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God Speaks Science: What Neurons, Giant Squid, and Supernovae Reveal About Our Creator
A joy-filled expedition into experiencing God’s majestic, everywhere presence.
DNA, the Danube River, and deep-sea life. Knees and trees. The Swiss Alps, songbirds, and supernovas. God speaks though His creation. And you don’t have to be naturally gifted at biology, chemistry, or physics to be awakened to His wisdom and majesty. Pastor, teacher, and non-scientist John Van Sloten invites us to know God more deeply as we marvel at the complexities of His amazing creation.
Knowing God through His written Word enables us to know Him more clearly through His creational Words. How does God speak through His creation, and what is He saying? Each chapter includes interviews with leading scientists and connects creation to its Creator. With the primary foundation that Jesus is the mediator of both salvation and creation, Van Sloten fields questions such
Why are things beautiful and how can beautiful things be engaged?How does the doctrine of the Trinity teach us about the nature of tree branches and wound healing?What do the doctrines of creation, incarnation, and the resurrection tell us about phenomenon of supernovas?How do we engage God’s providence through knees and fossils?We were made to wonder. To marvel. To know and live in awe of God. God Speaks Science expands our hearts and minds so that we might delight in the wisdom, beauty, and awesome power of our triune God!
DNA, the Danube River, and deep-sea life. Knees and trees. The Swiss Alps, songbirds, and supernovas. God speaks though His creation. And you don’t have to be naturally gifted at biology, chemistry, or physics to be awakened to His wisdom and majesty. Pastor, teacher, and non-scientist John Van Sloten invites us to know God more deeply as we marvel at the complexities of His amazing creation.
Knowing God through His written Word enables us to know Him more clearly through His creational Words. How does God speak through His creation, and what is He saying? Each chapter includes interviews with leading scientists and connects creation to its Creator. With the primary foundation that Jesus is the mediator of both salvation and creation, Van Sloten fields questions such
Why are things beautiful and how can beautiful things be engaged?How does the doctrine of the Trinity teach us about the nature of tree branches and wound healing?What do the doctrines of creation, incarnation, and the resurrection tell us about phenomenon of supernovas?How do we engage God’s providence through knees and fossils?We were made to wonder. To marvel. To know and live in awe of God. God Speaks Science expands our hearts and minds so that we might delight in the wisdom, beauty, and awesome power of our triune God!
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2023
33 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
John Van Sloten
4 books7 followersJohn Van Sloten is a pastor, teacher and writer who lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For the past 20 years he's been exploring a worldview that seeks to discern God's voice in all things: the Bible, the arts, sport, science, film, music, literature, history, mathematics, nature and human nature. John's first book, The Day Metallica Came to Church: Seeing the Everywhere God in Everything (Square Inch, August 2010), listened for God's whispers in pop culture. John's second book, Every Job a Parable; What Walmart Greeters, Nurses and Astronauts tell us about God (Navpress/Tyndale, June 2017), listens for God's words at work. John has been the recipient of two John Templeton Foundation grants, exploring the intersection of faith and science in the context of preaching, and currently writing his third book on God's revelation through the human body.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 17, 2023
I LOVED this book. It stirred my scientist heart and filled me with so much joy! Even though I have the education to understand scientific writing, I really appreciated that this was written in SUPER accessible terminology. I’m confident I could hand this book to anyone in my family and they wouldn’t feel overwhelmed with trying to understand.
My two minor qualms are this:
1. I’m not sure that I agree that it’s absolutely necessary to our theology to understand science. Of course I believe that creation speaks of the Creator, and as a scientist I seek to see God in ALL that I learn. But it’s a very privileged perspective to say that in order to have a full understanding of our theology, we also need to pursue more scientific thought. Of course God Speaks Science. But He also speaks history, and literature, and art, and politics.
There were parts of this book that made me uneasy, in light of the inaccessibility of education to many, many people. To say that those without the level of education to understand science are somehow missing out on knowing God in all His fullness, just doesn’t sit right. Not to mention, not everyone’s brain is wired for scientific inquiry, and that is okay!
