JOSIAH PARSONS COOKE THE LAWYER OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN CHEMISTRY

AND RELIGION
by Ioana-Carmen Popescu

Ph. D. candidate at the Organic Chemistry Center Constantin Nenitescu from Romanian Academy
Mail Address: Calea Mosilor 272, Bl.16, Sc. C, Ap. 74, sector 2, 020892, Bucharest, Romania
Phone: + 40720916109
Fax: + 40 21 313 12 58
E-mail: popescu_ioana_carmen@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
Are Chemistry and Religion compatible? Is it possible to reconcile them?
On the 19th century, when chemistry was regarded as a protagonist of the atheism the Harvard professor,
Josiah Parsons Cooke, a strictly pious Christian with profound knowledge of theology, in a remarkable way in his
book entitled Chemistry and Religion A Re-Statement of An Old Argument (1864; 2 nd edn.1880), tried not only to
reconcile them but also to prove that modern chemistry reinforced belief in God. However, he combined the old
approach of natural theology with new chemical and physical knowledge of that time.
First he developed the chemical complexity of the atmosphere as global circles of great harmony in order
to provide numberless indication of adaptation in the materials of our atmosphere.
The present paper shall be focused on the comment of the J.P. Cookes arguments for reconciliation
between chemistry and religion in the light of the orthodox belief and chemistry principles.
Then it shall conclude with the appropriate conclusions.

Keywords: religion, orthodoxy, science, chemistry, theology

J.P. Cookes book seems a very efficient manner to make his voice heard passing
through the centuries and strongly supporting the idea that the religion and science (chemistry
as part of it) should cease the ideological battle and reconcile one to each other because they
both testify the same truth namely the Gods omnipresence within all His Creation.
In his book the author analyzes the complex system represented by the interactions
which take place on the earth between atmosphere nature and human beings as the
masterpiece of God, Who is appealed as Creator, the Author of nature, the infinite Designer
and so on.
Cookes by inviting his students to study the atmosphere states that:
... to study with me the physical condition of our atmosphere, and the properties of the
various materials of which it consists; and I am sure we shall not fail to find in one and all
abundant evidence of the wisdom, goodness, and power of God...
The next image, which strikes us, is his very accurate and wonderful description of the air
properties by pointing out a breathtaking picture of outstanding beauty:
Its particles are endowed with such perfect freedom of motion, and yield so readily to
the slightest pressure, that we move through it without feeling its presence. It is firm enough to
support the wings of the lark as he mounts the sky, and yet so yielding as not to detain the
tiniest insect in its rapid flight.
The author also points out the chemical composition of the atmosphere and shows the
importance of the oxygen presence, which is vital for the entire Gods creation: plants, animals,
human beings and life in general.

1
 According to Cookes vision oxygen is the element, which is responsible for the ore-
bodies genesis and the driving force of all the nutrition and decay processes naturally, occurred.
Water is a substance, which puzzles him up with its property of freezing and turning to
ice by increasing its own volume. At that time the appropriate explanation was not available so,
later it has proved that this weird property was due the hydrogen-bridges, which make the link
between its molecules.
It is also the environment, where the chemical processes takes place either we are
talking about the plant and human nutrition or the stalactite and stalagmite genesis.
Another important chemical element, which focuses authors attention, is the carbon.
Cookes considers it extremely important because is the main source of energy, which provides
warmth and light. He also talks about the fact that inside the living bodies the carbon sources
are used to support life via its burning during the breath process.
In his analysis of the carbon elements properties he also talks about its allotropic forms,
namely graphite and diamond:
Are you aware that the brilliant gem you prize so highly is the same chemical element as
these black coals? The diamond is simply crystallized carbon, and although we do not know
certainly how diamonds are made in the great laboratory of nature, yet there is no fact better
established then this. This paradox in Cookes opinion constantly reminds him (the scientist)
of the limitation of his knowledge and the uncertainty of his philosophy.
The author intuited the fact that the difference between the graphite and diamond
properties was caused by the different structure of the carbon in those two allotropic forms of
carbon.
Later on, it has proved that the carbons state of hybridization is responsible for that,
namely in the case of graphite the carbon atom is hybridized sp 2 and in the case of diamond
sp3. In the first case of hybridization the carbons electrons of valence are freely circulating
between the carbon atoms, while in the second one the bounds between the carbons atom are
rigid and the valence electrons are immobilized.
Cookes also talks about the importance of nitrogen in order to support life on earth.
Nitrogen is important in providing nutrition to the crops and thus to the people and animals. It is
also an important constituent of the living bodies, which is taking part to the matter life - cycle in
nature.
The last chapters of the book are focused on the fact that the special adaptation of the
system atmosphere-earth-life is integrated in a general plan created by God, Who is the
infinite Designer.

