Big Bang

While stuck in beautiful LaGrange, Dan and I took full advantage of cable and watched six straight hours of National Geographic,  HGTV, and the History Channel. (Yes, we know we’re cheap for not buying cable of our own; and yes, we know we’re nerds for watching six straight hours of National Geographic, HGTV, and the History Channel.)

So they had this really interesting documentary about the Big Bang theory on one of these educational stations. About halfway through the show, I realized something: I know nothing about the Big Bang.  Hubble, redshifts, cosmic inflation, primordial elements-all news to me.

I guess most of my high school science teachers were pretty conservative and simply didn’t address controversial issues like evolution or the Big Bang. After graduating from high school, I attended a Christian college, where I was taught that these sort of theories were part of a naturalistic worldview and not worth taking seriously. 

Yet all the catching up I’ve done on evolutionary theory in recent years has been surprisingly intriguing…and convincing. (The Language of God by Francis Collins was particularly helpful, as it seeks to harmonize evolutionary theory and a Christian worldview.) Now add this new information about the Big Bang, and I’m starting to wonder if being “protected” from science all these years was such a good idea after all. (I mean, what if I’m on Jeopardy and one of the categories is “cosmology”?)

If scientists really have observational evidence to support their theories, I’d like to know about it. Sure, I’m aware that there are some significant problems (particularly with Big Bang), but I’m beginning to question the idea that the entire  scientific community is conspiring against the Church. It seems to me that it would not be in their best interest to falsify data or do sloppy work. (Folks don’t win Nobel prizes for sloppy work.)

The whole thing made me worry about how Dan and I will educate our children. (We don’t have any children right now, but as a professional worrier I think about nonexistent responsibilities often.) I fear that if they receive completely secular educations, they will get into the nasty habit of compartmentalizing their faith, of assuming that Christianity plays no role in science or art or music or literature. And yet, if they receive Christian educations, they might never learn about valid, accepted scientific discoveries…unless they too get stuck in  hotel rooms with free National Geographic.

The folks behind the Creation Museum confidently proclaim on their Web site that “the heavens declare a young  universe.” One article concludes that “each of us must decide whether we are going to trust the secular opinions of human beings, or the clear teachings of the Bible.”

Why does it always have to be a choice? Why can’t believers at least acknowledge that there’s good evidence to support both evolutionary theory and the Big Bang? Why are we so often presented with just two options:  either disavow God altogether or become conspiracy theorists?

I know I’m not always going to like what I hear from the scientific community, but I think it’s time I at least start listening.

…Guess we’re going to have to get cable!


Brooke Shorey
Comment
Re: Big Bang
Reply #1 on : Mon March 17, 2008, 10:21:20
"It seems to me that it would not be in their best interest to falsify data or do sloppy work. (Folks don’t win Nobel prizes for sloppy work.)"

umm... didn't someone named Al Gore win recently for what many scientists have proved is sloppy work?

I think the reason why in this case it has to be a choice is because one choice upholds the historical accuracy and infallibility of Scripture, while the other throws it to the wind. Personally, I see a big problem with anything that calls the validity of the Bible into question.
leah
Comment
re: big bang
Reply #2 on : Mon March 17, 2008, 13:22:56
You're on to something here, Rachel! This is something that as a scientist, I care a lot about! The truth is, there is good evidence for many theories such as the big bang that are contrary to what we know from scripture. But as responsible christians, we should evaluate this evidence carefully rather than arrogantly dismiss it. And many excellent christian scientists are doing just that and are finding that there is good scientific evidence that coincides with scripture. Sadly, mainstream christians don't generally hear much about it cause by its nature, it's a technical business that usually requires a strong science background to really grasp.

Particularly when it comes to evolution, though, we really need to approach the issues with good information and sound research. You're right that nobel prizes don't get awarded for sloppy research! We (christians) tend to be really bad about not defining terms when we talk about these issues. We just throw out big sweeping statements that tend to be grossly uninformed. The truth is, evolution (the change of allele frequencies over time in a population) does happen....it just doesn't necessarily explain the origin of all species. But even common sense should tell you that there are more species on earth today than could have been on the ark. I've had several uncomfortable conversations with pastors who have decried the evils of evolution because when I was teaching labs in graduate school I taught evolution. I had to tell the pastor that after hearing his sermon, he's setting people up for a real problem. When the high school kids who heard him end up in my lab later on, what will they do with their faith when I prove to them that evolution occurs and is occurring all the time around them and that it's observable? So, we christians need to be very careful how we approach scientific issues, or there can be very serious consequences!

I would also like to point out that science is not a compilation of facts, it's a process by which we seek to understand the physical world. It's important to understand that, because I hear a lot of christians say things like "good science" when they refer to assertions they agree with and "bad science" when they refer to things with which they do not agree. But people can draw conclusions that are not biblical from good science. That's why we have to be careful to thoroughly evaluate evidence, and to do it with consideration and humility.
Brooke Shorey
Comment
Re: Big Bang
Reply #3 on : Tue March 18, 2008, 17:47:38
ah yes, the joys of discussing the differences between macro and micro evolution... the key statement from Leah: "it just doesn't necessarily explain the origin of all species." Enter Dr. Wise's opinions regarding creation vs. evolution!

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