Book Analysis: The Quest by Todd Wood
Summary
The introductory statement is as follows: “Even though I’m a scientist by training, I have
become more and more fascinated with the history of ideas over the past twenty years.” (Wood,
p. 11). Wood starts out by announcing to the reader that he is a scientist and that throughout his
scientific career, he has become interested in various historical ideas. With this starting
statement, he is able to prove his authority and validity on the scientific aspects and pair it with
his curious nature regarding ideas throughout the last two decades.
The arching theme and goal of The Quest is for the readers to understand that science and
the Bible should not be separated but rather that they go hand in hand with each other. Wood
masterfully writes in a way that helps to make it clear that the Bible and science are connected
and should not be taken separately. He fleshes out the point that God has allowed us to make
scientific discoveries so that we can learn more about the world around us and about the Creator
who wants to draw us close to Him. Through a better understanding of science, we can support
the Bible and Biblical accounts like Creation and the Flood. We can also learn more about the
nature and character of our Creator through observing nature and the processes that govern it.
By asking these hard questions regarding science and the Bible, one can draw closer to the Lord
and receive a deeper insight into His character. Wood also demonstrates through his book how
being a Young-Earth Creationist does not contradict science but rather is supported by science.
Emily Doyle
CRST 290-001
Notable Quotes
“The quest is science in one hand and the Bible in the other, seeking to understand them
both.” (Wood, p. 17). This quote is memorable to me because as a science major and
Christian I love reinforcing the idea that they do not have to be separate; rather they can
and should be hand in hand. I love discovering new ways that science backs up the Word
of God and how through experiments, we have been able to understand more about
Biblical events like the Flood.
“The real core of science isn’t knowledge though. It’s discovery. Science is a method of
explaining the world around us by carefully controlled observations.” (Wood, p. 73). I
love this quote because the reason science is so exciting and enjoyable is because it is
Emily Doyle
CRST 290-001
The book is laid out in ten different chapters with an Adoremus section following after
each chapter. These Adoremus sections highlight a specific topic like an animal or plant and
correlate it to a Bible verse or passage. Through these alternating chapters and Adoremus
sections, people can see firsthand how the science is found within the Bible and how it can be
used to support the Biblical worldview. Wood also continues to draw from and reference many
of his own personal experiences. This allows the makeup of the book to have a more laid-back
tone and a sense of familiarity between the author and reader. This helps to draw the reader in
and make it feel more like they are have a personal conversation with the author rather than just
reading a book.
Overall, Wood masterfully weaves personal experience, science and the Bible together to
create an overreaching quest of knowledge and truth for the reader.
Emily Doyle
CRST 290-001
about experimentation and discovery. If science were only knowledge there would be no
creative avenue and it would simply be memorizing facts, and where is the fun in that?
“Faith is a confidence in God and in his son Jesus Christ. Faith is knowing more than
just facts or arguments or reasons. Faith is knowing a person.” (Wood, p. 107). This
quote is memorable to me because it perfectly shows the core of the Christian faith. How
beautiful it is that we can know the Lord personally and have an intimate relationship
with Him! Our purpose as Christians is not to just memorize random facts or be able to
argue our points, but rather to love and know Jesus Christ on a personal and deep level.
“The quest is not just a journey to understanding. The quest is part of our Christian
walk.” (Wood, p. 116). I really love this quote in particular. I love how our quest in life
does not simply revolve around understanding…while it is an important part, our
majority of the quest should be to further, grow and nurture our walk with Christ. We
should strive to use our acquired knowledge to better understand Jesus and in turn, use
that understanding to strengthen our faith, love and relationship with Jesus.
Reflection
I gleaned a lot of valuable truths and knowledge from reading this book. I learned how
important it is to realize that the Bible should not and does not need to support science. Rather,
science should back up and support Scripture. For example, the scientific field of geology has
proven to correlate with the Biblical account of the Flood and the aftermath of what a worldwide
flood caused.
Through reading this book, I have also learned more about God, His creation, and His
relation to His creation. I have learned how God has used science to further human
understanding of the Bible and to allow us to support Biblical events that occurred. Through
Emily Doyle
CRST 290-001
various scientific discoveries in geology, biology, astronomy, and physics, Young-Earth
Creationists have been able to support the Biblical accounts of Creation and Flood. I have also
seen that the Lord uses the fields of science and the various discoveries to allow us to have a
better and more comprehensive understanding of Him. We can see glimpses of God’s nature,
attributes and character through His creation.
Through reading this book, I have a stronger understanding of how to use my interest in
science to further my relationship with Christ and even share the Gospel through the use of
science. I know more about how I can use my scientific passion and major to be a Champion for
Christ and teach others about God through His creation and the natural processes of the world.
References
Wood, T. (2018). The quest. Compass Classroom.
Emily Doyle
CRST 290-001
