Appearance of Life On Earth

 

From the Ark's Window column of the Catholic Times a University professor gives us a meditation on the appearance of life on earth.

The Earth is incomparably older than humanity. If we compress the Earth's age into one year, humanity was born around 11:26 PM on December 31. That means humans have lived for just over 30 minutes. Humans have never witnessed the Earth's beginnings or its activities. We have merely lived according to the principles of life given by the Earth, our cradle.

Yet, in just the past hundred years or so, humans have begun to shake the Earth drastically. People have altered the Earth's environment, which is a condition for their own existence, and, in turn, have been affected by these changes, putting their lives at risk. Humans, once inhabitants within the Earth's geological structures, have now appeared as agents altering those very structures.

It is now diagnosed that the Earth has entered a new era called the 'Anthropocene'. Humans are the unprecedented driver of change, causing climate change and rapidly decreasing biodiversity. How did humans, as part of nature, come to alter nature itself?

Our ancestors eventually learned how to create fire by rubbing dry sticks together. The occurrence of fire follows natural laws. When materials collide, friction generates heat and can produce fire—this is natural law. However, the fire ignited by humans is the effect of natural laws abstracted by humans.

Humans standardize natural laws as methods and turn them into techniques to pass on to others. They create fire to cook meat, heat their homes, and illuminate the darkness, living nights as if they were days. By manipulating natural laws according to their intentions, humans came to perceive themselves as controllers of nature, which also led to the emergence of civilization. The more natural laws were used as tools, the more sophisticated civilization became. 

 Of course, civilization is also a work of technology found in the laws of nature. The fact that hundreds of tons of iron lumps fly through the sky is also an effect of technology that follows the laws of nature. The fact that iron travels on the sea is also the result of manipulating the laws of nature. However, a law of nature that is bigger than flight is fall. Fall is a deeper law of nature. A ship on the sea is destined to sink someday.

In this way, the technology that humans have found in the laws of nature is always being challenged by greater and deeper laws of nature. Countless lives are groaning due to human-caused climate change, and humans are also groaning. The deeper nature has been challenging humans.

It is a matter of course that the Earth preceded humans. Even in the Bible, it is said that grass, trees, fish, birds, animals, and, of course, insects and microorganisms preceded humans. However, humanity, which lived on Earth for only about 30 minutes, has disrupted the order of the Earth by instrumentalizing the entire life that preceded it. Studies also indicate that the sixth mass extinction of life has begun. This is a serious reality.

At this time, the following questions from the Bible come into view: "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" (Job 38:4) Humans, who have not seen the beginning of the earth, act as if they know all the world, but suddenly humans have become almost like gods. But what is the result?

At this time, Christians are very aware of this. We have been talking about the "kingdom of God" for more than 2,000 years, but the question is why the world is moving towards a "human kingdom" that tramples on countless lives. The question is whether even the 'kingdom of God' has been accepted in a human-centered way and is establishing itself in the place of God.

That's right. We must reset the direction of faith and theology. The boundary between humans and humans, as well as between humans and non-humans, must be changed from a closed 'solid line' to an open 'dotted line'. We must communicate win-win and make use of the diversity of life: the organic nature of the earth, the foundation of human beings.

A Strong Faith Life

A professor at a Catholic University gives the readers of the Catholic Times a story of life in an African village where there is a river not very deep but with a strong current.  

When people cross this river, they each carry a heavy stone each to avoid being swept away by the rough current.

Faith is, in short, a grateful stone. Faith can be heavy and burdensome like a stone, yet in moments of crisis, it becomes a life-giving, precious stone. 

In life we encounter rough currents, unexpected trials and suffering, moments of frustration and despair. In these times, the grateful stone called faith acts like an anchor, holding us firmly so we are not swept away by the torrent. Especially in the final moment of death, at the most significant moments of pain and crisis, it allows us to face death with peace. Faith is a grateful stone in life and in the face of death, and a precious gift from God to humanity.

