Discovery and Revelation

An illustrated history of how scientific study and religious thought have influenced each other throughout American history.

Discovery and Revelation explores the evolving relationship between religion, science, and technology in America through the centuries as humans strive to understand the world and their place in it. With at least 40 significant and rarely seen artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the book highlights the way religious and scientific ideas have influenced each other and informed cultural change.

Religious tradition has often adapted in response to scientific discoveries, while scientists have been motivated to undertake research both because of faith and in opposition to it. Delving deep into this intersection, Discovery and Revelation examines how these two approaches to understanding the world have changed the landscape of American society. It explores scientific advancements like Benjamin Franklin's experiments with electricity, Charles Darwin's contributions to the study of evolution, Marie Curie's discovery of radium, and Henrietta Lacks's immortal human cells, with additional features on spirit photography, Christian Science, Apollo 8, the God helmet, and much more. Discovery and Revelation is a testament to the fascinating and multifaceted nature of faith and knowledge and how they've shaped our nation.