Real Scientist: Louis Pasteur

by Terri Kammerzell

Truth of Genesis Ministry Partner

This week, as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, there’s another birthday we can remember too: Louis Pasteur, born on December 27, 1822, in Dole, France. This Fun Fact is the second of three that I have, designed to defend a common claim that can come in at least two different formats: “All real scientists believe in evolution,” or, “No real scientist believes God created the world.” You may recall the first one I featured was about Johannes Kepler.

Louis Pasteur was about as real as any scientist could be, and his findings have proven invaluable.

Who was Louis Pasteur?
Louis Pasteur’s experiments with bacteria provided life-saving data for the medical and food prep industries. But he was not only a great man of science: he was also a man of great faith, demonstrating that life comes from life.

Here are some other fun things to know about Pasteur:

• He is considered the “father of microbiology.”
• His conviction of the truth of biblical Creation and the fallacy of Darwinian evolution led Pasteur to disprove the then-popular belief of spontaneous generation, an evolutionary idea which suggests that living organisms can arise from nonliving matter.
• He also shares the title of “father of germ theory and bacteriology” with Robert Koch, a German physician, because of his work in determining that germs cause disease
• . From this, he also developed the process of heating and rapid cooling in order to kill microbes—a process we still use today and call “pasteurization.”
• One of the first scientists to understand the concept of immunization, Pasteur led the way to developing many vaccines for humans and animals, including to protect against anthrax and rabies.

Indeed, Louis Pasteur is credited for having saved more lives than any other one person in history. Well, mortal lives that is.

When we turn our attention back to the Savior Whose birth we celebrate this week, we can’t help but remember His contributions as well. Born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem of Judea, Jesus—the Son of God—came into our world to save the eternal lives of all who believe on Him.

And even before that—about two thousand years before that—God gave us the first gift: life, the universe, and all that is in it. Indeed, while we can be grateful for the accomplishments of real scientists such as Louis Pasteur, our ultimate praise goes to the Creator Himself.

“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” –Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)

Don’t just take my word for it! Visit YouFormedMe.com/people/pasteur.html to read, watch, and listen to supporting research and commentary from scientists, doctors, theologians, and more!
​
This blog is from a special series of “Creation Fun Facts” by Terri Kammerzell, starting from June 10, 2020. Read the introduction at TruthOfGenesis.com/blogs/building-a-biblical-defense-of-creation.