Science and the Bible

Kevin Thorsell

FAQ’s • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

0 ratings

· 8 views

Notes

Transcript

Handout

Three Differing Views on Science and the Theology:

Science and Theology overlap and conflict.

Science and Theology are non-overlapping disciplines and do not conflict.

Science and Theology are overlapping and should be in a conversation and partnership.

God has Two Books:

The book of Scripture:

The Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

The book of Nature:

What we can see, study and observe.

God’s Creation

Romans 1:20 ESV

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians When Scientists and Theologians Disagree

As Christians, we believe that there cannot be any real or final conflict between theology and science, because God is the author of both the “book of Scripture” and the “book of nature.” If there is a conflict between certain theologians and certain scientists, it exists because of human error in interpreting Scripture or interpreting nature. In other words, there will sometimes be disagreement between theologians and scientists, but there will never be disagreement between God’s two books (Scripture and nature).

Examples:

Square Earth: 4 Corners of the earth

Eternal universe: Most scientists now believe the universe had a starting point.

Scientific disciplines exist along a spectrum ranging from hard sciences to soft sciences.

Hard Sciences:

Definition: Disciplines that rely on the scientific method, and controlled experiments to study the physical and natural world. They typically yield reproducible results that are observable, measurable, and often predictable.

Examples: physics, chemistry, biology.

Middle: rely more on imperial data and interpretation of phenomena

Soft Sciences:

Definition: Fields that study human behavior, societies, or abstract concepts. They often rely on qualitative methods, theory building, and interpretation rather than strictly controlled experiments. The results in soft sciences may not always be easily observable, quantifiable, or reproducible, and are sometimes more speculative or theoretical.

Examples: Philosophy, psychology, sociology.

Most of the alleged “contradictions” between science and the Bible are actually speculative theories or interpretations, not scientific facts themselves.

Try to think of one actual scientific fact that contradicts the Bible. You can’t.

Opinions

Theories

An interpretation of a fact

But no actual scientific facts.

Your presuppositions impact the way you interpret data.

If you start with the belief, “There is no God,” how will that impact the way you look at data?

What if the scientific data leads towards a Creator?

Then you will say something like Richard Dawkins says…

Certainly! Here’s the quote for you:

“The illusion of design is so strong that it’s easy to forget that the designer is a metaphorical idea, not a real entity. A designer, if he were truly intelligent, would have designed the world differently. But it is not a real designer. It’s a mythological being.” – Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (2006)

“We can’t go there. Even if it looks like that’s the case, we must remember, it’s not. Because it can’t be.”

If you start with the belief, “There is a God,” then you will make sense of the data accordingly.

If the data looks like there was a Designer, you can say, “I believe this points us towards God.”

If someone comes up with a “Theory” of how we could have come into existance without God, you can disagree with that theory.

If someone were to tell me that my wife doesn’t exist.

That they now have a scientific theory to explain the existence of my children without needing to say my wife was a part of it.

I would still believe in the existence of my wife.

Why?

Because I have a relationship with her. I know her. I have lived life with her.

It’s the same with my relationship with God. I have a relationship with him.

I meet with him alone every morning.

I know him through personal experience.

I have seen him answer prayers and perform miracles.

So, I’m not going to take that into consideration as I look at anything in my life, including how I process data.

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Second Edition) 4. Might Some New Fact Ever Contradict the Bible?

Here we can say with confidence that this will never happen—it is in fact impossible. If any supposed “fact” is ever discovered that is said to contradict Scripture, then (if we have understood Scripture rightly) that “fact” must be false, because God, the author of Scripture, knows all true facts (past, present, and future).