Science and Faith?

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Is religious faith compatible with scientific evidence?

Christianity

Day 1- God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night." Day 2-God separated the waters and called it "sky."Day 3- God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation .Day 4- God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.Day 5- God created every creature of the seas and winged bird.Day 6- God created the animals to fill the earth. God also created man and woman in his own image . He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.Day 7- God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day.

Hinduism

Before this time began, there was no heaven, no

earth and no space between. A vast, dark, ocean washed upon the shores of

nothingness and licked the edges of the night. A giant cobra (snake) floated on

the waters. Asleep within its endless coils lay the Lord Vishnu. He was watched

over by the mighty serpent. Everything was so peaceful and silent that Vishnu

slept undisturbed by dreams or motion. From the depths a humming sound began to

tremble, Aum. It grew and spread, filling the emptiness and throbbing with

energy.

The night had ended, Vishnu awoke. As the dawn

began to break, from Vishnu’s navel (belly button) grew a magnificent lotus

flower. In the middle of the blossom sat Vishnu’s servant, Brahma. He awaited

the Lord’s command. Vishnu spoke to his servant: ‘It is time to begin.’ Brahma

bowed. Vishnu commanded: ‘Create the World.’ A wind swept up the waters. Vishnu

and the serpent vanished.

Brahma remained in the lotus flower, floating and

tossing on the sea. He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the ocean.

Then Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He stretched one part into the

heavens. He made another part into

the earth. With the third part of the flower he created the skies.

The earth was bare. Brahma set to work. He created

grass, flowers, trees and plants of all kinds. To these he gave feeling. Next

he created the animals and the insects to live on the land. He made birds to

fly in the air and many fish to swim in the sea. To all these creatures, he

gave the senses of touch and smell. He gave them power to see, hear and move.

The world was soon bristling with life and the air

was filled with the sounds of Brahma’s creation.

Literalist: Believe the Genesis story is the true account literally word for word. The world was created exactly as it saysYoung Earth Creationists:The belief that the world was literally created in 6 days and is between 6000 and 10,000 years old

Non-Literalist : Believe the accounts are not word for word true but do contain important truthsOld Earth Creationists:The belief that the world is much older than that put forward by Young Earth Creationists

Reconciling Religion and Science

Pier Teilhard de Chardin-French philosopher and priest talked of the development of human life. Chardin believed evolution was used in a goal driven way.He tried to show compatibility between science and religion to reshape Christian thought. Chardin. Chardin argued that evolution was gradually leading towards the omega pint .God attracts human kind towards himself through love.Scientific discoveries are movements towards God.

Arthur Peacocke believed Christianity and evolution can work together.Evolution is consistent with an all knowing God.Scientific analysis can show Gods actions and help us understand God. "Evolutionary history itself is a satisfying account of Gods creativity"

Stannard believed evolution and religion can co exist.What one can't explain the other can.Both religion and science are looking for the truth.The scientific research is impersonal and intellectual while Religion is personal.Science is the how while Religion is the Why.

Polkinghorne accepted evolution.He claimed religion can give us a total view of the world,God is a subject while the world is an It.Argues that God acted like a conductor and finely tuned the world in order for us evolution to take place. Believed God gave the world the freedom to make itself.

Paul Davies supported the anthropic principle and claims the world is so finely tuned to have life it must be created.The Goldilocks enigma is the argument that the universe is "Just right" like the porridge Goldilocks stole from the 3 bears.If it was changed slightly it would be impossible for life to exist.He believed that scientific study cannot answer all our needs of knowledge and can be enhanced by religion to explain existance.

Adam Ford said science and religion can co exist,everything is subject to God's will

Stephen Evans argued there is no debate between science and religion rather replacing myth and magic with science maintaining religious belief

Supports Literalist Interpretation

Creationism

Everything in the world was created by God.Archbishop Ussher tried to calculate the exact moment of creation to 9pm on the 23rd of October 4004BCE

Young Earth Creationists

Henry Morris proposed the creation of the world was exactly as written in genesis and tried to formulate scientific creationism maintaining the 6 day creation,claimed scientists were not present at creation and can only speculate whereas God made it and wrote it.

Thomas Chalmers proposed the gap theory with an extended period of time between first and second days that included Satan's fall only after this did creation take place

AJ Monty White argued that any evidence that shows the Earth is older than the Bible is superficial and misleading

Intelligent Design - the view that the existence of the universe is best explained if it is accepted that there is an intelligent designer who designed it all.The world is so IRREDUCIBLY COMPLEX it cannot be explained by science.The world is a metaphorical mousetrap-if you took out one piece it would not work.There are serious flaws in Darwinist theories,rather than trying to find more explanations just look to God

Scientific explanations for the origins of life

Big Bang TheoryStephen Hawking used observations to develop a theory called the Big Bang. The theory states that about 13.7 billion years ago all the matter in the Universe was concentrated into a single incredibly tiny point. This began to enlarge rapidly in a hot explosion, and it is still expanding today. Evidence for the Big Bang includes:all the galaxies are moving away from us,the further away a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away.

LyellPresented one of the first major challenges to literal views of the bible due to his study in geology.His theory claimed the earth was formed gradually through a natural slow progress,Lyell showed how geological processes like erosion,uplift and sedimentation altered the earths structure .He also discovered dinosaurs that had no mention in the Bible

Darwinism

The theory of evolution states that evolution happens by natural selection. The key points are that:individuals in a species show a wide range of variation.Individuals with characteristics most suited to the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce the variations that allow these individuals to be successful are passed to their offspring.Individuals that are poorly adapted to their environment are less likely to survive and reproduce. This means that their genes are less likely to be passed to the next generation. Given enough time, a species will gradually evolve.

DawkinsDemonstrated the impact of random genetic mutations the give the advantageous variations- Argues that the human gene is essentially selfish calling the body a survival suit