At various times I have been asked to speak to campus Christian groups on Faith & Science. As we investigate Genesis, it is appropriate to ask, How does our study in Genesis related to modern science? That question is part of a broader question on the Bible's perspective on "science".
The Bible's Perspective on "Science"
Modern science has a culture all its own; it is a modern concept that emphasizes understanding material structure (atoms, molecules) and emphasizes the physical laws of matter and energy. It is not a concept that, in its modern form, appears in Scripture. This does not mean that scientific concepts do not appear in Scripture but that the modern cultural viewpoint is not there.In Genesis 1 we see each part of the universe created deliberately as an act of God, as beautiful and good. The passage describes the earth "teeming" with life, and describes all of nature as created by God's pleasure in an orderly fashion.
It is reasonable to believe that the Creator of the universe, a universe with physical laws, uses those laws and processes to do his will. The ancient scriptures view Creation and the Creator in a way difference from our modern culture. We need to be careful to not impose on Scripture our cultural viewpoints; as John Walton says, in his commentary on Genesis, that in reading the Old Testament, we must avoid "intellectual imperialism". Let me give several examples.
Beginning in Job 38 and continuing for four chapters, God challenges Job to "step to the blackboard" and explain, even control, a variety of natural phenomena. Here are verses 4-11 at the beginning of that passage:
It is reasonable to believe that the Creator of the universe, a universe with physical laws, uses those laws and processes to do his will. The ancient scriptures view Creation and the Creator in a way difference from our modern culture. We need to be careful to not impose on Scripture our cultural viewpoints; as John Walton says, in his commentary on Genesis, that in reading the Old Testament, we must avoid "intellectual imperialism". Let me give several examples.
Beginning in Job 38 and continuing for four chapters, God challenges Job to "step to the blackboard" and explain, even control, a variety of natural phenomena. Here are verses 4-11 at the beginning of that passage:
"Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn its place,
that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out it?"
Verse 22 of that passage continues
"Have you entered the storehouses of snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail...?"
This passage is not a scientific passage, but a passage about God's challenge to Job. If one insists that this passage teaches that stars sing and that the sea has physical doors, that the earth has edges or that hail is stored in some barn somewhere, then one is imposing one's own cultural views on this ancient book. This does not mean that the passage is in error, but that its message is not a scientific one.
The modern reader often responds by saying, "Well, this is poetry, with poetic images", but that distinction is an oversimplification. According to Walton, the ancient viewpoint emphasized processes, domains of functions and power. It would not have asked about molecules and atoms and quantities of matter and energy. The storehouses for the hail were processes God had for making hail. Does Job have the power to make hail? Obviously not.
This does not mean there is no "science" in Scripture, but that the science that occurs is on the level of the knowledge of the culture. In the book of Acts, written by Luke -- who is elsewhere identified as a doctor -- we see an account of the death of Herod. This occurred shortly after Herod allowed the people to call him a god:
Acts 12:23 on Herod's death:
"Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died."
There are two explanations here for Herod's death. Which is correct? Did an angel strike him down or was he was eaten by worms? I suspect that Luke would not have seen the distinction. The doctor is suggesting the process of God's action: An angel struck Herod with a disease identified as "eaten by worms".
"Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died."
There are two explanations here for Herod's death. Which is correct? Did an angel strike him down or was he was eaten by worms? I suspect that Luke would not have seen the distinction. The doctor is suggesting the process of God's action: An angel struck Herod with a disease identified as "eaten by worms".
Still, nature (or "science"), whatever our perceptions of it, are witnesses of God's work. Here are some sample passages:
Romans 1:20 --
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
Psalm 8 begins
The following books are in my personal library. (I have another dozen books or more in my personal library, but these are my favorites.)
Romans 1:20 --
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
Psalm 8 begins
"Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens...."
Psalm 19: 1-4 sayshow majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens...."
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun."
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun."
In all these passages, we see YHWH as the Creator of the universe, as the one who created all things and continues to maintain all things.
Common Myths about Faith and Science
In conversations with a variety of students, friends and colleagues, I have often run into a number of popular myths about either Christian faith or science. These myths, at times, obstruct discussions on faith or science. I give short versions of the most popular ones here, without much elaboration....
1. The Bible is a science textbook. (This belief, not supported by Scripture, leads to false assumptions by Christians about the world we live in. No, the earth is not flat....)
2. Hebrew scholars insist that creation must have been in six 24-hour days. (Considerable disagreement exists among Hebrew scholars.)
3. Faith is "blind faith", without any justification. (No, a better word might be "trust". A Christian lives by "trust", relying on an invisible God whose actions may not always be seen.)
4. A naturalistic world view is completely rational and logical. (The argument used to justify naturalism is circular: "I dismiss anything outside the naturalistic world because there is nothing outside the naturalistic world.")
5. Science is a monolithic structure opposed to any debate or change. When confronted with evidence they don't like, scientists conspire to hide the truth. (I've lived and worked with scientists for almost five decades now. They can indeed be arrogant, prideful, obnoxious, elitist... but there is significant -- sometimes raucous -- debate within the scientific community!)
