Experimental Blog #27

Comments on "The Fossil Hunter" - Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World by Shelley Emling and "The Sisters of Sinai" - How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels by Janet Soskice

The somewhat peculiarly written book by Shelley Emling is about the life and work of the English amateur/professional fossil hunter named Mary Anning. However, the book is also very much about the beginning modern sciences of geology, biology, and paleontology; mostly in early 19th century England, as well as France and Switzerland. Although all the scientists and searchers in these activities were religious, that is, they believed in the Bible and religion to a greater or lesser degree, and not infrequently to a very great degree; in the longer run they all contributed to establishing and accumulating scientific truth; that is, all the facts of the natural world concerning matter, space, and time. And, although it is absurd to believe that some, or all, of this scientific truth could ever be contradicted or "overthrown", the scientific understanding of things is continuously altering and expanding.

The second book above, by Janet Soskice, describes the meticulous search and deciphering of the most ancient palimpsests in order to obtain the, presumably, least distorted or adulterated versions of the books of the Bible. This search and study was in large part stimulated by the earlier scientific efforts of the people written about in Shelley Emling's book, and, of course, many others; whose scientific discoveries were undermining the authority of the Bible and religion in general.
However the results of the work of the biblical scholars supported them in the belief that they were in possession, as close as humanly possible, of the "Divine Revelation" attributed to Jesus Christ, that is, a divine revelation of supernatural, eternal, absolute and unchanging factual and moral truth, instruction, and guidance for all human life.