So here's something i didn't realise. Apparently the word repent (used so frequently in the Christian vocabulary) is derived, grammatically speaking, from the same word as pensive - meaning thoughtful.
So, the word repent (whatever connotations it may have picked up over the years) actually means to re-think, or to think again. It struck me that this is what we do in science. When we obtain new evidence or data, we rethink our hypothesis - our view of the situation.
Biblically, there are several examples of people who re-thought their viewpoint - on the basis of Jesus. Matthew (the gospel writer) and St Paul are the first that come to mind - although Jesus's disciple Thomas could also qualify. While these men weren't officially scientists, their new conclusions were based on the evidence presented to them.
