If we could shrink the earth's population...

“Has Science Not Disproved God?”

Introduction:

A good many people today think that science and Christianity are opposed. They believe that the two are in direct conflict with each other.  However, there are many scientists today who are also Christians, and this has been common throughout the history of science. Many of the founders of modern science were men with a firm belief in God.

 1  Some Examples:

a) Nicolaus Copernicus [1473-1543].  He laid the foundations of modern astronomy by suggesting on mathematical grounds that the earth travels around the sun.  He held office in the Polish church and described God as: “The best and most orderly workman of all.”

            b) Galileo Galilei [1564-1642].  He was a brilliant Italian astronomer.  He found himself persecuted by the church of his day for saying that the earth was not the centre of the universe and that the planets revolved around the sun.  He was a devout Catholic who believed in God just as much as the church leaders who disagreed with him, yet the church was so blind to scientific truth that they kept Galileo under house-arrest for the final eight years of his life.  It’s worth noting that most of Galileo’s closest friends and strongest supporters were clergy!

c) Johannes Kepler [1571-1630].  He was the founder of modern optics and best known for his discovery of the three principles of planetary motion. He was a deeply sincere Lutheran Christian, and said that he, “was thinking God’s thoughts after him.”

          d) Isaac Newton [1642-1727].  Perhaps the greatest scientist of all time.  A fantastic scientific intellect, who formulated the laws of gravity.  He was well known for his works in optics, astronomy and mathematics, yet he believed in the inspiration of scripture and wrote theological as well as scientific books - regarding his religious works as more important.

          e) Michael Faraday [1791-1867], who appears on the back of the £20 note, discovered electromagnetism.  He produced an electric current from a magnetic field, invented the first electric motor and dynamo. Again, the Christian faith was the single most important influence upon him. 

f) James Young Simpson [1811-70]. He was the first surgeon to use chloroform as an anaesthetic.  He paved the way for safe, painless surgery.

 He had a deep personal faith, so much so, that when asked what was his greatest discovery, he replied, “It is not chloroform.  My greatest discovery has been to know that I am a sinner and that I could be saved by the grace of God.” 

g) Joseph Lister [1827-1912].  Also a surgeon who saved 1000’s of lives and a great deal of suffering by introducing antiseptic surgery. Again, his faith was paramount to him.

           h) Louis Pasteur [1822-95].  The French chemist who gave his name to pasteurised milk [highlighted harmful bacteria], is another great example. So is George Mendel [1822-84], whose researches into the laws of heredity form the basis of the modern science of genetics.  Mendel was an Austrian monk who became Abbot of his monastery.  And still today, there are a number of scientists who are professing Christians. 

2  What Does This Show?

“But, so what?” You may be asking.  By giving this impressive list of names, I’m not attempting to prove that Christianity is true.  If every scientist in the world was a Christian it would still not prove that Christianity is true.  God cannot be proved scientifically, for the evidence for Christianity is not to be found in science.  It is to be found in the areas of HISTORY and PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.  The historical evidence and facts of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the personal testimony of believers that those facts have been accepted by faith.  Jesus can be known through personal experience.  Although these testimonies are based on subjectivity, that is they are the subjective - personal views of people, their claims can be verified through objective evidence, such as reliable recorded papyrus, parchments, letters and books.

 3  Objective evidence

This objective evidence is any historical documentation, [such as early manuscripts of the NT, of which there are over 5000 Greek manuscripts of the NT in whole or in part still in existence today, the best being the Codex Sinaiticus AD 350 and Papyri AD 140] or any other literature that backs-up the claims of the New Testament writers. 

4  There are also written reports from non-Christian historians of the day:

Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian who was born of a priestly family in AD 37.  The greatest Roman historian was Cornelius Tacitus, who was born between AD 52 and 54 

 5  The Bible is not primarily a scientific book but a theological one.  

It offers a historical and personal explanation of God’s existence more than a scientific explanation.  Yet, science can’t prove nor disprove Christianity!  What the list of scientists does show to us is that Christianity and science are not opposed.  And because most scientists are intelligent people and that a fair number of those are Christians, this shows that the Christian faith is not a fairy story for those who can’t think for themselves, and that intellectual suicide need not be committed before the faith is to be accepted!  As Kepler said, science is thinking God’s thoughts after him. 

6  Christianity And Science Can Be Two Ways Of Looking At The Same Thing.

Christianity and science view and explain things from two different, but equally valid angles.  One way of expressing this is to say that science asks the HOW? and WHEN? questions: “How did this happen and when?”

Christianity asks the WHY? and WHO? questions: “Why did this happen and who’s responsible?”

 7  Some Examples Of  Two Ways Of Looking At The Same Thing:

a)  Object: Diamond.  To a millionaire it’s an article for giving prestige.  To the geologist it’s a piece of native crystallised carbon with a hardness of 10.  To an engaged couple it’s a symbol of their love.  Which one is true? They all are! 

b)  Event: A window is broken, why? Answer in scientific terms:  When a missile weighing four ounces travelling at 60mph strikes a pane of glass 2mm thick, the glass will shatter.  Answer in personal terms: Johnny Smith threw a stone! Johnny Smith is now crying.  Why? Answer in scientific terms:  When a missile the weight of a man’s hand, and travelling at 40mph, strikes the skin, the nerve ends are aggravated.  Answer in personal terms: Johnny Smith’s dad was so mad when he got the bill for the new window that he slapped his son’s rump with great force! Which explanation is correct?

They all are! 

c)  People:  The scientific explanation of our human make-up: each person has fat enough for 7 bars of soap.  Iron enough for one medium-sized nail.  Sugar enough for seven cups of tea.  Lime enough to whitewash one chicken coop.  Magnesium enough for one dose of salts.  Phospherous enough to tip 2200 matches.  Potash enough to explode a toy crane.  Sulphur enough to rid one dog of fleas!  Christian view of human make-up: we are created as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual personalities who interact!  Which view is correct?   They both are! 

d)  A Kiss   A kiss is the approach of two pairs of lips with reciprocal transmission of microbes and carbon dioxide.  Next time you want to kiss our wife or girl friend try saying, ‘Let me give you a transmission of microbes and carbon dioxide.’   See what her reaction turns out to be!  Do remember to duck.  Alternatively, although this definition of a kiss is correct, it’s also simply an expression of love.  

e)  Nature: Why does the earth support life? Answer in scientific terms: it’s made up of carbon, oxygen and other vital elements to sustain life forms, and it’s the right size to support an atmosphere.  Christian explanation: God designed and created the earth so that these factors apply.  Which answer is correct?   They both are!    

8  Science Does Not Have All The Answers.

Although science does have so much to offer, and it need not be in conflict with Christianity, it cannot speak to the deepest needs of human beings.  It has nothing to say to those deep levels of human experience.  Science cannot deal with the problems of loneliness, or hearts broken by grief.

Science is unable to solve the moral dilemmas of society.  It has no remedy for the problem of unforgiven sin and guilt.  Only in the cross of Christ do we find the answers to these problems.  We need science and scientists. Our civilisation owes a great deal to their work.  But, more than that, we need Christianity and Christ.