carbon. What else might point you towards Him in your lab work and lectures, by admiring the complex beauty in His creation that brings you to worship the Lord?
Witnessing to the world
As we pause to take stock and admire the sheer beauty and ingenuity of God’s creation, something really quite amazing happens. We start to be filled with an abundance of joy and thankfulness that we have the privilege to begin studying and understanding it for ourselves. We begin to recognise just how much our Lord and Saviour, who brings order out of chaos, is the author and orator of science. He constructed a universe governed by scientific laws that could be discovered, measured and understood to form predictions through principles in science.
Our Lord is the God that combines both beauty and science. We look at the stars and we can be filled with wonder at their twinkling display in the night sky, yet also long to discover how it is that they can be. We can know who created the multitude of earth metals with all manner of useful properties for us to enjoy, yet also be intrigued by how they were created and what gives them those specific properties. God gave us the minds to explore that for ourselves!
We can be encouraged by the generations of believers before us that were compelled to study the sciences and understand the works of the Lord (Ps. 19:1-6). They anticipated laws in nature and chemistry that binds all matter together. It is enough to for us to remark, ‘Everything makes sense. There must be a logical mind behind it all.’ And wonderfully, that need not remain an inner thought.
We can give voice to our thoughts with our peers, with our coursemates that share similar interests to us, revealing to them the glory of God’s creation by bringing your worldview to them through the lens of chemistry. What greater purpose can there be for the chemistry that binds creation than the revelation of its Creator? Whether we marvel at electrochemistry and the flow of electrical current across salt bridges, or wonder at the unique properties of aromatic compounds, or delight at the enjoyable scents of naturally occurring esters and terpenes, we can point our coursemates towards Jesus. He is the one who created all things visible and invisible, and in whom all things hold together (Col. 1:15-17). Is that not what chemistry is all about? We can say, simply, ‘I know who made that. And you can, too.'
Why chemistry matters
Chemistry is a vast, expansive subject. There is so much to explore, so much to learn. Not one of us can know it all. In fact, God made this very point to Job when he presumed to question God and His purposes (Job 38-41). But isn’t that wonderful? If we could discover it all, it would not be worthy of such an awesome Creator. Let us celebrate that through our study of chemistry we can point people towards Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, through whom and for whom all things were created. Jesus, the firstborn from among the dead, having supremacy over all things, and reconciling himself to all things (Col. 1:15-20). To Him be the glory, even in our studies. Amen.
Reflect and discuss
Think: Think back over what you have studied so far in your degree. Where have you seen God's fingerprints? Where have ideas presented to you challenged what you believed to be true?
Live: What do you think your coursemates would know about what is important to you from the way you live? Is there anything you want to change here?
Speak: Are there topics in your subject that are closer to talking about your outlook on life, God or the gospel? Pray for people on your course and for opportunities to share about Jesus with them this term.
Taking it further
- UCCF Science Network resources
- Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix?, John Lennox
- The Re-Enchantment of Nature: Science, Religion and the Human Sense of Wonder, Alister McGrath
