Taking a Closer Look: Research as Worship and Service

Recently, I heard two respected colleagues – both professors at Dordt University - use the phrase, “let’s take a closer look” to transition from introducing a topic into a more detailed discussion. If I were to think of an image that represents this concept, I might think of a magnifying glass, a microscope, or a telescope – all images based in the sciences. Then again, taking a closer look might also describe the work of a poet or writer who spends time intentionally noticing things and writing about them in a way that draws the reader in for a closer look. So perhaps we might expand our imagery to include a notebook and pen.

I have come to believe that taking a closer look is a fundamental practice in the lives of Christians. Whatever our calling, we must be committed to ongoing learning, for the glory of God and the good of others. This applies, perhaps especially, in research and scholarship throughout higher education.

Scholars are not content to read the Cliff’s Notes, the executive summary, or the snapshot. For scholars, the general introduction is always followed by an invitation to ‘take a closer look’ - to explore, examine, question, and engage. This closer look is necessary in order to understand more deeply, think critically, or imagine something new.

Conducting research is one way scholars engage in the practice of taking a closer look. Here, the term "research" is not used in a general sense of background reading about a subject or “looking something up” in an encyclopedia or on the internet (depending on your generation). Rather, research involves systematic exploration of something of interest using conventions or methods of one’s field of study. This includes carefully selecting and defining a question, deciding on specific procedures that will be used to address the question, and communicating the results of the exploration and explaining what the implications might be.

If this is a basic description of what we mean by research, what does it mean for Christians to engage in research for the glory of God? How do the questions we ask, the methods we use and the way we communicate results relate to God and others? I suggest the following ideas as a starting place for reflecting on the work of Christians in research.

Growing in knowledge about how the world works is an act of worship.

The process of research is a process of deeper exploration about an aspect of the world. Recall the earlier images of a microscope or telescope – tools that invite us to see things that are not seen by the naked eye. Research methods, generally, might be seen as a a tool that helps us to see things not seen by the naked eye. For example, research can explore differences between the brains of musicians and non-musicians or concepts in abstract mathematics . Any time a researcher engages in a deeper understanding of an aspect of the world, there is opportunity for worship. As Richard Mouw puts it, “All that we encounter in our scholarship is a part of the fullness of created reality, that we are also called to love – and in loving to see, to behold, so that we can make connections and cultivate a proper awe and sense of mystery in the presence of the depths of created being” (Mouw, 61). When we catch a glimpse of the deep beauty or goodness of creation, we see a reflection of the glory of God and are moved to worship.

Further, learning something new about the way the world works, when framed by the Belgic Confession and the theological concept of common grace, is a means for us to understand God (although not fully) through “the creation, preservation, and government of the universe.” In his essay on Christian scholarship in the Christian Scholar’s Journal, Noah Toly notes that this theological underpinning creates a foundation for a Christian approach to research that “begins… with awe and wonder at how God is already at work in the world, in both the objects and methods of our study” (Toly, 14). Research helps scholars gain insight into how the world works. For the Christian scholar, as we learn about the world we live in, we also learn about the one who has created and upholds it.

Research is an act of loving or serving others.

As Christians, our research is motivated by a desire to respond to the needs of others.

While awe and wonder provide background motivation for research, so too does the reality of sin. One does not have to look too closely to see broken places in the world. Some research is motivated by service – by a desire to be active in addressing the impacts of sin or promoting flourishing. I think of research in the social sciences aimed at understanding communication conflicts or research in health sciences aimed at improving patient care. My own area of research is focused on improving the availability of palliative care in communities. One can also think about research that develops technology, which at its best serves the common good. At Dordt, we use the term ‘serviceable insight’ as an expression of the way in which all of our scholarly work -- research, teaching, and learning – enables us to better know, serve, and praise our Creator. It reminds us that the focus of our efforts is not for our own sake but connected to serving God and neighbor.

Research is not an isolated or individual activity.

Research involves community. Some research is conducted as part of a team, where individuals bring their areas of expertise together to work on a specific research question. Other research is primarily done by one individual. In both cases, research is a process that builds on the work of others and involves communication with others working in the same field or contributing to a conversation. In addition, communicating the results of research with the general public is an increasingly important part of doing research. For a Christian researcher, this also means being involved in one’s community of faith and helping others within the church understand how an area of research might connect to the sense of awe and wonder at the heart of worship.

The next time you encounter a report or article describing the results of a study, think about how the research might offer a new perspective of something in the world. Does it help you to see the complexity of creation and move you to worship? Does it contribute to the flourishing of others?

Think also about the scholars and researchers who have developed the skill to look deeply at that specific aspect of the world. The work of looking deeply is rarely easy. For those called to this work, it can be challenging to balance the time and focus required with everyday demands for attention. Of course, this is true for many of us, whether we are scholars or not. The act of ‘taking a closer look’ requires us to focus our attention and to make time for reflection. Where might you make space for noticing, and how might that draw you into worship and service?

References:

Toly, N. (2024) The wholehearted, daring, balancing act of Christian scholarship. Christian Scholars Review, 54(1).

Mouw, R (2014). Called to the life of the mind: some advice for evangelical scholars. Eerdmans.