1. Challenges of Big Bang Theory to Religious Belief & Responses to those Challenges!

2. Challenges Big Bang brings to Religion 1.The world is older than Christianity thought – evidence for Big Bang shows universe is billions, not thousands, of years old. 2.The universe is bigger than is implied in Genesis – if it is that big, then earth is not all- important. 3.If we are just a tiny part of this big universe, then we are not all that important either! Do we even have a purpose? 4.Scientific theories present challenges as to how Christians understand teachings on heaven and hell / sin and suffering / the story of Jesus / etc 5.Some say the Big Bang theory removes all need for God as an explanation for the universe.

3. Ockham’s Razor This is used by scientific materialists It states that the best and most truthful way to solve a problem is the most simple way For example, it is more simple to attribute the flu to germs, and to explain it will work it’s way out of your system naturally than it is to explain that you are sick because you upset God by doing a,b,c and he is punishing you for this, and if you want to get better you must do x,y,z. Therefore it is most logical to believe the most simple explanation – germs cause the flu Therefore, when talking about the origin of the universe it is most simple to stop with the Big Bang than to add another level of explanation by saying ‘God caused the Big Bang’ The Big Bang alone explains it, therefore stop there! Adding God makes it more complicated!

4. Responses to the Challenge of the Big Bang 1.Scientific theories say the universe had a beginning – with the Big Bang. Christians who accept science see God as the ‘author’ of the Big Bang. 2.Timescale and size do not matter if you take a symbolic view of Genesis - it still gives a message as to importance of human life 3.Science answers ‘how’ and religion answers ‘why’ 4.Uncovering the ‘how’ shows God let some ‘openness’ for human creativity etc – after all, Christians don’t want to be puppets 5.The fact that this vast universe created us is amazing – shows evidence of ‘Intelligent Design’ rather than randomness 6.Some people just say science and religion are different and should stick to their own areas without commenting on each other! 7.Others reject science all together as misguided misinterpretation of the facts revealed to us by God!