2. He gave credit to Watson and Crick for the double helix of DNA. It was actually Rosalind Franklin! They received credit for what she equally if not MORE contributed to. I’d say in a chapter talking how scientific discoveries belong to those who discover and name them, details about who discovered and named such discoveries might be important;)
My two minor qualms are this:
1. I’m not sure that I agree that it’s absolutely necessary to our theology to understand science. Of course I believe that creation speaks of the Creator, and as a scientist I seek to see God in ALL that I learn. But it’s a very privileged perspective to say that in order to have a full understanding of our theology, we also need to pursue more scientific thought. Of course God Speaks Science. But He also speaks history, and literature, and art, and politics.
There were parts of this book that made me uneasy, in light of the inaccessibility of education to many, many people. To say that those without the level of education to understand science are somehow missing out on knowing God in all His fullness, just doesn’t sit right. Not to mention, not everyone’s brain is wired for scientific inquiry, and that is okay!
2. He gave credit to Watson and Crick for the double helix of DNA. It was actually Rosalind Franklin! They received credit for what she equally if not MORE contributed to. I’d say in a chapter talking how scientific discoveries belong to those who discover and name them, details about who discovered and named such discoveries might be important;)
March 14, 2025
I loved the overall message and concept of this book, but found ploughing through the whole book hard. I found it hard to follow his thesis in many chapters, as at times each paragraph seemed to be expounding an entirely new thought unconnected to what came previously. Many of those thoughts were interesting and good, but it's hard to read.
Strange that as a minister he preaches sermons on scientific concepts. As a science teacher, I believe we can learn a lot about God from creation, but God's word is ultimate.
Anyway, I found this a take some leave some book. It gave me some good, new ideas for biblical perspectives in my teaching, but some of the thoughts didn't quite get for me.
Strange that as a minister he preaches sermons on scientific concepts. As a science teacher, I believe we can learn a lot about God from creation, but God's word is ultimate.
Anyway, I found this a take some leave some book. It gave me some good, new ideas for biblical perspectives in my teaching, but some of the thoughts didn't quite get for me.
May 9, 2025
“There is something about knowing the goodness of what you possess that enables you to steward that goodness in the best possible way.”
June 24, 2025
Great intro to embracing faith and science, especially if you’re coming from a faith background that didn’t instill this instinct.
October 1, 2023
Book Review
Title: God Speaks Science: What Neurons, Giant Squid, and Supernovae Reveal About Our Creator
Author: John Van Sloten
Rating: 3/5
“So to know how things work is to bear God’s image more fully, and to bear God’s image more fully is to know God more fully as well. The more science bears God’s all-knowing image, the more we’ll be able to know God through the creation-revealing work science does” (page 118.)
I believe that the quote above summarizes well the premise of the book. While I found the premise to be interesting, I’m afraid this one fell a little short for me.
I enjoyed hearing from different scientists in each chapter, and I wholeheartedly agree that God speaks science. Of course He does—He created it! I appreciate that the author is trying to point to science and Christianity being congruent and to remind us of natural revelation—that nature does point to God and to truths about Him. We can certainly learn about God from nature, and it was nice to find little reminders of specific attributes of God reflected in nature throughout each chapter. However, throughout the book I noticed little theological things that were not entirely biblical or that were worded in a misleading or confusing way.
While I wouldn’t blanket recommend this one, it was fascinating at times and I would definitely consider recommending it to someone depending on their interests/background.
Thank you to @Moody for the #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
Title: God Speaks Science: What Neurons, Giant Squid, and Supernovae Reveal About Our Creator
Author: John Van Sloten
Rating: 3/5
“So to know how things work is to bear God’s image more fully, and to bear God’s image more fully is to know God more fully as well. The more science bears God’s all-knowing image, the more we’ll be able to know God through the creation-revealing work science does” (page 118.)
I believe that the quote above summarizes well the premise of the book. While I found the premise to be interesting, I’m afraid this one fell a little short for me.
I enjoyed hearing from different scientists in each chapter, and I wholeheartedly agree that God speaks science. Of course He does—He created it! I appreciate that the author is trying to point to science and Christianity being congruent and to remind us of natural revelation—that nature does point to God and to truths about Him. We can certainly learn about God from nature, and it was nice to find little reminders of specific attributes of God reflected in nature throughout each chapter. However, throughout the book I noticed little theological things that were not entirely biblical or that were worded in a misleading or confusing way.
While I wouldn’t blanket recommend this one, it was fascinating at times and I would definitely consider recommending it to someone depending on their interests/background.
