Book Review: Who Made the Moon?

Sigmund Brouwer begins this book with a story about his family sitting on the deck on a summer evening. His, at the time, three-year-old daughter turned to him and asked, “Daddy, who made the moon?” This seemingly simple question sent Brouwer on a quest to find the answer to his daughter. Brouwer shares with us his findings and thoughts when it comes to the issue of origins and “Who Made the Moon?”

Brouwer separates the book into four parts encompassing discussions on faith, science, the apparent conflict between the two, and ending with his view on harmonizing the two. Each section begins with a letter to his daughters. You immediately understand that Brouwer’s heart’s desire is to facilitate his daughters having a lasting relationship with God by setting them up to be able to make their own faith decisions without compromising their beliefs or their God-given intellect.

While Brouwer holds to a view of creation that is not restricted to a 7-day young earth interpretation of Genesis, he makes it clear that he is not trying to “convert” conservative creationists to his viewpoint. He does appeal to 7-day creationists to allow for people to disagree with them, even if it is their own children.

Brouwer states it this way on page 102 of his book:

“…the Bible’s Creation account in Genesis is a stepping-stone to a much more important topic–why God created this world. If an old-earth stance makes it easier for someone to continue seeking god, then for heaven’s sake–and I mean this literally–set aside the dating of the earth as an issue, and please help that broken person in need of a relationship with God. It could be a friend, a coworker. It may be the ones you love most, your children or grandchildren, who are bewildered at how the claims of meida and public school contradict their faith. you’ll never regret knowing how modern science can now be used as a vigourous defence against their doubts.”

This book is the first book on a Christian perspective of origins that is not dogmatic in its approach that I have come across written by and for non-science people. Brouwer offers some very practical information and advice that everyone, especially parents, need to have in order to engage conversations about origins with intelligence, understanding and love. Who Made the Moon? also helps readers understand that science and faith do not have to be enemies of each other but can enhance and complement each other without having to compromise on either end.

This book is available through Amazon or your favourite bookstore.