- This event has passed.
Institute | Why Wonder in the History of Science Helps Us See Our World Anew, with Makoto Fujimura and Kerry Magruder
A Conversation with Makoto Fujimura and Kerry Magruder
Moderated by David Kim
What do science and the imagination share? From the depths of geological time to the frontiers of artificial intelligence, both invite us to look at the world with wonder—and to ask what it means to be human within it.
In this conversation, artist and writer Makoto Fujimura and historian of science Kerry Magruder explore how the history of scientific discovery—from early evangelical geologists to Charles Darwin—reveals a vision of the world shaped not by control, but by curiosity, faith, and awe. Together, they will consider how that same posture of wonder might help us see anew in an age increasingly defined by data and design.
Moderated by David Kim, this event invites all—scientists, artists, theologians, and seekers alike—to join a dialogue at the intersection of faith, imagination, and the making of meaning.
Goldenwood thanks our friends at the Center for Contemplative Leadership for their hospitality and sponsorship of this event.
Details
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025
Time:
2:00 pm | Doors open
2:30 – 4:00 pm | Moderated Discussion and Q&A
4:00 – 4:45 pm | Book Signing and Reception
Location: Gambrell Room, Scheide Hall at Princeton Theological Seminary
Tickets & Registration
Join us for this special public lecture!
- $40 | Lecture + Signed Book
Admission to the lecture and reception, plus a copy of Art Is: A Journey into the Light, by Makoto Fujimura, with an opportunity for the author to sign the book during the reception. - $20 | Lecture Only
Admission to the lecture and reception. - $10 | Student Ticket
Admission to the lecture and reception (book sold separately).
Meet the Speakers
Makoto Fujimura, Dean of Nature for the Goldenwood Institute, is an internationally renowned painter, cultural thought leader, and author whose work sits at the intersection of art, faith, and nature. Makoto has authored several acclaimed books, including Art Is: A Journey into the Light, Art+Faith: A Theology of Making, Silence and Beauty, and Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture. Through his writings and paintings, he invites readers and viewers alike to explore the profound connections between creativity, spirituality, culture, and the natural world.
As a leading practitioner of Nihonga, an ancient Japanese painting technique that uses natural materials such as minerals, gold, and silver, Makoto’s work is deeply informed by his reverence for nature. His art captures the intricate beauty of creation, drawing attention to the subtle details of the natural world and offering a meditative space to reflect on life’s deeper meanings.
Makoto is also a cultural thought leader who speaks passionately about the role of creativity in society. His work challenges contemporary notions of utility and productivity, advocating instead for a culture that values beauty, contemplation, and the nurturing of the human spirit. As the founder of the Fujimura Institute, IAMCultureCare, and a former Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts, Makoto has influenced a wide array of disciplines, from education to public policy, with his vision of cultural renewal through the arts.
Kerry V. Magruder serves as Curator of the History of Science Collections of the University of Oklahoma Libraries. He has been a faculty member of the OU Department of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine since 2000, and received the John and Drusa Cable Chair of the History of Science Collections in 2011.
He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology and science education from Truman State University in Missouri, and a masters in library science and a doctorate in history of science from OU. His background includes teaching high school chemistry and biology, directing a university planetarium, and teaching university courses in biology, astronomy, geology, science education, and history of science.
Magruder has researched and presented scholarly talks at many academic conferences, universities, and research labs in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Presentations in America include at the Fermi Lab accelerator in the Chicago area and NASA headquarters in Langley, VA; invited keynote presentations for annual international conferences of the IEEE Computer Society on Visualization (IEEE VIZ) and the Astronomical League (AL); and astronomy/physics programs at New Mexico State, Michigan State, and Florida State; among many venues in the history of science.
Magruder’s published articles deal with the history of geology, astronomy and cosmology, and science and religion. For example, two publications touching upon all of these subject areas are “Jesuit Science after Galileo: The Cosmology of Gabriele Beati,” Centaurus 2009, 51: 189-212; and “The Idiom of a Six Day Creation and Global Depictions in Theories of the
Earth,” in Martina Kölb-Ebert, ed., Geology and Religion: Historical Views of an Intense Relationship between Harmony and Hostility, Geological Society of London Special Publications, no. 310 (London: The Geological Society of London, 2009), 49-66.
Magruder has curated major exhibitions in the history of science at OU, including “Darwin at the Museum” in 2009-2010 and “Galileo’s World” in 2015-2016. Past digital projects include contributions to Galileotheca (Museo Galileo, Florence); Darwin Online (Cambridge); and Edition Open Sources (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin). Ongoing digital projects include the Thomas F. Torrance Oral History Project, the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship, the George MacDonald Society (forthcoming), and The Sky Tonight.
In 2025, Magruder serves as the Editor for the International Commission for the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), and the Chair for the History, Philosophy, and Geoheritage Division (HPGD) of the Geological Society of America (GSA).
Meet the Moderator
Rev. Dr. David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood, a non-profit cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work enlivened by hope and the fullness of our humanity. Over the past several decades, David has trained, consulted, and counseled hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. He has served as the Vice President of Faith and Work, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work and Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and as Editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible. David’s passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create.