The Story Being Written

In the last issue we discussed the fact that human beings can now literally rewrite and edit the code of creation. We can modify or flat-out erase the genetic code of entire species. This comes on the heels of unimaginable advances in energy, computing power, and artificial intelligence. The world clearly hangs on the precipice of massive change.

One way to describe the convergence of these things is to compare it to a boiling point. The “waters” of knowledge and innovation that began to heat up and bubble in the 20th century are coming to a finale. One chapter is closing and a new chapter is opening before our eyes, sometimes in terrifying fashion. (In many ways, Covid was the turning of the page, the rising conflict of the previous chapter that paved the way for this next one. To keep in step with the title of this series, it was a labor pain giving way to what we believe is a renaissance in society.)

Through this journey, we’ve acknowledged the serious concerns that come with this next chapter. There is a vast amount of immaturity and spiritual blindness still rampant in the world. It doesn’t take much time on the comment section of a political social media post to make you feel like the technology coming into the world is akin to a bunch of three year olds getting to carry the President’s atomic briefcase. But still, we remain hopeful. We are hopeful because the story is still unfolding. And while any good story comes with intense seasons of conflict, good always triumphs in the end. The ultimate Storyteller sits in the heavens and laughs at any diabolical plans of the nations. 

In view of this, I’d like to end our exploration of this next chapter of humanity by looking backward at the last one. I want to turn back the page to the point that I believe marked the general beginning of the last chapter, a particular moment where knowledge and innovation began to accelerate. We’ll find that this surprisingly coincided with a famous supernatural moment, which offers a great deal of perspective and hope for the situation in which we find ourselves today. I’m referring to the time period around 1906, at the turn of the 20th century, when the world made a quantum leap forward both in technology and spirituality. Two incredible things happened, one involving a wild-haired Jewish man and the other a one-eyed black man…

Particles, Waves, and Tongues

We’ll start with the Jewish man, a person so brilliant his name is now synonymous with great intelligence. As a young 26 year old patent clerk, Albert Einstein wrote a series of papers that revolutionized our understanding of the universe, much of which had do with a deeper understanding of light. It’s too much to get into here, but these discoveries changed the world, spawning new technologies and insights throughout the planet. 

Around the same time Einstein was wrestling over the workings of light (is it a wave or particle?), a one-eyed African-American named William Seymour was wrestling over the workings of the Holy Spirit. There were rumors throughout the country of people experiencing the “gift of tongues” and recovering other supernatural encounters found in the book of Acts. Seymour was going after this with everything in him and eventually made his way to California where he found what he was looking for. This led to a famous gathering on Asuza Street in Los Angeles where thousands of people flocked from all around the world. People experienced a fresh “baptism” of the Holy Spirit with the accompanying sign of the gift of tongues. And this came with another remarkable sign. The meetings of spontaneous all-night worship and prayer was accompanied by great demonstrations of racial unity and reconciliation. In days of deep segregation and prejudice, this was an absolute miracle. 

Like Einstein’s work during the same time period, the implications of this event go beyond the scope of this article. Seymour’s experience reached the entire globe, to the point that there are over half a billion people who can trace their connection to God back to this new “Pentecostal” move of the Spirit in California. That number is still growing. It is in fact the fastest growing segment of Christian faith in the world. 

Now there’s some interesting connections between Einstein and Seymour. First of all, both men challenged the status quo. Albert Einstein’s theories went smack in the face against the “acceptable” physics of the day. Apart from some other early pioneers, Einstein received a lot of pushback for his ideas until they were proven through physical experimentation. In the same way, William Seymour went against the grain of Christian culture. Apart from some other early pioneers, many were opposed to his beliefs. However, his beliefs were soon “proven” by those who actually looked into it with an open heart. (Of course, those who had already dismissed the whole idea never got to experience it; but that’s like closing the cap of your telescope in pursuit of proving Einstein wrong. In the field of science, you need open eyes. In theology and spirituality, you need a humble spirit.)

So, after 1906, both knowledge and revival spread throughout the world like a wildfire. Einstein’s discoveries involving light and Seymour’s “discoveries” of the Spirit invaded the planet and soon afterward major shakings occurred. Right away, in fact, one of the most significant earthquakes in recorded history hit California the same month there was a renaissance of the gift of tongues  in Los Angeles. Here’s a picture of San Francisco’s Town Hall after this earthquake struck:

But this was only the beginning of many more shakings to come. Humanity soon entered its most tumultuous period of history. Two world wars, the birth of communism, a great “depression,” an unimaginable explosion of the population, and many other things accelerated, even as Einstein’s discoveries paved the way for the development of nuclear power. 

Breaking the Dividing Curse

But let’s go back to what happened right at the onset of this new chapter in humanity. The gift of tongues was released in a fresh way. While Christians argue over the nature and purpose of this gift, there is a biblical simplicity to it that we cannot miss. This gift is essentially a sign pointing to the healing of a broken and divided world. The testimonies of racial unity from California only affirm this reality.  

In Acts 2, at the first Pentecost, people were gathered in Jerusalem from all over the world when this gift was first released. All of a sudden everyone could hear the words of the gospel in their own language. From there, the church of Jesus Christ was birthed and it soon became the most diverse and yet united group of people the world had ever seen. Because of this, we discover that this strange “babbling” gift of tongues was ultimately reversal of the curse of “Babel.”

In the story of Babel we find humanity attempting to do amazing things, much like we’re seeing today. But because they were united in the wrong way, opposed to God’s Spirit, the Lord divided the nations so as to hinder their progress. He did this through the breaking down of their language. But the birth of the church began the restoration of this division. And this was reaffirmed at the turn of the last century at Asuza Street. Asuza was a renaissance of Kingdom work, coinciding with a renaissance in science and technology. As we discussed in the beginning of this series, similar dynamics played out with the Italian Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation.

And so we conclude this series by joyfully declaring that the story is still being told!

Yes, there is a greater renaissance occurring in the sciences that will coincide with a deeper renaissance of God’s church, which is the real trajectory of history. This will bring a new depth of unity and power in the Holy Spirit. Then, as an overflowing benefit, this will also provide a great counterbalance to man’s continued pursuits of building false towers to heaven. Yes, we hold firmly to the reality that Jesus is seated victoriously at the right hand of God and reigns over the “flood” of technological chaos on earth. He has great plans, a huge part of which is the raising up of sons and daughters who can wisely steward the reins of creation. Indeed, creation itself is groaning for this very thing.

We should not be afraid to use technology for the glory of God. Properly handled, these things can connect us more than ever. But of course, we are not to be mastered by it either. We are not to be addicted and overcome by technology’s distractions. This is why we need to know more than ever our eternal center, the indwelling Christ, who is more than able to handle the chaos around us. Our eternal spirit, awakened by faith in the omnipresent Spirit of Christ, is able to rise above the fray and take the reins of these tools for the glory of God. 

Father, give us great grace for these things. May we awaken, more than ever, to our unbroken and unbreakable union with Christ. Amen!