Christianity and Science (23) AQA A Level Religious Studies

How did Christians respond to the theory of evolution in the 19^th Century? 

WHAT IS IT? 

• The theory of evolution was proposed by Charles Darwin during his voyage to the Galapagos Islands in 1831-1826.  

• He saw that certain birds within the same species on different islands had different beaks that helped them to eat food. This was known as random mutations.  

• Over time these random mutations can develop into new species since these mutations may create new species as those species are better suited to their environment so are able to reproduce and pass on their genes. (Natural selection) 

• He concluded that all organisms must have evolved from one common ancestor 

GENESIS 1 

• Day 1: God created light; he spoke this into existence (this shows his omnipotence) 

• Day 2: God created an expanse to separate the sky forms the water, he called the expanse heavens  

• Day 3: God created land (called earth) and separated it from the waters (seas). He then created vegetation 

• Day 4:  he created the sun, moon, planets and stars. The sun ruled over the day and the moon ruled over the night. 

• Day 5: God created seas life and birds, “be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas and let the birds multiply on earth” 

• Day 6: animals were created first, then humans were created “in His image”. Humans were given “dominion” over the other animals (suggests that we are more important). He said it was “very good” 

CRITISIMS OF GENESIS 1 

• The timeframes are in days however if the story is followed then days could have only happened on day 4 with the creation of the sun and the moon.  

• God said “let there be light” on one day 1 but light could have only happened on day 4 with the creation of light.  

19^TH CENTURY RESPONSES TO EVOLUTION  

• Ridicule: CofE rejected the theory as rubbish 

• Fundamentalism: these Christians would say that the theory was false as it contradicts the word of God which they believe is the only truth.  

• Losing faith: many became less religious due to the theory 

• Acceptance: Liberal Christians and Catholics who believe Genesis is a myth/poem were mor likely to believe in the theory since they do align with science. They may believe that God created everything, but it wasn’t in 6 days for example. 

Was God behind the Big Bang Theory? 

WHAT IS IT? 

• The BBT is a scientific theory for how the universe began. 

• It states that the world started off a singular point of infinite density of matter, the singularity then exploded and expanded to form the universe we have today.  

• The universe would be around 13.4bn years old according to this theory. 

“The Big Bang, which today we old to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.”- Pope Francis, Oct 2014 

WAS GOD BEHIND THE BBT? 

What kinds of genetic engineering are moral? 

WHAT IS IT? 

• Genetic engineering is where a person's genes are modified to produce a certain characteristic or remove a gene.  

• Genes make up the DNA of everything, genetic engineering will change the genetic makeup of an individual 

BENEFITS OF GE: 

• Gene therapy: cells are worked on in a lab and inserted back into someone to cure a disease 

• Genes can also be used to produce hormones and proteins, this could help produce insulin for someone suffering with type 1 diabetes 

• Genes have been inserted into animals to produce body parts for transplants 

• Genetic engineering can also modify an embryo to ensure a baby doesn't get genetic diseases 

• Genetically modified crops can help those suffering from food shortages and solve hunger as crops could be adapted to grow in more arid regions or become resistant to disease 

DRAWBACKS OF GE: 

• Designer babies: parents may choose their children to have certain eye/hair colour this could lead to segregation between those who can and cannot afford this engineering 

• Trans human: babies may be modified to have “superhuman” qualities such as increased speed or intelligence 

• Ethical implications: experimenting on animals can hurt the animals  

• Embryos are often discarded, and many (Catholics) would view this as murder as it is a potential life.  

• Germline cell therapy modifies genes in sex cells, this passes the information onto the offspring and if something goes wrong it could have long term impacts 

• Genetic engineering removes that we are “made in Gods image” so we almost loos ethe sanctity of life.  

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES: 

Church of England support genetic engineering if it is done to cure diseases and not to create perfect humans. They believe this because: Jesus showed that Christians should do all they can to cure diseases-He was a healer, so Christians should follow His example if it is used positively. The research can lead to people having a better quality of life.  

Roman Catholics are against all forms of genetic research because:  they are trying to ‘play God’, this is a sin. It is wrong to try to make the earth perfect, only heaven is perfect. Because some research is carried out on Embryos which must be destroyed when they are 14 days old Christians see this as murder and ‘thou shalt not kill’. 

Has science proven Christianity false? 

• Enlightenment: period in the 17^th 18^th century, there were several scientific advancements including Issacs Newtons discovery of gravity,  

GOD OF THE GAPS: 

• “I can't explain it, so God did it” 

• Religion has responded to science using this God of the Gaps theory, for example Deists would say that the BBT happened but God was behind it, therefore what we can't explain (what started the BB was God) 

• God fills the gaps where scientific understating has reached its limit 

REPONSES TO THE GOD OF THE GAPS: 

• God of the Gaps theory may be seen as irrational 

• There is little to no evidence for God 

• GOTG could be seen as “lazy” rather than setting out to solve certain questions we simply put it down to God 

• What/who is God? I sit the God of Christianity? God of Islam? Multiple Gods? 

• God will eventually get “smaller” as we make scientific advancements, the point of God is that he is “amazing and beyond powerful” as science explains more God will become less impressive so what would be the point of worshiping a God with limited power? 

• Dawkins and Hawkins reject the belief in God because of this.  

JOHN LENNOX 

• He was a mathematics Professor and a Christian 

• He rejects the GOTG approach 

• He says there are two explanations for everything: 

• Volition: will of personal agent, e.g. If I boil a kettle the reason behind this, is I wanted a cup of tea 

• Scientific: explained by science, e.g. If I boil a kettle the water gets hot because the particles have more energy so, move more thus heating up the kettle 

• This means that the scientific explanation for the creation of the universe is the BB bit we also need a volition explanation, and this could be God.  

• He says that many of sciences definition of what God is isn’t correct, so the GOTG is flawed 

John Polkinghorne- Science is compatible with Christianity 

Providence is at the heart of the relationship between God and humankind and the universe 

• God has and continues to sustain life for a purpose 

• God does this in undetectable ways, we cannot observe God like other physical phenomena  

• People's experiences of God provide a credible explanation of why we are here 

• God could have intervened at the quantum level  

Challengers 

• Problem of evil: why would an omnibenevolent God let so many people suffer? - counter argument: natural vs moral evil, soul making  

Both religion and science are concerned with making sense of experience 

• Science makes sense of physical and observable phenomenon and religion makes sense of spiritual and unseen phenomena. 

• Religious experience cannot be ignored due to how many of them there are across a wide range of cultures 

Challenges 

• There are too many differences between religions e.g., Muslims do not believe Jesus us the son of God whereas Christians do, this is very significant for Christians. This would suggest that Polkinghorne is saying that all religions are true in some way.  

Religious claims can be assessed using evidence akin to scientific investigation 

• The Bible counts as evidence for life, death and resurrection of Jesus 

• Historians accept that Jesus was alive (but depute whether he performed miracles or rose form the dead) 

Challenges 

• No evidence Jesus was the son of God 

• All accounts about Jesus are eyewitness accounts which are less reliable that empirically repeatable experience in science. There is no way we can recreate Jesus, he only existed at one point in time.  

God explains why the universe is intelligible