Thank you to @Moody for the #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 9, 2024
As I read this book, I wondered how something so beautiful and insightful could be written by someone who's not an expert in any scientific field. The answer? Humility, I think. Each chapter begins with an introduction from an expert or leader in a particular scientific discipline and leads into insights by the author on how this discipline/area reveals more about God and God's word.
In a word, this a beautiful book about analogies. Van Sloten draws numerous analogies between God's revelation in the world to God's revelation in the Bible. His writing is a powerful call for Christians to pay serious attention to all the ways in which God reveals himself! So glad I picked this up.
In a word, this a beautiful book about analogies. Van Sloten draws numerous analogies between God's revelation in the world to God's revelation in the Bible. His writing is a powerful call for Christians to pay serious attention to all the ways in which God reveals himself! So glad I picked this up.
March 26, 2024
I loved how this book presented both specific and broad phenomena in the created world to teach more about the nature and heart of God. It’s changing how I view learning (as a means to know God more fully), science (as a God given way to engage with created things, both natural and marred by sin), and God, a creator who delights to be known through the intricate, beautiful, intentional things he made.
July 5, 2024
This book serves as a bridge between the general revelation of God (explored through scientific discovery) and special revelation (studied in the church). A book full of scientific insights and biblical connections.
September 22, 2023
Summary: Explores what we may learn from the creation through different fields of scientific research about the nature and works of God.
Several years ago I had the privilege of meeting an unusual pastor. He loved science and often incorporated findings of science in his sermons. To do that well, he interviewed scientists in the relevant fields at nearby universities. He saw no conflict between the results of scientific research and his theological study of the Bible. He loved facilitating conversations between the scientists with whom he was interacting and people in his congregation. That pastor was John Van Sloten, the author of this work, along with a number of his scientist friends.
It is not uncommon to speak of the “two books” that reveal God to us: The Bible and the Creation. The premise of this book is to take the second of those two more seriously than we often do. Van Sloten believes that science “unpacks God’s creation words. Scientists are made in the image of an empirical God. They think God’s thoughts after God.” What Van Sloten does in this work is to engage with scientists in a variety of fields, inviting their own thoughts about what their research reveals of God, and adding his own. Each chapter begins with a word from a scientist from a different field. Then Van Sloten expands upon this in the chapter concluding with a lectio scientia consisting both of suggested practices and a prayer shaped by the content of the chapter.
Van Sloten begins with a medical physicist discussing ways that radiation therapy reveals the empirical mind of God. Succeeding chapters consider astrophysics and God’s delight in matter, the structure of knees and God’s providence in structures and through those who repair them, and giant squids, our amazing senses and the all-seeing presence of God. We learn about how trees grow, branch, and heal wounds and the interdependent character both of the creation and the creator, how we acquire language and a passion for knowing and the God who makes God’s self known across all these languages, and how DNA repair mechanisms reveal the beauty of God. Neuroscience helps us understand our passion to name, reminding us that we are also named and known by God and hydrology points us to the God who sustains our lives with living water, a word that does not return empty.
One chapter that particularly spoke to me was on how our cells self-repair our DNA trillions of times every day. He observes that we “can no more save ourselves that we can repair our own DNA. Right now, at a rate of tens of trillions of repairs per second, God is reminding you of the breathtaking power of this amazing restorative grace.”
It is such a pleasure to read a work that, far from fighting about science, finds in science the wonders of God’s powerful and gracious character and work in the world. God can speak to us through science which complements what we learn in the Bible of God, which is just what you’d expect if you believe God to be the author of both books. I’m amazed by how much John Van Sloten has gleaned from these conversations with scientists and from listening to both books, both ways in which God speaks to us. But then, this only makes sense if one has been listening to God’s speech through science and in scripture for a long time. May that be true of more of us! This book is a good place to start.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.
Several years ago I had the privilege of meeting an unusual pastor. He loved science and often incorporated findings of science in his sermons. To do that well, he interviewed scientists in the relevant fields at nearby universities. He saw no conflict between the results of scientific research and his theological study of the Bible. He loved facilitating conversations between the scientists with whom he was interacting and people in his congregation. That pastor was John Van Sloten, the author of this work, along with a number of his scientist friends.