2
 All these elements are in continuous evolution and motion drive by a force called
gravitation, when we talk about the falling of the bodies toward the earth, chemical affinity in
the case of the candle burning process and heat in the one of a steam-engine motion.
The authors as scientist states:
All natural phenomena are the manifestation of the same omnipresent energy, which is
transferred from one portion of matter to another without loss.
And then:
The sum of all active and latent energies in the universe is constant and invariable.
In his considerations on Necessary limitations of scientific and religious thought he
states that:
In the first place, then, I believe that the existence of an intelligent Author of nature,
infinite in wisdom and absolute in power, may be proven from the phenomena of the material
world with as much certainty as can be any theory of science. In the second place, I am of
opinion that the facts of the nature are throughout consistent with the belief that the Author of
nature is a personal being, and the One, Only and true God revealed to us by the Bible. Lastly, I
think that the relations of the human mind to the material world, viewed in the light of the
modern science, give us strong reason to believe, on scientific grounds alone, that the universe
is still sustained in all its parts by the same omnipotent omniscient Will, which first called it into
being.
In the same time he also admits the presence of evil as the result of sins presence into
our world and concludes that:
Nature is but a part of Gods system, and not until the natural and the supernatural shall
be made one will the mystery of evil be solved.
The orthodox point of view concerning the limitation of the human knowledge is very well
synthesized by prophet Isaiahs words (55: 8-9):
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
We have to accept that we cannot fully understand the Gods creations laws without His
help in everything we are doing.
Albert Einstein used to say that:
Concepts which have been proved to be useful in ordering things easily acquire such an
authority over us that we forgotten their human origin and accept them as invariable.
In other words we are trying to define the world, which we are living in, using concepts
created by our mind.

3
 In our modern society the scientific community is still fascinated by the human being
enigma and is desperately trying to figure it out how does the embryo turns into a human being,
which is the chemistry of love and which is origin of life.
We are still amazed by the DNA complex structure and some how frighten by the
monster called genetic engineering with its in vitro fertilization, cloning problem and genetic
modified food.
As a possible conclusion we can say that despite of the fact that the scientific knowledge
was living its childhood at the time, when Cooke has written his book, his voice continues to
speak to us and never cease to amaze us with his ability to create a living image of the
relationship between the atmosphere earth and life using the alliance between his chemist
background and his powerful faith in God.
In order to face the evil, which is always around us we have to accept Gods support in
our activity and make our own existence a living prayer.

References
[1] Jeffrey S. Gaffney* and Nancy A. Marle, Josiah Parsons Cooke (1827-1894): Links To Atmospheric Chemistry
available on the following website address: http://ams.confex.com/ams/84Annual/techprogram/paper_69795.htm
[2]Josiah Parson Cooke, Religion And Chemistry: A Re-Statement of An Old Argument available on the following
website address:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new?
id=CooReli&tag=public&images=images/modeng/C&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0
[3]Information available on the following website address:
http://www.princeton.edu/~alaink/PsyOrf322S05/PsyOrf322S05JahnL3.pdf
[4] The Revised Standard Edition of the Bible available on the following website address:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/relig.browse.html

Ioana Carmen Popescu: Born on 28th of April 1969 in Bucharest. On June 1993 I was BS at the Polytechnic
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry as Inorganic Chemical Technology engineer. On October
2001 I became PhD candidate at the Organic Chemistry Center from Romanian Academy. I am currently working to
my Ph.D. thesis on uranium complexes with organic ligands. In the field of dialogue between science and religion I
presented the following contributions: Where is the frontier between science and religion? (2001, Bucharest
Romania), The Parthenon-A living prove of interaction between science and art (April 2004 Barcelona Spain) ,
The Bound Between God Gift Of Love And The Human Body Chemical Response (October 2005, Constantza,
Romania) My other fields of interest are the environment protection, ecological rehabilitation of areas affected by
uranium mining activity, heavy metals and uranium coordination chemistry. Since April 2004 I am member of
European Society for Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) and since October 2004 member of A.D.S.T.R.
(Association for the Dialogue between Science and Theology in Romania).