If science cannot define the meaning of life, who or what can?

Albert Einstein had established himself in the early 20th century as the premier physicist of our time. He had single handedly rewrote the definition and study of gravity and space and demonstrated the necessary inter-relationship between energy and matter. The first two contributions would advance our understanding of the Universe, while the latter two contributions would help usher us into the Atomic age.

For Einstein, the one remaining intellectual achievement was developing a scientific theory that would in one stroke describe the functions of the four known forces governing our universe: the atomic force holding atoms together; the weak force that describes radioactive decay; the electromagnetic force that holds together molecules and describes all sorts of radiation and then finally, the force of gravity. Einstein's name for this alledged holy grail of physics was simply: "The Theory of Everything". Einstein never did complete his vision, however physicists have been attempting to find such a theory ever since.

In the 60's and 70's the Standard Model of particle physics, which describes the world of the unimaginably small, successfully described how the electromagnetic, weak and strong nuclear forces interracted and worked together. Einstein's theory of gravity (His General Theory of Relativity) is the prevailing theory of gravity today. So far no one has been able to unite Einstein's theory of gravity (which deals with the incredibly large objects such as planets, galaxies and the universe itself) with the Standard Model. Scientists believe that if we can find a "Theory of Everything", then perhaps we will be able to describe the underlying nature and meaning of reality.

The question is, can science tell us the meaning of life? The question of life's meaning is both a who and why question: namely who made the universe and why are we here? Science on the other hand can only answer what and how questions: namely what do I see occurring and how did it come to be?

When it comes to the meaning of life, the questions of who and why are central to the discussion. Philosophy is that branch of knowledge that in a limited way can be used to answer the why part of the meaning of life. However its ability to see beyond the horizon of this physical world is limited.

Theology, the branch of knowledge that draws its assumptions and understanding from the God of the Bible is the supreme way to find the answers to both why we are here and who made the universe. Many scientists are content to just report the facts of how and what happened without concerning themselves with why life occurs or who made it occur. Christians on the other hand believe that outside of the why and who questions, that scientific inquiry is fruitless and that there is no relationship between the questions raised by science and those of theology (and perhaps philosophy).

Though a "Theory of Everything" might not ever be discovered by science, yet if we are to arrive at life's meaning, we must include theology. Theology was believed up until the Renaissance era to be the Queen of the Sciences, and Philsophy its handmaiden. To tackle the meaning of life, intellectual inquiry must include genuine scientific inquiry to answer the what and how questions and theological study to answer the who and why questions. Though we many times might not be able to see the clear connections between science and theology, yet reason and Christian faith understand that there is an ultimate CONNECTION.

If anything else, perhaps this blog would have us conclude that the question about life's meaning should not be so much: What is the meaning of life? Rather the question could be rephrased: Who is the Meaning of life? The God of the Bible revealed in Jesus Christ is the one who created the world that can be studied by scientific inquiry and who spoke forth the word of God that is the subject of theological study. It is only in Him that we can begin to draw conclusions to life's meaning.