Comments on Practical Theology for Women: Math and Theology

I'd never seen that way of generating the Sier...

2011-11-23T17:48:02.017-08:00

I'd never seen that way of generating the Sierpinski Triangle before! (I'm used to the 'subtract triangles one by one' in analogy to the Von Koch snowflake curve method) - that's really nifty! I enjoyed figuring out why the two are virtually equivalent.
I also agree that taking a disastrous university maths course was helpful in me understanding how many primary/secondary schoolers struggle with maths.

My one quibble was "math is a symbolic representation of a real concept" - so much of the most beautiful maths has very little to do with the 'real' world! (Or perhaps I'm just too biased towards pure math)

But more importantly, as an ex-mathematician and now Ministry Apprentice, I really appreciated that way of moving from mathematics to Christ. Another evangelistic tool up my sleeve! Thanks!

Oh, Julie. I need to take that ferry!!

2011-10-27T11:42:29.964-07:00

Oh, Julie. I need to take that ferry!!

I thought of this post this morning as there were ...

2011-10-27T10:56:57.161-07:00

I thought of this post this morning as there were probably 20 or so orcas in view during my ferry ride to work. I'm not sure what it is about them but the sight brought me to tears. Something so mysterious.... I think God's creation gives us a tiny glimpse of His vastness and glory, whether it's math, whales, or anything else!

Thank-you for this. Yes, it is the seeming random...

2011-10-24T04:02:27.753-07:00

Thank-you for this. Yes, it is the seeming random, chaotic events in life that cause me biggest questions and that I spend the most time trying to make sense of. Today I will choose to believe that there is meaning and order- "the wisest, kindest, and best"- even when I do not see it.

Yay, a math post!!! And I say that as an English ...

2011-10-19T22:09:54.897-07:00

Yay, a math post!!!

And I say that as an English major who was allergic to math until I 1. was saved in college and 2. went back to school for a bit last year and took Chemistry. The only reason I had any confidence that I could understand Chemistry was because I believed Hebrews 1:3. So imagine my surprise when we spent the first two weeks doing math concepts like dimensional analysis and unit conversion!!

That triangle concept is the best argument for Calvinism I've seen in a while. Love it.

This post makes me realize I haven't officially subscribed to your blog, but I *should.* So there. :)

Great post Wendy! This is how I always felt about ...

2011-10-19T13:50:15.174-07:00

Great post Wendy! This is how I always felt about physics. There were times in college when I would be doing a physics problem and I would start crying because it was SO beautiful and I could see God in it. The other day my husband and I were talking about how you can take theological concepts and understand them in terms of math and physics. I just sent him a link to this post.

And Wendy, I'm glad that you write about what the Lord lays on your heart and not worry about the blog readers. :-)

Beautiful and poignant, thank you. An Algebraist ...

2011-10-19T06:16:03.055-07:00

Beautiful and poignant, thank you.

An Algebraist myself, my own gribbly monsters were Lebesgue Integration Theory and Fourier Analysis, and you are right: having banged my head against them did make me ( I hope!) a better teacher, it made me see that sometimes Maths just doesn't come natural!

And at the same time, the higher you go with the concepts, the more amazed you get at the beauty and the simplicity with which seemingly abstruse concepts, boil down to neat theories when you look them for a higher level.... An excellent reminder that God is looking at all from the highest vantage point of all!

Thanks again for the well articulated argument.

I almost didn't read this when I saw it was ab...

2011-10-17T17:13:32.973-07:00

I almost didn't read this when I saw it was about math! I'm more of a literature/English person! But well said. How encouraging to know that God orders and directs all things!

unsubscribe. Oh wait, i'm not subscribed. Tho...

2011-10-17T15:04:54.028-07:00

unsubscribe. Oh wait, i'm not subscribed.
Thought provoking post, thanks.

Just to add to my above comment. I'm not sayin...

2011-10-17T13:23:51.200-07:00

Just to add to my above comment. I'm not saying that our world is already perfect but that above what we can see that his ways, his plans and the outworkings of these are perfect.... Hope that makes sense!!

Thank you. I am so glad we have a God who is makin...

2011-10-17T13:17:47.237-07:00

Thank you. I am so glad we have a God who is making sense of what seems to be utter chaos around us. That with God it is not chaos but is already sense. It's order. It's control. It's perfect. I love this.
I'm liking the chaos triange much better than the underside of the tapestry illustration. But I also did prefer math to art!
Amazing wonderful sense....
It brings me to my knees.

I really appreciate this post...and the one on wha...

2011-10-17T11:31:05.334-07:00

I really appreciate this post...and the one on whales. As a (retired) forester/ecologist, who also likes math, I think about these things too. I believe that what we see and admire in wildlife and other "natural resources" is the admiration that God gave us for his creation. Adam and Eve were to tend the Garden - to be stewards and caretakers. Some people see anything that humanity does to creation, any changed (like cutting trees) as a bad thing. I don't believe that is Biblical. BUT, we are also to be caretakers, stewards, not taking all we can get from it, or using it until it is ruined, but rather using it wisely.

I love your post, thanks. I am not a math lover. I...

2011-10-17T08:57:26.094-07:00

I love your post, thanks. I am not a math lover. I'm 44 and returning to school after a 20+ year absence, and i am rally struggling with the "dumb kid math" as I call it. but your post has really encouraged me to keep at it and try to find God in the midst of my struggle an frustration. Thanks.

I struggled with math in school, but I taught/coac...

2011-10-17T05:26:18.777-07:00

I struggled with math in school, but I taught/coached my son in math that included fractal geometry and the Sierpinski triangle. We had so much fun, and we both came away with a greater sense of God's orderliness and infinite mind. Praise Him!

I love math AND I love the post. Well said!

2011-10-17T04:03:48.382-07:00

I love math AND I love the post. Well said!

My wife is an Environmental Biologist in CA, I'...

2011-10-17T00:24:01.598-07:00

My wife is an Environmental Biologist in CA, I'm a seminarian in training for Evangelical Presbyterian ministry. We're vegetarians and love God's green earth. So, I feel your pain on Marine Mammals. I was an English major... but I like the article anyway. Thanks!

Thanks, Wanda!!

2011-10-16T19:49:10.460-07:00

Thanks, Wanda!!

I don't like math, but I love this post! A Go...

2011-10-16T18:22:00.406-07:00

I don't like math, but I love this post! A God who creates order out of what seems to be random chaos. That's a God I want to worship! I'm leading a couple of groups of women through "Practical Theology for Women" and this post just fits into our discussion beautifully. Thank you, Wendy.
Wanda Anderson