During the baptism ceremony, the officiating priest asks the candidates for baptism, 'What do you ask of the Church?' At this, the candidates respond, 'We ask for faith.' They are not asking for money or wealth, not power or honor, but they say, 'We ask for faith.' As human beings with bodies and souls, they are asking for the best, the most precious, and the most valuable thing.

Then the officiating priest asks, 'What does faith give you?' The candidates respond, 'It gives eternal life.' Neither wealth nor riches can give eternal life. Neither power nor honor can give eternal life. Only faith grants humans eternal life. Faith alone gives humans eternal life and guides them to truth and happiness. Therefore, nothing is better than faith. Through faith, humans are saved. Without faith, humans cannot be saved. The word 'faith' is one of the most commonly used words we have.

 We have heard it so many times that we might think we already know its full meaning. But is that really so? How much do we really know about this faith? The word 'faith' is the first thing we are asked about when we enter the church, it is an absolute element of salvation, and it grants eternal life. 

Therefore, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could deeply and accurately understand what the Catholic Church means by 'what is faith?' so that it could serve as a stepping stone for joyful and proper faith life? To help ordinary Catholic believers live happily while alive and die peacefully with a smile.

Vatican Observatory

The Catholic Times had an article featuring the Church's interest in astronomy. An interest deeply connected to its history.

 The calendar we use today, the 'Gregorian calendar,' is also the result of the church's long-standing astronomical research. Going further back, the fact that the date for the celebration of the Lord's Resurrection could be determined at the Council of Nicaea in 325 was based on astronomical knowledge that allowed calculation of the vernal equinox and the full moon. 

Above all, the Bible tells us that the first people to worship Jesus when he was born in this world came following a 'star.' These were the Magi from the East. In his 2009 Epiphany sermon, Pope Benedict XVI explained, 'The Magi, who were astronomers, observed the appearance of a new star in the sky and understood this phenomenon as a sign heralding the birth of the King of the Jews, as foretold in the sacred Scriptures.' He continued, 'Even today, thanks to the passion and faith of many scientists following in the footsteps of Galileo, the Christian understanding of the universe demonstrates interesting new signs that unfold without abandoning reason or faith, allowing both to bear fruit together.'

Following the successful launches of Nuri and Arirang-7, interest in space and astronomy in Korea is growing. While observing the stars and conducting research are often regarded as the domain of secular scientists, the Church has long shown a profound interest in astronomy. Why does the Church look to the 'stars'?

When it comes to the Church and astronomy, many people think of the 'trial of Galileo Galilei.' The debate over the heliocentric and geocentric models is often perceived as a conflict between faith and astronomy, but in fact, before Galileo, the heliocentric theory was systematically established by the priest Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543).

Even afterward, priests continued to leave their mark on the history of astronomy. Father Christoph Scheiner (1575–1650) was a representative astronomer who left systematic records of sunspots through telescopic observations. Father Benedict Sestini (1816–1890) was the astronomer to first begin classifying and cataloging the 'colors' of stars.

Jesuit priests also played a major role in astronomy, which is why today, 33 craters on the Moon are named after Jesuit priests. Furthermore, Father Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) was the first to propose the ‘Big Bang theory,’ which is the most widely recognized theory explaining the origin of the universe today.

The fact that the Church has produced such distinguished priest-astronomers demonstrates its deep interest in astronomy. Astronomical discoveries like the heliocentric model and the Big Bang theory might seem to contradict the teachings of the Bible, but the Church teaches that such discoveries actually allow a deeper understanding of God’s creative mystery. Since 1891, the Vatican Observatory has been operated by the Holy See, conducting research in astronomy and space science for precisely this reason.

The Church’s focus on astronomy is also tied to its history and Following the successful launches of Nuri and Arirang-7, interest in space and astronomy is growing in Korea. While observing the stars and conducting research are often regarded as the domain of secular scientists, the Church has long shown a profound interest in astronomy.

When it comes to the Church and astronomy, many people think of the 'trial of Galileo Galilei.' The debate over the heliocentric and geocentric models is often perceived as a conflict between faith and astronomy, but in fact, before Galileo, the heliocentric theory was systematically established by the priest Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543).

