Is God Dead? The Golden Ratio

Last time, we mentioned “beauty” as soul food. It seems to me that since we have established that human beings are composed of both a physical body and an immaterial soul, then just as the body needs hamburgers and fries, the soul needs its nourishment as well. For the Christian soul, food comes in two forms: from the Word of God in Scripture and from the study of the things that have been created (Rom 1:19ff). After all, the apostle Paul encourages us to think on things that are lovely, excellent, and beautiful (Phil 4:8). In a very real sense, beauty is essential to a fulfilled life because it is soul food. Christian author John-Mark Miravalle says, “The beholding of beauty can direct our passions, which, in turn, provide powerful motivators for action toward spiritual goodness and truth. . . . We can recognize why we have a moral obligation to pursue beauty.” Miravalle argues that truth, goodness, and beauty are all intrinsically related: where you find one, you find the other two as well. That is why beauty is such a potent food for the soul and why ugliness and evil are such soul-killers. Sure enough, Christians are called to, as Paul said, “dwell on these things,” like goodness, pureness, and beauty (Phil 4:8).

However, since we are still engaged with the Bible skeptic, Michael, let’s continue to focus on those things “that can be clearly seen” in the created world around us. So, where do we find evidence of soul food in the natural world? Where are those things in nature that have little other purpose than to feed our souls? Many are found in what is generally termed the elegance of mathematics. I know, I know; 8th-grade math was far from “elegant.” But I ask you to consider this!

The Fibonacci Sequence, also called the Golden Ratio, is a mathematical relationship widely considered “beautiful.” The sequences proceed this way: 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144 . . .. The numbers result from adding the two previous numbers together: 13 + 21 = 34, etc. Dividing each number by its previous number yields a number very close to 1.618, which is the Golden Ratio. The further along the line one moves, the more precise the ratio becomes, reaching 1.618033988 and beyond. Examples of the Golden Ratio are most elegant and beautiful, and they are all around us, speaking to the design found in nature on two broad levels: mathematics and aesthetics. Turns out, the Golden Ratio is a ratio that human beings have been hardwired to perceive as beautiful. As one would expect, we find the Golden Ratio over and again in architecture and the fine arts, including music. The Golden Ratio is seen in the facial features of people that society generally deems “attractive.” And it is not just facial features. The Golden Ratio is also present in measurements from the human navel to the floor and from the top of the head to the navel. The ratio of the top half of your body to the lower half of your body is 1:1.618. The ratio also appears in the distance from the fingertips to the wrist and the length from the wrist to the elbow. The Golden Ratio is present in a rose as well as in many other flower petal and leaf configurations, and in various seashells, such as the Nautilus.

Animal bodies exhibit similar tendencies, including the eyes and fins of dolphins, starfish, sand dollars, sea urchins, ants, and honey bees. Even the design of the cochlea of your inner ear, as well as the configuration of the stars in the galaxy, satisfies the Golden Ratio. NOW, pray tell, how did all this design randomly appear through Darwinian random chaos? Maybe that is why the Golden Ratio is also known as the Divine Portion!

It seems to me to be quite reasonable that if the beauty of the Golden Ratio is soul food, then man would want to harness this soul food source and reproduce it in a lot of different flavors. And that is exactly what mankind does. As mentioned, the Golden Ratio is found extensively in architecture. Going back to ancient Greece, the remains and ruins of Greek architecture suggest the Greeks loved both beauty and the Golden Ratio to achieve it. The height of the roof line is related to the length of the building, the colonnade in relation to the frontage, the elegant proportions, architectural wonders, and timeless beauty. Even now, its ruins are breathtaking. The same holds for the design and proportions of furniture and fine cabinetry. The drawers in a dresser that is related to the whole satisfy the Golden Ratio, as does the placement of hardware and accents. But there is still more.

Join us again next week as we continue exploring the Golden Ratio and beauty as soul food served up in music. Until then, Google a photograph of the aurora borealis (the northern lights) and ask a simple question: Is God Dead?

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Ty B. Kerley, DMin., is an ordained minister who teaches Christian apologetics and relief preaches in Southern Oklahoma. Dr. Kerley and his wife, Vicki, are members of the Waurika church of Christ and live in Ardmore, OK. You can contact him at dr.kerley@isGoddead.com.