A Christian view of ....
Science
Boa Constrictors
&
Warthogs
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
Creation
Jesus is the source and sustainer
of creation
It is good ... very good
Humans are the image bearers of God
Develop the potential within creation
Law/ Word/Norms
Fall
Affects all of lifeSomething created
becomes a god
Science
The Science of .....
Fall
Affects all of lifeSomething created
becomes a god
Science
Demonised Divinised
STRUCTURE & DIRECTION
Creation
Cosmic in scope - all things are restored
Restoration and renewal of the original creation
All of life redeemed
Fall
Redemption
-conciliation-newal-generation-creationRe
Redemption is for the world
it is not to
Redeem individuals out of the world
1. Fred Hoyle - a British scientist.
2. Stanley Jaki - a Hungarian Catholic priest and scientist
3. Henry Morris - an American Christian and engineer
B. The big bang B. The big bang theory is wrong theory is wrong
because it because it supports the supports the
idea of a divine idea of a divine creationcreation
A. The big A. The big bang is bang is
correct. It correct. It supports the supports the Christian idea Christian idea of a creationof a creation
C. The big C. The big bang theory bang theory
is wrong is wrong because it because it contradicts contradicts the Biblethe Bible
1. Fred Hoyle - a British scientist. He is an atheist
2. Stanley Jaki - a Hungarian Catholic priest and scientist 3. Henry Morris -
an American Christian and engineer
A. The big A. The big bang is bang is
correct. It correct. It supports the supports the Christian idea Christian idea of a creationof a creation
B. The big bang B. The big bang theory is wrong theory is wrong
because it because it supports the idea supports the idea
of a divine of a divine creationcreation
C. The big C. The big bang theory bang theory
is wrong is wrong because it because it contradicts contradicts the Biblethe Bible
1. We all have a worldview
2. A worldview is the product of faith, shaped by religious commitments
3. All human activity is shaped by worldviews
4. Science is a human activity
Therefore
5. Science is shaped by worldviews
ASBO Jesus #
(c) Jon Birch
1859
(c) Stanley Harris
1. Is the earth old?
2. Do we have a common ancestor?
Creation and evolution: some options
Age of the Earth?
Young Old
Common ancestor?
Yes No
Recent creationism
Apparent Actual
Ideal time (Omphalos)
Gap theory
Progressive creationism Age day
revelatory day
Neo-Darwinism
AtheisticTheistic
naturalismevolution
True or false?Darwin originated the idea of
organic evolution
Darwin coined the term ‘survival of the fittest’
Darwin once considered being ordained
Darwin claimed humans were descended from monkeys
True or FalseDarwin originated the idea of
organic evolution
Darwin coined the term ‘survival of the fittest’
Darwin once considered being ordained
Darwin claimed humans were descended from monkeys
False
False
False
True
True or False?
Darwin made a death bed confession of faith
Darwin made it intellectually respectable to be an atheist
Darwinism is atheism
Darwin became an atheistFalse
False
False
True
True or False?
Most Christians at the time were against natural selection
Perhaps - but certainly not all
True or False?
Most Christians at the time were against natural selection
(Arch)Bishop Fredrick Temple
Charles Kingsley
God made God made things to things to
make make themselvesthemselves
True or False?
Most Christians at the time were against natural selection
Asa Gray James Orr
True or False?
Most Christians at the time were against natural selection
B B Warfield
I do not think that there is any general statement in the Bible or any part of the account of creation, either as given in Genesis 1 and 2 or elsewhere alluded to, that need be opposed to evolution
• Something is true only if it can be tested by the scientific method
• Science is the most valuable, most important and authoritative sector of human learning
• There are no truths apart from scientific truths
• There can be other truths apart from scientific truths
• Theology is not a subject at all
• Conversation between science and theology is a monologue
• Self-refuting: it is a philosophical claim not a scientific one
Neither form can support the presuppositions that are essential to the practice of science!
Scientism
Strong Weak
(c) Stanley Harris
Evolution and creation
Richard Dawkins once leaned across an Oxford dinner table and said to Alfred Ayer:
‘..although atheism might have been logically tenable before Darwin, Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.’
Zoologist G G Simpson when asked what is man? answered ‘The point I want to make now is that all attempts to answer the question before 1859 are worthless and that we will be better off if we ignore them completely.’
• Belief in a material world
• Belief that the world is orderly
• Belief that understanding the world is a valuable exercise
• Belief that the world and its order can be known
• Belief that science works
Copernicus
Science tells Science tells us how us how
heaven goes, heaven goes, but theology but theology how to go to how to go to
heavenheaven
Galileo
Science is Science is ‘thinking ‘thinking
God’s God’s thoughts after thoughts after
him’ him’
Johannes Kepler
When I wrote my treatise about our System I had an eye upon such Principles as might work with considering men for the belief of a Deity and nothing can rejoice me more than to find it useful for that purpose.
Sir Isaac Newton
...the two great ...the two great
books, of nature books, of nature
and of scripture, and of scripture,
have the same have the same
author, so the author, so the
latter does not latter does not
hinder at all an hinder at all an
inquisitive man’s inquisitive man’s
delight in the delight in the
study of the study of the former former
Robert Boyle 1627-1691
I believe that the I believe that the
more thoroughly more thoroughly
science is studied science is studied
the further does it the further does it
take us from take us from anything anything
comparable to comparable to
atheismatheism
Lord [William Thomson] Kelvin 1824-1907
Michael Faraday
And therefore, brethren, we ought to value the privilege of knowing God's truth far beyond anything we can have in this world. The more we see the perfection of God's law fulfilled in Christ, the more we ought to thank God for His unspeakable gift.
Sir, (a+b^n)/ n = x,
hence God exists - reply!
Leonhard Euler 1707-1783
The only desire which The only desire which I can have is like I can have is like
David to serve my David to serve my own generation by own generation by the will of God, and the will of God, and
then fall asleep then fall asleep
James Clerk Maxwell 1831-1879
In the distance tower In the distance tower still higher [scientific] still higher [scientific] peaks which will yield peaks which will yield to those who ascend to those who ascend
them still wider them still wider prospects and deepen prospects and deepen
the feelings whose the feelings whose truth is emphasised by truth is emphasised by
every advance in every advance in science, that are great science, that are great the works of the Lordthe works of the Lord
J J Thompson
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
Complementarity
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencSciencee
ReligiReligionon
A tale of two circles:
SciencScienceses
ReligiReligionon
Theology
Physical science
The design argument
Chance?
Yes No
No challenge to God’s sovereignty or divine providence
Caused By God?
Yes NoChallenge to providence and sovereignty of God.
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