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This is an exceedingly strange development,
unexpected by all but the theologians. They have always accepted the
word of the Bible: In the beginning God created heaven and earth. ...It
is unexpected because science has had such extraordinary success in
tracing the chain of cause and effect backward in time.
Robert Jastrow |
|
For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the
power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the
mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he
pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of
theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.
Robert Jastrow |
| A rather naïve reaction is to posit a God who
performs a creation of the universe.
Christopher Isham |
|
Naïve Because...
-
The theological doctrine of creation does not require a
temporal beginning.
-
Natural laws or physical theories may ultimately explain
(or at least describe) the origin of the universe or may eliminate the
singularity.
|
|
Not Necessary, But Sufficient
A temporal beginning may not be necessary to support theistic
belief or a doctrine of creation - but if there was a temporal
beginning, it would nevertheless support theistic belief.
|
|
I. Confirmation of Hypothesis |
|
Hypothetical-Deductive Model
|
|
A Fallacy
| If it rains, then the streets will get wet |
| The streets are wet |
| Therefore it rained |
|
|
Affirming the Consequent
| If R, then W |
| W |
| Therefore R |
|
|
An Important Qualification
| If it rains, we would expect the streets to get wet |
| The streets are wet |
| Therefore perhaps it rained |
|
|
So What’s the Big Deal?
The best data we have (concerning the Big Bang) are exactly what I
would have predicted, had I nothing to go on but the five books of
Moses, the Psalms, and the Bible as a whole.
Arno A. Penzias, Nobel Laureate |
|
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens, and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of
the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. |
|
Titus 1:2
...a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which
God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time...
|
|
2 Timothy 1:9
...who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of
anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This
grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time... |
|
Confirmation of a Theistic Hypothesis
If theism and the Judeo-Christian view of creation are true,
then we have reason to expect evidence of a finite universe.
We have evidence of a finite universe.
Therefore, we have a reason to think that theism and the
Judeo-Christian view of creation may be true. |
|
|
Confirmation of a Theistic Hypothesis
|
|
II. Inference to the
Best Explanation |
|
The Instant of Creation Remains Unexplained
Alan Guth, physicist. |
|
A Causal Theory?
The actual point of creation lies outside the scope of presently
known laws of physics.
Stephen Hawking |
| In my view the question of origin seems always left
unanswered if we explore from a scientific point of view alone. Thus, I
believe there is a need for some religious or metaphysical explanation.
I believe in the concept of God and in His existence.
Charles Townes, Nobel Laureate |
|
III. A Revised Kalam Cosmological Argument |
|
The Cosmological Argument
-
Everything that begins to exist must have a cause.
-
The universe began to exist.
-
The universe must have a cause (separate from itself).
|
|
|
|
Topic Sets Available
|
|
AAAS
Report on Stem-Cells |
|
|
AstroTheology: Religious Reflections on Extraterrestrial Life Forms |
|
|
Agency:
Human, Robotic and Divine |
 |
Becoming Human: Brain, Mind, Emergence |
|
Big Bang Cosmology
and Theology (GHC) |
 |
Cosmic Questions
Interviews |
|
|
Cosmos and
Creator |
|
Creativity,
Spirituality and Computing Technologies |
|
CTNS Content Home |
|
|
Darwin: A Friend to Religion? |
|
Demystifying
Information Technology |
|
Divine Action
(GHC) |
|
Dreams and
Dreaming: Neuroscientific and Religious Visions' |
|
E. Coli at the No
Free Lunchroom |
|
|
Engaging
Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence: An Adventure in Astro-Ethics |
|
|
Evangelical
Atheism: a response to Richard Dawkins |
|
Ecology and
Christian Theology |
|
|
Evolution: What
Should We Teach Our Children in Our Schools? |
|
Evolution and
Providence |
|
Evolution and
Creation Survey |
|
Evolution and
Theology (GHC) |
|
Evolution, Creation, and Semiotics |
|
|
The Expelled
Controversy |
|
Faith and Reason:
An Introduction |
|
Faith in the Future:
Religion, Aging, and Healthcare in the 21st Century |
|
|
Francisco Ayala
on Evolution |
|
|
From Christian
Passions to Scientific Emotions |
|
Genetic
Engineering and Food |
|
|
Genetics
and Ethics |
|
Genetic
Technologies - the Radical Revision of Human Existence and the Natural
World |
|
|
Genomics,
Nanotechnology and Robotics |
|
Getting Mind out
of Meat |
|
|
God and Creation:
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on Big Bang Cosmology |
|
God, Humanity and the
Cosmos: A Textbook in Science and Religion |
|
God the Spirit -
and Natural Science |
|
Historical
Examples of the Science and Religion Debate (GHC) |
|
History of
Creationism |
|
Intelligent Design
Coming Clean |
|
|
Issues
for the Millennium: Cloning and Genetic Technologies |
|
Jean Vanier of
L'Arche |
|
|
Nano-Technology
and Nano-ethics |
 |
Natural Science and Christian Theology - A Select Bibliography |
|
Neuroscience and
the Soul |
|
Outlines of the
Science and Religion Debate (GHC) |
|
|
Perspectives on
Evolution |
|
|
Physics and
Theology |
|
Quantum Mechanics
and Theology (GHC) |
|
Questions that Shape Our Future |
|
Reductionism
(GHC) |
|
Reintroducing Teleology Into Science |
|
Science and
Suffering |
|
|
Scientific
Perspectives on Divine Action (CTNS/Vatican Series) |
|
|
Space
Exploration and Positive Stewardship |
|
|
Stem-Cell Debate: Ethical
Questions |
|
Stem-Cell
Ethics: A Theological Brief |
|
|
Stem-Cell
Questions |
|
Theistic
Evolution: A Christian Alternative to Atheism, Creationism, and
Intelligent Design... |
|
Theology and Science:
Current Issues and Future Directions |
|
|
Unscientific
America: How science illiteracy threatens our future |
|
|
Will ET End
Religion? |
Current Stats: topics: >2600, links:
>300,000,
video: 200 hours.
|
|
