The sun still shines – tedNEWS Network

August 13, 2026 | Sagunto, Spain [Vanesa Pizzuto]

From August 10 to 13, more than thirty scientists and science enthusiasts gathered in Sagunto, Spain, for the conference. Faith and Science Conferenceorganized by the Geosciences Research Institute (GRI). But this was no ordinary conference. The event was organized to coincide with the total solar eclipse on August 12, one of nature’s most spectacular displays and an astronomical event that has drawn attention across Europe. For participants, it provided a rare opportunity to contemplate the science unfolding above them just as the Moon was preparing to cross the face of the Sun.

Under the theme “The Sun Still Shines,” representatives from more than ten countries explored the relationship between science and creativity, under the guidance of two international guest speakers, Josue Cardoso dos Santos, Ph.D., and Daniel Blanco, Ph.D.

Dos Santos, a Brazilian scientist now based in the United States, is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), where he specializes in celestial mechanics. Blanco, an Argentine professor and researcher at the National University of the Coast (UNL), specializes in epistemology and the history of science.

The two speakers come from different academic backgrounds and addressed the relationship between faith and science from complementary perspectives. Their presentations addressed questions ranging from Ptolemy’s mathematical treatments of the “rebellious” universe and the discipline of the universe, to the speed of light and the challenge of teaching physics and astronomy from a biblical perspective.

Total solar eclipse

Even a heat wave or the unforgiving Spanish sun did not prevent attendees and guests from slowly ascending the hill behind the Sagunto Adventist campus in time to view the eclipse. Armed with hats, mosquito repellent and ISO-certified eclipse glasses, they gathered on the hillside and waited for a landscape that one guest later described as “not at all exaggerated.”

The eclipse began around 7:30 PM and reached maximum coverage at around 8:30 PM, and the eclipse gradually unfolded above them, eliciting spontaneous cheers of joy from the group. For most participants, this was their first time viewing a total solar eclipse, making those few minutes unforgettable.

“For me, watching the eclipse together was one of the most beautiful parts,” said Noemi Durán, Ph.D., director of the GRI Europe, and organizer of the event. “The feeling you get when you take off the glasses and see the sun completely covered, and the Corona, and know that everyone else in the group feels the same, is indescribable.”

“Everyone started cheering, and you could hear people chanting, ‘Glory be to God’ or ‘Thanks be to God.’ It was a gift to the whole group,” Duran said, reflecting on how a shared experience of awe eventually led to worship.

Why are such events important?

The conference brought together a diverse group of European professionals and students, including physicists, pharmacists, engineers and even social media influencers interested in sharing religious and scientific content online. Their backgrounds were different, but many shared a desire: to explore questions of faith and science alongside others who take both seriously.

Claudio Gargano, Global Initiative Ambassador for Italy, first started attending these events because, as a marine biologist, he wanted to explore “how my faith in Christ fits into the world I live in. So, I was looking for a group of people who shared the same views.”

Now, as an ambassador, he sees an opportunity to take those conversations beyond the conference. “We still lack a lot of knowledge regarding science and how to create [works]…We try to bridge the gap through local activities and international events. That’s why I’m excited to share what the GRI is doing.

For German physicist and pastor Martin Borm, bridging this gap begins with understanding. He said: “It is important to understand how things work; in nature and in the Bible… Ignorance is dangerous. Man has destroyed much because he did not understand and therefore could not appreciate it.”

He continued: “We are not subject to random whims of chaos, but rather we live in a universe that follows the laws of its Creator.” “Therefore, ignorance in spiritual matters is equally destructive. If a person does not use his ability to understand, he is ignoring the means that God has given him for his salvation. There is no such thing as a lazy and indifferent Christian.”

For Hector Postigo, a Spaniard with a degree in physics, the learning process was personal. He sees education and scientific communication as the main reasons for attending such events, and as a way to avoid the wrong choice between faith and scientific research.

“When I was a kid, I had a very simplistic view of the Big Bang theory (basically the collision of rocks and the formation of planets). So, I would go to school and say, ‘No, no. All these ideas were wrong…” But as time passed, his understanding changed.

“What I didn’t understand,” Postigo continued, “is that the Big Bang was a theory that could help you see that the universe had a beginning. And through that, you can see the need for God. The theory did not close the door on God, but in some way, but not definitively, it opens a dialogue about beginnings in scientific fields.”

For Postigo, learning how to have this conversation is just as important as getting an answer. “If we get it right, we… [Christians] He can talk [to non-believers] “As a group of people who care about discovering the truth, not imposing it, and who think seriously.”

I see you

The entire event had a strong spiritual element, with devotions each morning and specially selected worship music. The theme song, “I See You,” a soothing ballad by American singer-songwriter JJ Heller, captured the spirit of the conference and highlighted the wonder of creativity.

Each morning, participants sang the song together, the lyrics inviting them to look beyond the ordinary and recognize nature as one of the ways God reveals his power and character.

“There are two books that God uses to reveal Himself, the Bible and nature,” shared Antonio Cremades, Ph.D., during closing remarks. “As Christians, we have set aside one book…and as a result, evolutionists have picked it up. We try to defend and respond to our positions, but we are no longer pioneers.”

“As Christians, we have a lot to say about nature. We know that it had an intelligent Creator who designed it,” continued Cremades, a retired biology professor and theologian whose support for the GRI has spanned decades. He concluded by saying: “Because nature reveals his personality, we must recover the book of nature and its message.”

[Photos: Marti Szydłowska, Mitchell Cordero & Vanesa Pizzuto]