Science and Christianity: friends or foes? Steve Taylor

Ever heard the following? “ Scientists don’t believe in God ” “ Scientists don’t believe in God ” “At the present rate of progress, it is almost impossible to imagine any technical feat that cannot be achieved” “At the present rate of progress, it is almost impossible to imagine any technical feat that cannot be achieved” “ Science is based on evidence, Christianity is based on faith ” “ Science is based on evidence, Christianity is based on faith ”

Great scientists who are also Christians… Past: Faraday, Maxwell, Fleming Morse etc Today: Andrews, Burgess,Lennox, McIntosh, Nevin, Wright etc

The limitations of Science Limited remit : Limited remit : ‘How or what... but not why?’ Science is always changing : Science is always changing : No certainties Scientific method based on repeatable experiments: Scientific method based on repeatable experiments: Origins ? Science does not and cannot disprove the claims of Christianity! Science does not and cannot disprove the claims of Christianity!

Christianity: evidence based Creation Creation Where did everything come from? Where did everything come from? Life from non-life… information implies Intelligence Life from non-life… information implies Intelligence Right and wrong…we are moral beings Right and wrong…we are moral beings Design is everywhere…. Design is everywhere…. ‘For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; even His eternal power and Godhead’ Romans 1:20

Sandcastle in Oregon…Accident or Design?

Christianity: evidence based Bible Bible Claims to be the Word of God Claims to be the Word of God Teachings unsurpassed Teachings unsurpassed Never proven wrong, always correct Never proven wrong, always correct Predictive prophecies fulfilled in detail…. Predictive prophecies fulfilled in detail….

Psalm 22… “They pierced my hands and my feet…they look and stare at me… they divide my garments among them, for my my clothing they cast lots…” Written 1000BC, 300 years before crucifixion was invented Fulfilled in detail when Jesus was crucfied

Christianity: evidence based Christ Christ The central figure of human history - BC:AD The central figure of human history - BC:AD Claimed to be God: Claimed to be God: “ I and my Father are one “ John 10:30 “ I and my Father are one “ John 10:30 Eyewitness accounts of life and miracles Eyewitness accounts of life and miracles Rose from the dead 3 days after crucifixion Rose from the dead 3 days after crucifixion

Christianity: evidence based ‘Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. Luke 1:1-4

Christianity: evidence based The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:1-3

“ He is not here, for He is risen, behold the place where He lay” Matthew 28:9 predicted seen by witnesses friends doubters enemies believed by millions best explanation…? The facts: 1.Christ lived 2.Christ died 3.His tomb was empty The empty tomb...

Conversion Conversion Then: Thomas the doubter, Paul the persecutor, Lydia the seller of cloth… Then: Thomas the doubter, Paul the persecutor, Lydia the seller of cloth… Throughout history: Wesley, Newton… Throughout history: Wesley, Newton… Today… Today… Christianity: evidence based

Science and Christianity…. Science arose out of a Christian worldview ‘Friends… not enemies’ Science arose out of a Christian worldview ‘Friends… not enemies’ Some great scientists also Christians: Some great scientists also Christians: ‘It is the very nature of science, that leads me to belief in God’ Professor John Lennox (Oxford) ‘It is the very nature of science, that leads me to belief in God’ Professor John Lennox (Oxford) Science: limited remit, no certainties: Science: limited remit, no certainties: On origins – speculative On origins – speculative Based on repeatable experiments: Based on repeatable experiments: The scientific method… The scientific method…

So where is the conflict…. Naturalism: Naturalism: ‘There is no Creator, no design, no purpose. Everything there is emerged and evolved by chance from an unknown void…’ ‘There is no Creator, no design, no purpose. Everything there is emerged and evolved by chance from an unknown void…’ ‘Nothing + no-one = everything’ ‘Nothing + no-one = everything’ Unproven philosophy (not science) Unproven philosophy (not science) Christianity and naturalism are opposed Christianity and naturalism are opposed Science and naturalism are opposed Science and naturalism are opposed

Questions to the atheist…. How did fine-tuned orderly Universe arrive out of chaos by chance? Where did it all come from? How did life arise spontaneously from dead material?

Some conclusions… What is faith…. What is faith…. A verdict based on evidence A verdict based on evidence Trust in a reliable person Trust in a reliable person Christianity is a reasonable faith based on solid evidence…. Christianity is a reasonable faith based on solid evidence…. creation, reason, Bible, history, Jesus Christ creation, reason, Bible, history, Jesus Christ The message of Jesus: The message of Jesus: ‘…the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the Gospel’ Mark 1:15