It is not uncommon to speak of the “two books” that reveal God to us: The Bible and the Creation. The premise of this book is to take the second of those two more seriously than we often do. Van Sloten believes that science “unpacks God’s creation words. Scientists are made in the image of an empirical God. They think God’s thoughts after God.” What Van Sloten does in this work is to engage with scientists in a variety of fields, inviting their own thoughts about what their research reveals of God, and adding his own. Each chapter begins with a word from a scientist from a different field. Then Van Sloten expands upon this in the chapter concluding with a lectio scientia consisting both of suggested practices and a prayer shaped by the content of the chapter.
Van Sloten begins with a medical physicist discussing ways that radiation therapy reveals the empirical mind of God. Succeeding chapters consider astrophysics and God’s delight in matter, the structure of knees and God’s providence in structures and through those who repair them, and giant squids, our amazing senses and the all-seeing presence of God. We learn about how trees grow, branch, and heal wounds and the interdependent character both of the creation and the creator, how we acquire language and a passion for knowing and the God who makes God’s self known across all these languages, and how DNA repair mechanisms reveal the beauty of God. Neuroscience helps us understand our passion to name, reminding us that we are also named and known by God and hydrology points us to the God who sustains our lives with living water, a word that does not return empty.
One chapter that particularly spoke to me was on how our cells self-repair our DNA trillions of times every day. He observes that we “can no more save ourselves that we can repair our own DNA. Right now, at a rate of tens of trillions of repairs per second, God is reminding you of the breathtaking power of this amazing restorative grace.”
It is such a pleasure to read a work that, far from fighting about science, finds in science the wonders of God’s powerful and gracious character and work in the world. God can speak to us through science which complements what we learn in the Bible of God, which is just what you’d expect if you believe God to be the author of both books. I’m amazed by how much John Van Sloten has gleaned from these conversations with scientists and from listening to both books, both ways in which God speaks to us. But then, this only makes sense if one has been listening to God’s speech through science and in scripture for a long time. May that be true of more of us! This book is a good place to start.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.
December 11, 2023
This books dives into the concept that we see God through creation. Van Sloyton asserts that creation and science gives us a glimpse into the very mind of God.
That whole concept got me thinking about when my kids were toddlers and would begin building things or arranging toys in their room. I marveled at the tangible expression of their minds working at a time when they couldn’t speak well yet.
In the same way, we see how a glimpse of how God thinks as we look into the sciences and creation. It’s actually quite fascinating.
This book was a little harder of a read for me, but it was a good challenge. I appreciated how the author looks to God in a variety of topics. Because God and the gospel apply to everything!
Thank you so much to Moody Publishers for the copy of this book! All thoughts are my own.
That whole concept got me thinking about when my kids were toddlers and would begin building things or arranging toys in their room. I marveled at the tangible expression of their minds working at a time when they couldn’t speak well yet.
In the same way, we see how a glimpse of how God thinks as we look into the sciences and creation. It’s actually quite fascinating.
This book was a little harder of a read for me, but it was a good challenge. I appreciated how the author looks to God in a variety of topics. Because God and the gospel apply to everything!
Thank you so much to Moody Publishers for the copy of this book! All thoughts are my own.
January 14, 2024
I had high expectations for this book, but two aspects of it prevent an unreserved recommendation. 1) The author elevates general revelation of nature to the same level as special revelation. As an example, he preaches sermons about topics like radiation therapy. 2) He writes from a theistic evolutionary perspective, marveling that God used the death of stars to create carbon for life.
It is still an intriguing concept that looks for God's attributes in His creation, going beyond awe and wonder, but I was ultimately disappointed.
It is still an intriguing concept that looks for God's attributes in His creation, going beyond awe and wonder, but I was ultimately disappointed.
January 16, 2024
I might have liked this book more had I been expecting what it’s actually about. I was expecting a book to guide me in conversations with skeptics of Christianity who claim science disproves God. Instead, this book is for a believer who is looking for God in their own study of science or who is seeking a way to see God in scientific revelations. It has some thought provoking nuggets, but for the most part, it’s full of analogous language about certain scientific phenomena and how it points to Christ.
April 22, 2024
This book brought up interesting topics and make me want to look more into the scientific topics. However, it was not what I expected - I was looking for deeper connections to God in some of the topics presented instead of simply being in awe of God as a Creator or that He enjoys us exploring science/ wants to be known by us. The cosmos section was really informative and interesting, as was the section about DNA repair (although I thought that part was setting up to be connected to our need for repentance for God to come repair our mindset.)
