Seeking Understanding: David Pennington :: Adventist News Network

Jun 12, 2018
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Loma Linda, California, United States
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Tim Standish, associate director, GRI

Rocketry may seem to be an unlikely hobby for a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, yet it was rocket-building that led Dr. David Pennington to a major surgical breakthrough. Dr. Pennington is the subject of the most recently released episode in the Seeking Understanding series. The 24 minute film can be streamed for free from the Geoscience Research Institute webpage: grisda.org 

“This particular episode was released to mark exactly 6 months until Creation Sabbath” according to Dr. Timothy Standish, who is the producer of the series. Creation Sabbath 2018 falls on October 27.

Seeking Understanding is a series of short films featuring scientists who embrace the documentation of history and view of reality found in Scripture. What is it that has led these scientists in different disciplines and from diverse backgrounds to embrace the historical record of the Bible? What is it about the research to which they have dedicated their lives that gives them confidence in what the Bible chronicles rather than alternative theories about the past? Each scientist brings a fascinating personal story and compelling discoveries that explain why they and so many other scientists do not deny, but rather embrace, the reality recorded in God’s word.

In the new Seeking Understanding episode featuring Dr. Pennington, the second ever reattachment of an ear is highlighted; the first being Jesus’ reattachment of Malchus’ ear after Peter cut it off in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:50,51, John 18:10,11). In addition, the remarkable stories are told of how Dr. Pennington was able to use his skills to relieve suffering in two of his burn patients, one from Kenya, the other from Nepal.

Dr. Pennington has had an illustrious career as a surgeon, professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery and researcher, with 45 professional publications to his name. He is both a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh as well as a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons. His view that his patients are brilliant creations, designed by God Himself, has been confirmed by observing the body’s remarkable ability to heal. In expressing this, he quotes one of the fathers of modern surgery, the 16th Century French surgeon Ambroise Paré, who said: “I treat the wound, but God heals it.”