“Big Al” refers to St. Albertus Magnus (also known as Albert the Great), the patron saint of scientists. He was also the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, who was probably the most influential medieval philosopher and theologian. Given my own interests in science, philosophy, and theology, the name seemed appropriate.

An obscure reference to Albertus Magnus can be found in one of the classic works of science fiction, A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter Miller, which is a post-nuclear holocaust novel from the late 50s. The fictional Liebowitz is a Jewish convert to Catholicism and founder of a monastic order dedicated to the preservation of scientific and technical knowledge. The full name of this order is the Albertian (as in St. Albert) Order of Liebowitz, The novel covers about twelve centuries and recounts the collapse and re-establishment of civilization. If you want know more, read the book — no spoilers here! I recommend it as an excellent take on how Christians (or at least Catholic Christians) might deal with the horrors and long-term impact of a global thermonuclear holocaust.