Keith, Kristyn Getty: Christianity and science are not at odds
In a culture that perceives Christianity and science to be incompatible, it’s “critical” for Christians to understand that all of creation points to a divine Creator, hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty have said.
“[S]o much in our culture is dead set in thinking that Christianity and science are at odds with one another,” Kristyn Getty told The Christian Post. “But we need to be students of our doubts and our questions and have the confidence to follow through with them.
“Christianity can hold up to them. We don't need to worry about it toppling over. It’s important to figure out what our doubts are and have the courage to ask deep questions because sooner or later, our faith will be tested. It’s critical for us to know who it is that we believe in and what we believe in.”
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The Irish-born songwriters recently released “Consider the Stars,” the theme song for the upcoming film “Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science.”
Penned by the Gettys and Fionán de Barra and sung by Kristyn Getty, the song is a contemplative lullaby that includes the lyrics: “Consider the stars in the sky/When it is darkest they shine out the brightest/Consider the stars in the sky/In every anguish, Oh, child take courage.”
The parents of four little girls, the Gettys wanted to write a song that would “sing truth over them and give them comfort in a simple, beautiful way.”
“As they go to sleep, we want them to consider the stars in the world that God has made. It’s both inspiring in terms of the vastness of it, but also hugely comforting because even in its vastness, the God who made it all is intimately involved in every single part of our lives,” Kristyn explained.
“Just like He holds the stars in place, He holds us,” she continued. “We loved the idea of using the world that God has made to explain that beautiful truth.”
“Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science,” a theatrical-length documentary, shares the quest of University of Oxford mathematician John Lennox to “stand against the tide of false information attacking Christianity by sharing the rational foundations of his belief.”
In the film, Lennox and “God’s Not Dead” actor Kevin Sorbo travel travel to key locations and thoughtfully address the arguments many atheists make against Christianity. The film argues that science and history not only align with Scripture but in fact complement and support the biblical narrative. “Against the Tide” hits theaters across the country November 19, 20 and 23.
Keith Getty told CP that Lennox has always emphasized that if “Christianity is true, we should have absolute confidence in its truth, in every context.”
“We can talk to people of other religions, of no religion, we can take it to the most rebellious part of the arts or the loftiest part of the sciences, and have absolute confidence that this is all true,” he said. “If it is not true, it's foolishness. Christianity is not a family tradition. It's not some superstition. It’s based on historical and scientific truth.”
“That confidence with faith is something that I think needs to blow through every part of our lives, every part of our homes, and every part of our churches at the minute.”
Kristyn added that Lennox, who is her uncle, has “always inspired Christians to look at the natural world that God has created as a means to fuel our imaginations and to help us understand the God of the Bible.”
“He’s always encouraged us to ask questions, to look up, to consider the stars, hills, and lilies. He very much directly inspired the song as well,” she said.
Keith and Kristyn Getty are behind some of today’s most beloved hymns, including “In Christ Alone.” They strongly believe that music “profoundly affects how we think about things, how we understand the faith, and we carry it.”
“In writing ‘Consider the Stars,’ we felt the urgency of that and the importance of using songs to help our children understand the God of the Bible and helping them grow in knowledge and in confidence in the face of fear,” Kristyn said.
Keith added that throughout Scripture, it’s clear that God is “deeply concerned about what we sing,” adding: “‘Sing’ is the most common command that we find in Scripture. It’s profoundly important to the health of our faith.”
"Singing speaks to our mind, to our emotions, to our memory, but also to our souls, to how we pray, think, act, and react," he said.
In a post-Christian society rife with atheistic misinformation, the Gettys hope “Against the Tide” not only strengthens believers in their faith but impresses upon nonbelievers just how compatible science and religion can be.
“The movie does really well in presenting an honest dialogue between the atheist and the Christian while capturing both the mind and the imagination,” Keith said. “Christianity has inspired so much beauty and good over the years. It has birthed music and art, government and economics, and so many things that are important to the culture.”
As many people are left “emotionally depleted” due to the COVID pandemic and a tumultuous election season, Keith contended that "now is the most fertile time we have for Christian witness.”
“A movie like this coming out really gives people extraordinary hope and confidence in their faith," he said. "We encourage people to not only watch it for themselves but bring other people along to watch it as well."
