St Mary's Church, Wigton

Once upon a time, if a church was not medieval, I barely thought it worth the trouble of a visit. Yet Georgian churches are increasingly appealing to me, perhaps because of my reading Rev James Woodforde’s diaries. St Mary’s Church at Wigton, Cumbria, was built in 1788. Although it has a rather dull exterior, its internals are awash with light and benefit from that most striking feature of eighteenth-century architecture: symmetry.

The building’s overall order, regularity and evident purpose are mirror reflections of God’s wider cosmos. This did not come about by a giant explosion, with matter and energy splashed about, but through the careful and meticulous planning of a highly intelligent designer. Life was not created from amino acids reacting with lightning, nor from simple forms emerging from slime, but from the thoughtful, considered handiwork of a caring and loving Maker.

Although fashionable eighteenth-century religion began to reject miracles and special revelation, it never doubted the world’s supernatural origins. Now, their ignorant heirs cannot even bring themselves to see that.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Romans 1 20-23, NKJV

The chances of this fabulous universe coming out of nothing by random, accidental means, is much harder to believe than a claim that this church resulted from a huge explosion in Wigton in1788; its stones, panes and pews just falling into the right places, correctly varnished, painted and mortared. Unbelievable, isn’t it? So stop believing that about our world, which is more impressive than even old St Mary’s.