The Drive to Discover - Katie

Deep inside every man beats a desire to discover. Whether he hopes to find a cure for cancer, the girl of his dreams, or even a new world, every man’s love for discovery stems from a God-given calling to “fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Although God’s command explains man’s love for exploration, men are often moved to action by other motives. The desire for wealth, fame, power, space, and abundance have all induced different explorers to journey to the ends of the earth. In the 15th century many explorers were inspired by all these motives to find another route to Asia, however, one explorer would find much more than the land of spices. Christopher Columbus’ discovery was motivated by the promise of wealth, encouraged by the opportunity to spread Christianity, and enabled by advancing technology.

Christopher Columbus’ exploration began in an effort to find a new route to India and her precious spices. Spices were so valuable that Europeans measured their status with them, hence the phrase, “worth his salt.” Europeans not only loved the delicious variety spices brought to their meals, but also used spices to preserve meat from decay. After the Ottoman Turks blocked the land route to Asia, European explorers began searching for a new way to get to India and break the Muslim monopoly on spices. Through his scientific study, Columbus became convinced that he could find a shorter route to India by sailing around the globe. Unwilling to let the Muslims corner the spice market, Queen Isabella funded Columbus’ expedition in hopes that Spain would gain a foothold in the spice trade.

Although the Spanish primarily viewed exploration as a gold mine, they also saw it as a mission field. When Columbus initially presented his plan to Queen Isabella, she rejected it because all her resources were bent on driving the Moors out of Spain. In 1492 after Ferdinand and Isabella had completed the Reconquista, Isabella and the Spanish people had the time, energy, and money to support Columbus. Paul Johnson, in his excellent book A History of the American People points out, “It is no coincidence that this decade [1490’s], which marked the homogenization of western Europe as a Christian entity and unity, also saw the first successful efforts to carry Europe, and Christianity, into the western hemisphere. As one task ended, another was undertaken in earnest.” Christopher Columbus shared the Spanish desire to convert the natives, writing on the day they landed in the New World, “I think they [the natives] can very easily be made Christians, for they seem to have no religion.” In the following years, converting the natives was one of the foremost goals of the Spanish. Today, South America’s widely Catholic culture bears witness to Spain’s great work in converting the natives in during colonization.

Even with all the motivation in the world, Columbus couldn’t have discovered anything without the technological advances of the caravel, compass, and astrolabe. Originally developed by the Portuguese, the caravel was a small, light ship that was easily maneuvered. Her shallow hull allowed her to sail close to the shore, record precise measurements, and travel quickly. The compass enabled Columbus to head in the right direction and continue doing so. Without this simple instrument, Columbus would have never found his way to the New World or back to Spain. The astrolabe helped navigators to determine were they were in the ocean. James E. Morrison explains, “The Mariner's Astrolabe was used to determine the latitude of a ship at sea by measuring the noon altitude of the Sun or the meridian altitude of a star of known declination.” When used in conjunction, the astrolabe, compass, and caravel allowed navigators to lead their ships through unknown water with precision.

Improving technology enabled Christopher Columbus and countless other Europeans to pursue their desires to grow rich, convert the lost, and fill and subdue the earth. It is interesting to note that only after the Spanish had succeeded in subduing their world did they begin working on another. Spain, and the rest of Europe, had unified their countries, filled the entire land, converted the lost, educated their citizens, and developed their economies before they began colonizing the New World. Before embracing a new project they finished an old one. In today’s atmosphere of instant gratification, it is easy to grow tired with one task and move on the next, but we make sure we have completed our task with excellence before we move on to another. As we follow God’s command to fill the earth and subdue it, we must become good stewards of ourselves before we seek to change others.

-Katie (Grade 12)