大象传媒

It can inspire fear and dread in many of us, but for others there is a beauty in maths that is sometimes closely related to matters of faith. Rosa Hunt hears from four mathematicians whose mathematical research has helped to support their religious faith.

Professor Larry Lesser gives some fascinating insights into the mathematics of Judaic peoples as reflected in the Torah and the Talmud. For mathematician and bishop's chaplain Rev. Dr Emma Whittick one of the most curious numerical sequences is one that is found in nature and is closely related to both natural and artistic phenomena - the so-called Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio. Mathematical Biologist Dr Paul Roberts has looked very closely at the relationship between maths and biology, looking specifically at the human retina. For Dr John Hayward, a study of relativity and some very complex mathematics led to some curious insights into the relationship between mathematical and religious truths - and that was even before becoming a Christian.