Even afterward, priests continued to leave their mark on the history of astronomy. Father Christoph Scheiner (1575–1650) was a representative astronomer who left systematic records of sunspots through telescopic observations. Father Benedict Sestini (1816–1890) was the astronomer to first begin classifying and cataloging the 'colors' of stars.

Jesuit priests also played a major role in astronomy, which is why today, 33 craters on the Moon are named after Jesuit priests. Furthermore, Father Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) was the first to propose the ‘Big Bang theory,’ which is the most widely recognized theory explaining the origin of the universe today.

The fact that the Church has produced such distinguished priest-astronomers shows how deeply interested it has been in astronomy. Astronomical discoveries like the heliocentric model and the Big Bang theory might seem to contradict the teachings of the Bible, but the Church teaches that such discoveries actually allow a deeper understanding of God’s creative mystery. Since 1891, the Vatican Observatory has been run by the Holy See, conducting various research projects related to astronomy and space science for precisely this reason.

Pope Francis also remarked at a 2014 meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, saying, 'The Big Bang theory, which posits that the universe began with a massive explosion, does not contradict the intervention of the Creator; rather, it requires the existence of a Creator.'
 

The church's interest in astronomy is deeply connected to its history. The calendar we use today, the 'Gregorian calendar,' is also the result of the church's long-standing astronomical research. Going further back, the fact that the date for the celebration of the Lord's Resurrection could be determined at the Council of Nicaea in 325 was based on astronomical knowledge that allowed calculation of the vernal equinox and the full moon. 

Above all, the Bible tells us that the first people to worship Jesus at his birth came following a 'star.' These were the Magi from the East. In his 2009 Epiphany sermon, Pope Benedict XVI explained, 'The Magi, who were astronomers, observed the appearance of a new star in the sky and understood this phenomenon as a sign heralding the birth of the King of the Jews, as foretold in the sacred Scriptures.' He continued, 'Even today, thanks to the passion and faith of many scientists following in the footsteps of Galileo, the Christian understanding of the universe demonstrates interesting new signs that unfold without abandoning reason or faith, allowing both to bear fruit together.'

Changes from Artifcial Intelligence

 

 In the Eyes of the Priest column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the columnist brings to the attention of the readers the theme of Sogang University's Christmas nativity scene, artificial intelligence (AI). 

Like Michelangelo’s 'Creation of Adam,' the fingers of baby Jesus in the arms of the Virgin Mary touch the fingers of a robot. It is said to express that AI is ultimately a created being. Instead of stars, the night sky glows with the binary numbers 0 and 1, the language of computers. In a rapidly changing world, the church also feels it cannot ignore this enormous trend.

AI is quickly permeating every corner of the world and transforming our lives. In the U.S. and China, where AI has advanced, there are reports of mass unemployment. Searching is now a thing of the past. We now ask AI as if having a conversation to learn what we want to know. AI-driven cars travel through Seoul’s city center, and AI writes novels and poetry. In this age of AI, another thing disappearing is magazines.

In 1970, former National Assembly Speaker founded the monthly magazine Samto, describing it as a “cultural magazine for the happiness of ordinary people.” Later led by his son, Samto was so popular at its peak that it sold up to 500,000 copies per month. One reason for Samto’s popularity was that readers could access works by leading writers of the time.
This Samto, however, has faced changes in the media environment.

Samto, will enter an indefinite hiatus with its final issue due to management difficulties caused by changes in the media environment. 

Samto continued publishing even while selling its iconic red brick building in Seoul, but it could no longer bear the several hundred million won in annual losses. Nowadays, the people who used to receive Samto have smartphones in their hands, and in an era where AI algorithms recommend news and videos, Samto’s future may have already been determined. Yet, it feels disheartening that something that fought so hard to overcome a crisis is now leaving us. 

It is Christmas. This Christmas, I am paying attention to things that are gradually disappearing. Although the world is changing so quickly that some call it a monumental shift in civilization, it is heartbreaking to see cherished memories vanish. Things that once made our hearts race now seem to be treated as junk, which is upsetting. Still, some things never change. Even if robots appear in the Christmas manger, the miracle that God became human and came into the humblest manger will continue.