‘The Story of Everything’

The search is on; it always has been.

Most people are highly familiar with the concept of a search engine. We can type a question and get an answer (or maybe dozens of them). That search can become an endless endeavor of jumping down into other topics and themes.

The search engine can serve as an image for the human person. We are constantly searching. We look for meaning, for purpose. And we forever desire to know who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.

A new documentary, “The Story of Everything,” explores these topics.

“‘The Story of Everything’ is a cinematic exploration of the cosmos that reveals the hidden hand behind our universe,” the documentary’s synopsis reads. “From the precise laws that govern the stars to the intricate patterns found in every living cell, the film traces evidence of intentional design throughout nature. Whether examining distant star-forming clouds or the spiral structure of DNA, we discover a consistent signature woven into the fabric of existence.”

Lee Strobel, the film’s executive producer, has his own story to tell about God’s existence and the study of theology. Strobel, the bestselling author of more than 40 books, was once an atheist, but today he is a devout Christian and an apologist.

The documentary features numerous commentators, including professors from around the globe who specialize in mathematics and science. They are brought together by the desire to understand the evidence across the cosmos that points to the existence of God.

The trailer for “The Story of Everything” includes snippets from interviews with many of the experts interviewed for the documentary. One notes that investigation into the universe reveals that “we are dealing with a system of manifold, complex design,” and another observes that it is simply a logical conclusion that “we associate information with a rational intelligence behind it.”

The film is unique, being both beautiful and profoundly reliant on the advances of science and mathematics to showcase its thesis. “The Story of Everything” joins the growing trend of works examining proofs for God’s existence based on scientific findings and mathematical probability.

One such book is “Science at the Doorstep of God,” published in 2023. In it, the book’s author, Fr. Robert Spitzer, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, references research showing that “66 percent of young scientists are believers in God,” while “76 percent of physicians are believers in God.” Clearly, the majority of scientists see no compelling reason in science to abandon faith in God. Many, in fact, are seeing that God and science align.

Strobel’s involvement in apologetics makes him perfect for “The Story of Everything.” Apologetics is booming among Christians. Its name comes from the Latin word apologia, which means “a formal defense” or “justification.”

Apologetics has its roots in Scripture, particularly St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s sermons to non-Christians that Jesus is Lord. Apologetics can be used to defend the faith against false claims as well as to show the overall rational coherence of the doctrines of the faith.

Ultimately, apologetics (and the film “The Story of Everything”) boils down to the understanding of truth. Truth is the conformity between one’s mind and reality. God is either real or he isn’t real. There either is a creator of the universe or there isn’t.

For many, investigating the evidence for God’s existence based on scientific findings and mathematical truths has led them to conclude that belief in God (the maker of everything) is both rational and significantly more plausible than atheism.

Wrestling with the question of God’s existence is time well spent. Start by checking out “The Story of Everything,” and you might be amazed at what (and Whom) you encounter.

We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.