J. M. W. Turner, Light and Colour (Goethe's Theory): The Morning Sun ­­after the Deluge – Moses Writing the Book of Genesis, 1843

In one of a pair of  paintings on the theme of the biblical flood, Turner depicts an explosion of light that brilliantly exploits the warm side of the spectrum. The “returning sun” celebrates God’s covenant with his people. The serpent in the center represents the brazen serpent raised by Moses in the wilderness and symbolizes Christ lifted up on the cross (John 3:14) in an act that seals a new covenant. Turner based his choice of color on Goethe’s Theory of Color (1810; English translation 1840).

Tate, London / Art Resource, NY

The symposium is part of the Templeton Foundation’s Humble Approach Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to bring about the discovery of new spiritual information by furthering high-quality scientific research. The “humble approach” is inherently interdisciplinary, sensitive to nuance, and biased in favor of building linkages and connections. It assumes an openness to new ideas and a willingness to experiment. Placing high value upon patience and perseverance, it retains a sense of wondering expectation because it recognizes, in Loren Eisley’s haunting phrase, “a constant emergent novelty in nature that does not lie totally behind us, or we would not be where we are.” A fundamental principle of the Foundation, in the words of its founder, is that “humility is a gateway to greater understanding and open[s] the doors to progress” in all endeavors. Sir John Templeton believed that in their quest to comprehend foundational realities, scientists, philosophers, and theologians have much to learn about and from one another. The humble approach is intended as a corrective to parochialism. It encourages discovery and seeks to accelerate its pace.