You may have heard of stories of people who converted from atheism to Christianity, but have you ever wondered how and why they did it? What made them change their minds about God and religion? How did they overcome their doubts and objections? In this blog post, I will share with you the true story of one such person: a former atheist professor who became a Christian in 2015.
His name is Dr. Charles Spivak, and he is a professor of mathematics at a prestigious university in the US. He was raised by "two wonderful Catholic parents" who taught him the basics of the faith, but he never really took it seriously. He went to Catholic schools, but he found them boring and irrelevant. He was more interested in science and logic than in theology and morality.
As he grew older, he drifted away from the Church and became an agnostic. He thought that it was impossible to know whether God existed or not, and that it didn't really matter anyway. He believed that science had all the answers, and that religion was just a human invention based on superstition and ignorance. He was confident in his own intelligence and abilities, and he didn't need God or anyone else to tell him what to do.
He pursued his academic career with passion and success, earning his PhD in mathematics and becoming a respected scholar and teacher. He married a fellow agnostic, and they had two children. They lived a comfortable and happy life, without any need for God or religion. But then something happened that changed everything.
In 2015, he was invited to give a lecture at a conference in Europe. He accepted the invitation, and decided to take his family with him for a vacation. They visited several countries, enjoying the sights and the culture. One of their destinations was Italy, where they planned to see some of the famous art and architecture.
They arrived in Rome, and decided to visit the Vatican. Dr. Spivak was not interested in seeing the Pope or attending a Mass, but he was curious to see the Sistine Chapel and other famous artworks. He thought of them as purely aesthetic and historical objects, not as expressions of faith.
He entered the Sistine Chapel with his family, and looked up at the ceiling. He saw the magnificent frescoes painted by Michelangelo, depicting scenes from the Bible. He admired the skill and beauty of the paintings, but he felt nothing more than that.
Then he saw something that caught his attention. He saw a painting of The Creation of Adam, where God is reaching out his finger to touch Adam's finger, giving him life. He had seen this image many times before, but this time he noticed something different.
He noticed that God's finger was slightly higher than Adam's finger. He wondered why Michelangelo painted it that way. Was it a mistake? A stylistic choice? A symbolic meaning? He looked closer, and saw that there was a gap between the fingers of God and Adam. A tiny gap, but a gap nonetheless. He felt a strange sensation in his chest. A pang of curiosity, mixed with something else. Something he couldn't quite identify. He felt drawn to that gap. He felt like there was something missing there. Something important.
He realized that he was looking at a representation of his own life. He realized that he had lived his life without God. Without ever reaching out to him. Without ever acknowledging him. Without ever loving him.
He realized that he had missed something essential. Something that could fill that gap. He realized that he needed God. He felt a sudden surge of emotion. A wave of regret, sorrow, longing, and hope. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He looked around, and saw his wife and children looking at him with concern. They didn't understand what was happening to him. He didn't understand it either.
But he knew it was real. He knew it was God. He knew he had to respond. He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and whispered: "God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for ignoring you. I'm sorry for rejecting you. I'm sorry for living without you. Please forgive me. Please help me. Please show me the way." He opened his eyes, and felt a warmth in his heart. A peace in his mind. A joy in his soul.
He felt God's presence. He felt God's love. He felt God's finger touching his finger. He smiled. That was the beginning of his journey to Christianity.
He returned to the US with his family, and started to explore the Christian faith. He read books by Christian authors, such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Lee Strobel, and others. He watched videos by Christian apologists, such as William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias, and others. He listened to podcasts by Christian thinkers, such as Bishop Robert Barron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and others.
He learned about the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, the philosophical arguments for the existence of God, the scientific compatibility of faith and reason, the moral and spiritual benefits of Christianity, and the beauty and richness of the Catholic tradition.
He was amazed by what he discovered. He realized that Christianity was not a blind faith, but a reasonable faith. He realized that Christianity was not a human invention, but a divine revelation. He realized that Christianity was not a superstition, but a truth.
He realized that Christianity was not his enemy, but his friend. He decided to become a Christian.
He contacted a local Catholic parish, and enrolled in the RCIA program (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). He attended classes, learned the basics of the faith, and prepared for baptism. He also invited his wife and children to join him, and they agreed. They were curious and supportive of his decision, and wanted to share his experience.
On Easter Sunday of 2016, he and his family were baptized, confirmed, and received their first communion. They became members of the Catholic Church. They became children of God.
They became happy. Dr. Spivak is still a professor of mathematics, but he is also a professor of faith. He shares his story with his colleagues, students, friends, and anyone who is willing to listen. He writes articles and books about the relationship between mathematics and Christianity. He participates in dialogues and debates with atheists and other non-Christians. He defends and explains his faith with reason and evidence, but also with passion and love.
He is not afraid to admit that he was wrong. He is not ashamed to say that he was an atheist. He is not proud to say that he is a Christian. He is grateful to say that he is a Christian.
He is grateful to God for reaching out to him. For touching his finger. For filling the gap. He is grateful to Michelangelo for painting that gap. For showing him the way. For inspiring him to change.
He is grateful to you for reading this blog post. For hearing his story. For considering his message. He hopes that you will find God too. He hopes that you will close the gap.
Source:
Dr. Charles Spivak, MD: Revert from Agnosticism - The Coming Home Network
Dr. Charles Spivak: Atheist Who Became Catholic - The Journey Home Program
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