December 10, 2024
The book did a wonderful job in expressing how amazing God’s creation is. Each chapter started with an aspect of science and then looked at what those scientific details imply about the God who designed them. In general, the scientific part was minimal, while the preaching part associated with the science was significant. I wasn’t overly excited by this balance, even as I found any isolated section to be useful. The book is not one that argues for God through apologetics, but rather presumed a God who has designed everything.
October 12, 2023
I had pretty high hopes for this one but ended up a little disappointed.
I enjoyed the premise of the book on how God speaks to us through his word AND through creation and how each chapter focused on a different aspect of how we can know God better through science and not in spite of it.
That being said, I found it pretty dry at times and I was struggling to pick it back up. I read one chapter every morning and was looking forward to the end. I would have preferred more dynamic storytelling to really make the connection between how Gods creation is revealed through practiced science.
I would recommend this though for anyone interested in Science and creation and how they are not at odds - even in the slightest.
Thank you to @Moody for the copy in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed the premise of the book on how God speaks to us through his word AND through creation and how each chapter focused on a different aspect of how we can know God better through science and not in spite of it.
That being said, I found it pretty dry at times and I was struggling to pick it back up. I read one chapter every morning and was looking forward to the end. I would have preferred more dynamic storytelling to really make the connection between how Gods creation is revealed through practiced science.
I would recommend this though for anyone interested in Science and creation and how they are not at odds - even in the slightest.
Thank you to @Moody for the copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 14, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and the thoughtful process of which the author takes to demonstrate God in nature and the science around us. I listened to the audiobook, but plan on buying a physical copy for my library. I feel like that in itself says a lot. There was nothing new or ground breaking being said, but it was a good reminder of all the ways that God so intricately designed creation. Each chapter has a different author and point of view which keeps it interesting.
April 16, 2025
DNF
He is working within the constructs of evolution and eons of time. I hold to a young earth creationist view point, so once I saw that our starting points didn't align, I lost interest. However, I think this could hold some good points if you were inclined to stick it out. I liked his approach that the Bible and Creation are both 'books' of revelation, continually teaching us about God, and each complementing and supporting the other.
He is working within the constructs of evolution and eons of time. I hold to a young earth creationist view point, so once I saw that our starting points didn't align, I lost interest. However, I think this could hold some good points if you were inclined to stick it out. I liked his approach that the Bible and Creation are both 'books' of revelation, continually teaching us about God, and each complementing and supporting the other.
February 20, 2024
What an awful book
dnf
January 11, 2025I’ve been interested so far, but it’s a library audiobook, and I think it will auto-return before I’m able to finish it.
July 12, 2025
Good book! Cool to see how doctors and scientists from varying fields can link back their findings to God, and how intrinsic His design is in all creation
August 25, 2025
Deeply satisfied! This is combining Science and Bible for dummies like me. Hehe
December 31, 2023
It may have been my expectations, but I was a little disappointed in this one, even though it had some interesting points. The whole book could almost be summed up in one or two sentences: “God’s qualities are revealed in nature” and “Whenever you hear about new scientific discoveries or discoveries in nature ask yourself what that part of nature can reveal about God.” It was just ok for me, but some of the ideas did stick with me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2023
Overall, it is an interesting book with good intentions. Science and faith are not at odds. They are the two books of God's revelation, showing us God's attributes in different ways. The author does a nice job working this out, drawing in the help of scientists who believe in God's work. It is written on a popular level and not with theoretical abstractions.
But it is written assuming the legitimacy of theistic evolution. The author doesn't defend it. He doesn't make the case for it. He and the scientists he enlists assume it, and it flows into a majority of the chapters.
Yet even if a reader doesn't agree with theistic evolution (like me), they will find the material mostly refreshing. And devotional. And will come to think of science in a slightly different light. I'm glad I read it.
But it is written assuming the legitimacy of theistic evolution. The author doesn't defend it. He doesn't make the case for it. He and the scientists he enlists assume it, and it flows into a majority of the chapters.
Yet even if a reader doesn't agree with theistic evolution (like me), they will find the material mostly refreshing. And devotional. And will come to think of science in a slightly different light. I'm glad I read it.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews