Scientific Analysis of Holy Water

What Would It Tell Us About Religious Belief?

I think we are all aware that water can be tested and analyzed. Anyone who has ever owned a swimming pool, hot tub, or fish tank has tested the pH balance of their water. This is a rudimentary analysis but is still useful. I recall receiving the gift of a microscope as a child and being fascinated by examining samples of pond water I collected. This was a primitive analysis conducted by someone who had little idea what he was doing. When we think about the more complex analyses, we imagine scientists in labs doing important things like analyzing water samples for pollution or even assessing the safety of our drinking water. Most of us value this work and the expertise of those who do it. We recognize that our health often depends on it.

In this post, I’d like us to consider the topic of so-called holy water. I’d like us to ask ourselves whether it would be distinguishable from regular water if subjected to the most rigorous scientific analyses that might be performed on water samples. And finally, I’d like us to ask ourselves what this might mean for a variety of religious claims and those who believe them.

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