Since I have only touched on five concepts, one or two which may generate some controversy, feel free to contact me further by email for more serious discussions. My email address is a gmail: KenWSmith54.
On Young Earth Creationism
When I was eighteen, in 1972, I attended Moody Bible Institute in downtown Chicago. (I lived on the ninth floor of Culbertson Hall, with all of the City out my window!) In our Old Testament Synthesis class, the instructor suggested four possible interpretations for the timeline of Creation. Three of those interpretations (held by leading evangelicals and fundamentalists) allowed an "old earth", an earth that was possibly billions of years old. One interpretation required a "young earth", an earth six to ten thousand years old.
At that time, the writings of Henry Morris were not widely known. Morris published a book, The Genesis Flood, claiming that the earth is "young" (six to ten thousand years old) and that a universal flood explains the "errors" in the popular geological dates of the time. Morris then founded the Creation Research Society and eventually the Institute for Creation Research. More recent versions of Young Earth Creationism (YEC) include Answers in Genesis (led by Ken Ham) and Creation Ministries International.
I have read YEC materials for many decades now and I believe they seriously misinterpret Genesis 1. Debating the merits and errors of YEC will lead us too far afield in our attempts to read the Old Testament, but I am aware that many American Christians view YEC as "biblical". However, many evangelical and fundamentalist leaders, including Hebrew scholars, disagree. (See this article by Norman Geisler, for example. Or this article by Dick Fischer.) Fortunately these disagreements are over a minor doctrine, a place where Christians may practice grace with those who disagree with us.
Some Resources that I recommend
I emphasize that there is considerable speculation (and disagreement) on the correct interpretations of the Bible's statements about nature, especially as they relate to the Creation account of Genesis 1. There are a number of different Christian groups, made up of professional scientists, who have weighed in on the importance of Christians engaging with Science. Here are some I recommend.
- American Scientific Affiliation (The ASA is an organization of scientists who are Christians. I am a member of the ASA.)
- BioLogos (started by Francis Collins) focuses on Evolution and Science. The organization is led by biologists who are Christians. BioLogos defends evolution from a Biblical Christian viewpoint.
- Reasons to Believe (founded by Hugh Ross) focuses on scientific arguments for Christianity. RTB argues for progressive creation of some type (the universe is billions of years old) but does not endorse evolution.
- Musings on Science and Theology, by RJS, is an excellent blog which covers a variety of issues of science and faith, especially as they relate to biology.
- Naturalis Historia, by professor R. Joel Duff, is a blog that looks at Natural History and, at times, critiques claims made by Young Earth Creationists.
I especially enjoy the thoughtful blog, Musings on Science and Theology, by "RJS" (a chemistry professor at a major research university). Among her many posts on Science and Theology, I suggest reading:
The author of that blog has many other thoughtful reactions, as a Christian and scientist, to Genesis and related topics.- "Teaching Science in a Climate of Controversy" (a guide for educators from the American Scientific Affiliation) -- email me for a pdf copy of this.
- "Creation of Evolution?" by Charles Hummel, an Intervarsity pamphlet summarizing the issues.. A review appears here.
- Science and its Limits, by Del Ratzsch, an excellent examination of what science can and cannot do.
- The Language of God, by Francis Collins (head of the NIH), explains why Collins sees science as providing evidence for God.
- The Fingerprint of God, by Hugh Ross, explains why Ross sees science as providing evidence for God.
- The Fourth Day, by Howard Van Till. Subtitle: "What the Bible and the Heavens are telling us about Creation". The viewpoint is that of an astronomer.
- Science Held Hostage, by Van Till, Young, Menninga. Subtitle: "What Wrong with Creation Science AND Evolutionism."
- Evolution, Nature & Scripture in Conflict? by Pattle P. T. Pun. This a favorite of mine, as Pun aggressively dismantles the arguments for Young-Earth Creationism while carefully explaining what we know about biology and evolution... and scripture.
On Beauty
Some years ago I was in a public debate on Christianity and Atheism at Central Michigan University. I agreed to the debate on the condition that I and my opponents meet afterwards at a local pub for casual conversation. There, over a few beers with two professors, I asked this question,
"If at 3 AM you wake up and think, 'Gosh, maybe I am wrong',
what would be the one thing that would be challenging your belief system?"
I gave my answer: The Existence of Evil (see the book of Job, see Christ's cry on the cross in Matthew 27: 46.) My atheist/agnostic colleagues responded almost simultaneously, "Beauty", "Design". The universe seems to be wonderfully complex and beautiful, it appears to be designed. If one does not believe in a Creator, then one must claim that this beauty is an illusion, possibly caused by an evolutionary need to feel significant.
But if we are here as the result of a Creator, the Creator who challenges Job to "give order to the morning", then our response must be
"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens!"
We will return to reading Genesis tomorrow.
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