Sorry I don't remember the author but it seems like a Poul Anderson or another of those NY City 30s 40s writers.
Sci-Fi indeed. Any fantasy about God wiping out a civilization to announce the birth of Christ is not close to "seeking an answer" to anything.
Now if you want a serious look at the Star...
"The Star," by Arthur C. Clarke. A parable, really, of the religious person's efforts to reconcile God's goodness with the evils of the world.
Yeah, it was filmed for TV for the Twilight Zone series from the 80's (the ones in color). Since that show (like Serling's old one) specialized in irony, that story was right up their alley, and they would often do stories that only ran 5-15 minutes.
I believe the star occurred, but I do not believe it was a "star" at all. I think it was some sort of "guiding light" that looked like a star, but it must have been close to the earth if the Wise Men in Jerusalem could be specifically guided to Bethlehem a short way away.
I think "scientific" explanations are only necessary for people who want to explain away miracles.
Sorry I don't remember the author but it seems like a Poul Anderson or another of those NY City 30s 40s writers.
That was "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke, which won the 1956 Hugo Award for short stories. One of the best short stories ever written!!! Absolutely awesome. If you don't know the ending it wracks you with chills when you get there.
I remember reading that years ago.
The author of the story you read was Arthur C. Clarke. In addition, the writer of the story, who was on the spaceship that discovered the remnants of the civilization, was a Jesuit priest.
Well, that will teach me to read the whole thread before replying. I see that several people have given you not only the name of the author and story, but the story itself.