The Closet Professor

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

— Romans 1:20 (NIV)

I have never understood how someone could look around at the wonders of this world—the towering mountains, the delicate pattern of a snowflake, the mysterious depths of the oceans—and think, “Nothing but natural evolution is involved in the creation of all this beauty.” It seems impossible to me that all of this could be the result of mere happenstance. From the moment I was first aware of the world’s complexity and grandeur, I have believed that God’s hand was present in it all, guiding creation with care and intention.

I believe in evolution. There is ample evidence of it, and I do not believe the world is only four thousand years old, as strict creationists insist. Scientific discovery does not diminish my faith; instead, it enlarges my awe. To me, evolution is not a threat to God’s existence—it is a testament to His brilliance. A world that adapts, grows, and changes is far more magnificent than one that appeared rigid and finished. Creation was not a single act frozen in time, but a symphony, still unfolding under the quiet direction of a divine Composer.

And yet, my faith has not been without struggles. There have been seasons where I asked painful questions: Why, God?Why is there pain written into the bodies of newborns? Why are some born to suffer? Why was I given a body and a heart that do not always align with the world’s easy expectations? And perhaps most piercingly—why did You make me gay, when life would have been simpler, smoother, quieter if You had not?

In those moments of questioning, it would be easy to believe that creation was left adrift, as some philosophies suggest. During the Enlightenment, many embraced deism, a belief that God set the universe in motion like a master clockmaker and then stepped back, no longer involved in the daily unfolding of events. Many of the United States’ Founding Fathers were deists, believing that God could be known through nature and reason but doubting divine intervention in human affairs.

I understand the temptation of that view. And in part, I agree: I believe God set the laws of the universe into motion with extraordinary wisdom and creativity. Yet unlike the deists, I believe He still intervenes—not always, not predictably, but lovingly and purposefully. He has not abandoned His creation. He has not abandoned me.

When my heart wavers, I turn again to the promises written in Scripture. I cling to the words of Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I am not a mistake. You are not a mistake. We are part of a creation that, though marred by brokenness and mystery, still sings of a Creator whose fingerprints are everywhere. When I look inward, when I look outward, I see Him. His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen—from the beginning until now—and though I do not understand all His ways, I trust that His plan is full of hope, even when the path is hard.Today, may we open our eyes and see anew. slow down. Look closely. Listen carefully. Let the marvels of creation draw you nearer to the Creator. May we look upon the world, and even our own complicated selves, and recognize the divine artistry that we are part of in this universe. In doing so, we honor Him—and we fulfill a yearning that has been written into our souls since the beginning of time.