Christopher Sharp
EDITOR’S NOTE: A church community is created when people gather together for the love of God. At the same time, Saint Philip’s is comprised of many people who represent different ages, life experiences, and world views.
The “In conversation…” series is one attempt to create possibilities for connection between the different people in our community. As varied as we all are, there are also similarities and mutual interests waiting to be discovered. And there is one thing we all share: a desire to know God and be in relationship with him.
This week’s conversation is with Saint Philip’s parishioner, Christopher Sharp.
How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since 1998.
What brought you to Tucson?
A job offer by the University of Arizona. I was living in France and had been working there when my contract ended, and I received an offer to work for a few months at The California Institute of Technology on several occasions. On my last visit in 1996, I met a professor there who invited me to the University of Arizona Department of Astronomy. I accepted this offer and worked there for a number of years.
I also taught at Pima Community College, did some contract work for Raytheon, and for the Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories on some unclassified aspects of nuclear weapons.
What about astrophysics appeals to you?
I’m 74 years old so I watched the moon landings on TV. And from my backyard in England, I even saw one of the rockets going to the moon after sunset. That intrigued me.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in London and grew up in the Guilford area. It’s about 45 minutes southwest of London by train.
Which service do you typically attend?
I take the bus if I don’t get a ride, so I’m flexible but I try to attend the 9:00am service—especially on First Sundays so I can enjoy the breakfasts!
What do you like about First Sunday breakfasts?
The offerings are always very good and I like the fellowship; it’s nicer to eat with others than by myself at home.
Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was. My mother was from Slovenia and was Roman Catholic. She lived under the Nazi regime and met my father in southern Austria at the end of WWII.
They moved to England and I was raised in the Church of England—so to speak. We attended services mostly at Christmas and Easter. The church was quite a long way away so I couldn’t go on my own.
But I was confirmed when I was 14 years old. I remember it well because it was the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated.
What do you do to relax and replenish yourself?
I keep up with the news and have Zoom meetings with my brothers in England and a friend in Germany. I also come to church and meet people.
What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
The fellowship, the campus, the clergy, and the various events during the program year. I like that we examine the traditions of the church from both an intellectual and historical viewpoint.
I’m a scientist and think logically. There has been tension between Christianity and science but they are completely different.
Science is about how things work; it makes no assumption about the supernatural because it can’t be tested empirically.
Faith, on the other hand, is about meaning and purpose.
What’s something you’re proud of?
It was a long struggle but I finally got my PhD in Astrophysics. The first institute where I was supposed to begin working on my thesis (in the Republic of Ireland) caught fire and burned down. It happened on my first day!
I was given a 3 month extension but it ultimately delayed my work by a year.
I’m also proud to be a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I’ve lived and worked in 5 countries—as opposed to just visiting. I’ve lived in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, and now the United States. (I also lived in Scotland but I won’t count that because it’s part of the United Kingdom.)
What’s something you’re passionate about?
Learning. I love to learn.
What’s a core value?
Freedom of thought. I believe that everyone should be able to hold a belief or non-belief unlike, say, in dictatorships or Islamic countries.
What’s one of your super powers?
I’m able to visualize abstract concepts in math and science.
How does that super power help you live out your core value?
It makes me good at writing computer codes which I’ve been doing since 1970.
I’m developing a code that might have application for people to avoid censorship in China. I got the idea at Bible Study. There was a missionary in class who used to travel to China but the current situation makes that impossible.
I began to wonder if there could be a way to get information in or out of the country without being censored. Encryption has problems because there are laws that prevent exporting cryptographic information.
What type of code do you write?
Steganographic code. It’s a technique of hiding data within an ordinary, nonsecret file or message to avoid detection. I can conceal text and images within another image.
What’s something you’re grateful for?
Relatively good health. God gave me a brain and I do my best to keep my mind engaged.
I’m also grateful for the Arizona climate—except in July and August.
What might people be surprised to learn about you?
That, in addition to English, I speak four other languages. I’m fluent in French and German, used to be fluent in Italian but I’ve let that lapse, and I speak some Spanish. At some point I’d love to learn an Eastern European or Middle Eastern language.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I love to invent words.
Missed an interview? All previous interviews can be found on Saint Philip’s website under the “About Us” tab. Click here to visit that page.