Many of you may not have heard of the name Joseph Lister. This humble 19th century surgeon, however, developed the antiseptic principle in medicine in the 1800’s, which remains today as the cornerstone of modern surgery. In fact, this discovery by Lister has proved so monumental that it caused creation scientist, Dr. Henry Morris, to say, “This development is probably second only to Pasteur’s contribution to the saving of human lives.”1
Up until the time of Lister (1827 – 1912) one of the biggest hurdles that baffled doctors, and caused the development of modern surgery to stall, was the whole problem of how to control infection. Up until Lister’s discovery and use of carbolic acid and other chemical disinfectants, to treat infections during surgery, the predominant view of scientists was that “bad air” caused infections. But Lister, building on the recently discovered theory by Pasteur, that tiny microbes (bacteria and germs), caused disease, and not bad air, was able to use carbolic acid, which killed germs, to prevent the spread of infection.
His revolutionary idea, was needless to say, not well accepted by the medical establishment because science, sad to say, is often slow to accept new ideas. Ann Lamont provides insight here: “However, widespread acceptance of Lister’s procedures was rather slow, as is often the case with revolutionary new ideas. Some busy doctors were unwilling to take the time to even consider new ideas. Some found it difficult to believe in germs—living organisms that wrought havoc but were too small to see. Others tried Lister’s procedures, but did so incorrectly and therefore failed to obtain the desired result. (Part of the reason for this was the complexity of Lister’s procedures and the constant modifications he made to his system in order to improve them.) Also, Lister’s method added to the expense involved in dressing wounds.”2
In addition to Lamont’s observations, science, unlike Scripture, is constantly learning, discovering new ideas and throwing out old false ones. In fact, down through the centuries we have learned that science is often incredibly wrong in it theories and new updated ones need to be found to correct its faulty assumptions. And that is why I often say that we should never make science the lens in which we view things over the infallible Word of God.
Lister is just another example of a humble Christian surgeon who helped show us that Christianity and science can coexist. In fact, as I have shown in many past devotions, many of our greatest scientists were Bible believing Christians. Down through the centuries the Bible and science have often been at odds, but while science is constantly being revised, the Holy Scriptures remain the same – the great bedrock in which we can stand firm on – as never changing. And the exciting thing is that whenever the Bible speaks on scientific areas it is also never wrong.
I love how Ann Lamont closes her article on Lister: “Lister was a committed Christian. He wrote: ‘I am a believer in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.’ Lister’s character readily showed the outworking of his faith. The World Book Encyclopedia says that ‘Throughout his life, he remained a gentle, shy, unassuming man, firm in his purpose because he humbly believed himself to be directed by God.’”3
1 Joseph Lister: Father of Modern Surgery | Answers in Genesis
2 Joseph Lister: Father of Modern Surgery | Answers in Genesis
3 Joseph Lister: Father of Modern Surgery | Answers in Genesis