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Law is the continuous manifestation of God's presence - not reason for believing him absent. Great confusion arises from our using the same word law in two totally distinct senses ... as the cause and the effect. It is said that to 'explain away' everything by law is to enable us to do without God. But law is no explanation of anything; law is simply a generalization, a category of facts. Law is neither a cause, nor a reason, nor a power, nor a coercive force. It is nothing but a general formula, a statistical table. Law brings us continually back to God instead of carrying us away from him.

Florence Nightingale#15

FaithGodScienceLawNatureOrderReason

About this quote

What does it mean?
Nightingale distinguishes between physical laws as generalizations of facts and the idea that they remove the need for God. She argues that law is a tool for understanding order, which points back to a divine source.
In plain terms
Laws of nature describe how things work but do not disprove the existence of God.
What can you take from it?
Scientific laws reveal order that can inspire belief rather than doubt.

Where it applies

  • theological debate
  • science and religion
  • philosophical discussion

Putting it to work

  • integrating science and faith
  • finding meaning in order

Questions to consider

  • Does science exclude faith?
  • What does order suggest about creation?

Another view

It assumes a specific theological interpretation of natural laws.

More from Florence Nightingale

  1. I never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots…

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  2. Newton's law is nothing but the statistics of gravitation, it has no power whatever. Let us get rid of the idea of power from law altogether. Call law tabulati…

    Permalink to quote #16
  3. The Church is now more like the Scribes and Pharisees than like Christ... What are now called the 'essential doctrines' of the Christian religion he does not e…

    Permalink to quote #13

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