Assignment

Question 1

What is my assignment topic?

Answer 1

To what extent do you agree with scientific and religious explanations on the Origins of the Universe?

Question 2

My introduction for my assignment

Answer 2

Since the beginning of time, the question of how and when the universe was created has always still been persistent. There are many theories and understandings but no definite answer on origins. These theories on origins of the universe can start big discussions and debates between scientists and religious people. If a person is religious this can bring them a feeling of faith and hope in their religion, if someone is not religious it guides them to find out more scientifically about how the universe could have been created. Information about origins can be found anywhere and everywhere, yet it is the reliability and validity of this information which is vitally important. If someone is looking for a scientific theory, they may look for information from modern scientists, additionally may do their own experiments to research their beliefs on origins. However, if someone is looking at a more religious response, they may look at more spiritual sources, biblical texts and information provided by religious leaders. I will be talking about three different viewpoints of origins of the universe.

Question 3

What is the scientific theory of the universe?

Answer 3

The big bang

Question 4

What is the Big Bang?

Answer 4

This is the idea that the universe rapidly expanded outwards from one singular point, this rapid expansion is called the Big Bang.

Question 5

What is the singularity?

Answer 5

The singular point that the universe came from is called the singularity, it is said to be immensely hot and immensely dense. The singularity holds all the matter that is spread all over our universe. Scientists believe the Big Bang happened to be around 14 billion years ago.

Question 6

Who came up with the singularity?

Answer 6

Belgian physicist and priest Georges Lemaître did in 1927. He reached this conclusion after solving Albert Einstein equations for general relativity and then using these theories that the universe is expanding. Therefore, suggesting that there was a point of expansion in the universe from which it began.

Question 7

A quote about the Big Bang

Answer 7

“almost everyone now believes that the universe, and time itself, had a beginning at the Big Bang.” – Stephen hawking.

Question 8

Two pieces of evidence to do with the Big Bang?

Answer 8

Red shift and CMBR

Question 9

What is red shift?

Answer 9

It is discovered that light from distant galaxies and clusters there shifted towards the red end of the spectrum, showing they were moving away at speed, providing the necessary evidence that the universe was expanding. Redshift occurs due to light waves stretch to red as objects move away. Watching and seeing other galaxies has shown that the universe did expand from one point, if it was reversed the universe originated from one point.

Question 10

Who discovered red shift?

Answer 10

An American astronomer Edwin Hubble

Question 11

Who discovered CMBR

Answer 11

CMBR (cosmic microwave background radiation) was discovered in 1948 by Ralph Alpher

Question 12

What is CMBR?

Answer 12

he predicted that leftover heat from the Big Bang should be detectable as microwave radiation.

Question 13

Who seen the cosmic background radiation?

Answer 13

This cosmic microwave background radiation was seen by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1964.

Question 14

A quote from Robert Wilson?

Answer 14

“We found a noise that came from every direction and that noise turned out to be the birth cry of the universe.”

Question 15

Can u physically see CMBR?

Answer 15

CMBR appears visually as a a faint, uniform background glow not associated with any stars or galaxies.

Question 16

How does CMBR relate with the Big Bang theory?

Answer 16

Coincidentally this microwave radiation is dated to be around 14 billion years old, which supports the Big Bang theory. If you are tuning an old radio or Tv and you hear a static cracking, it is from the radiation left over from the Big Bang.

Question 17

An implication of the scientific view on the universe?

Answer 17

An implication of this view that does not agree with the origins of the universe is that science has been wrong before by ‘proving the earth was flat’ so how can we be sure they have proven this?

Question 18

Another implication of the scientific view on the universe?

Answer 18

Another implication of this view that does not agree with the origins of the universe is that since scientists argue that time itself started with the Big Bang, there is no reason to question what happened before because there can be no ‘before’ without time- essentially this makes the view less convincing there are still lora they can’t explain. This leaves more room for religious explanations.

Question 19

A last implication of the scientific view of the universe

Answer 19

A last implication of this view is The Big Bang Theory does not address the creation of the universe, it explains the evolution of it. Therefore, the scientific knowledge still has gaps meaning science cannot fully explain how the singularity formed or if something else was involved in its formation. This could leave room for religious people to claim God created the singularity etc.

Question 20

What do creationists believe?

Answer 20

Creationists take the biblical account of creation found in genesis; therefore, creationists who read this believe this is exactly how the universe was created.

Question 21

What is the literal Christian approach?

Answer 21

The literal Christian approach to origins is that they believe in the first four days of creation by God as described in genesis account of creation. In the first four days of creation day 1 was light, day 2 was sky, day 3 was land, plants, and day 4 was sun moon and stars.

Question 22

Why do young earth creationists take the bible seriously?

Answer 22

Young earths creationists take the bible literally because it is there source of information they believe the bible to be literally what happened, they think it’s the direct word of god. Young earth creationists are a type of literal Christians that believe the book of genesis is literally true.

Question 23

When do young earth creationists believe god created earth?

Answer 23

they believe God created the universe around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago which contradicts the scientific view that earth is around 14 billion years old. They base this belief on biblical timelines.

Question 24

What is the ‘special creation’

Answer 24

Young earth creationists also believe in the ‘special creation’ where God directly gets in involved, suspending natural laws for the earth to create the earth, universe and life highlighting that god and his power lets him carry out anything regardless of natural laws.

Question 25

An example of a creationist and a quote

Answer 25

An example of a Creationist is Ken Ham, and he said “You mean there is no way god, the infinite creator, could not have created the universe in six days just six thousand years ago? God could have created everything in six seconds if he wanted too!”

Question 26

What is evidence of the creationist view?

Answer 26

Evidence of the creationist view comes from the bible. Creationists believe that the complex significant details of the universe, such as water, says the intentional design by a supreme being, other then a random chance event. For instance, the amount of water on earths surface helps regulate temperature, preventing extreme changes between night and day. Creationists see this natural temperature regulation as important because it is evidence of gods design to support life.

Question 27

A example of a creationist and a quote from them?

Answer 27

Creationist paul Taylor once said “I don’t need evidence for my faith, my faith is, itself the evidence. Truth.”

Question 28

An implication of the creationist view on origins?

Answer 28

One implication of the creationist view on origins of the universe is a literal understanding of the biblical text is very limiting. It removes any chance of growth, comparison, or more understanding. Instead, it confines believers to a strict understanding.

Question 29

Another implication of the creationist view?

Answer 29

Another implication of this view of the creationist view on origins of the universe is that it is unshakable, this means that they will not change their mind despite new evidence which contradicts their views. They have absolute faith in the bible.

Question 30

What is the scientific Christian view point

Answer 30

Scientific Christian’s look at both the creationist and scientific viewpoints and take both into consideration. They believe that genesis 1 should not be taken literally, but metaphorically. As such they also understand that the bible holds the truth of God but not the literal truth of what happened. This shows that they take the biblical account in, yet it is differently to how creationists believe it.

Question 31

What do scientific Christian’s use the bible for?

Answer 31

Scientific Christian’s use the bible to provide a purpose of creation and to gain a deeper understanding of God. However, they do not use the bible as fact of what happened. Instead, they use the text to help support and articulate their faith in gods' creation of the universe.

Question 32

What do scientific Christian’s use the Big Bang theory for?

Answer 32

They accept the scientific understanding of origins of the universe (the Big Bang). However, they believe that God is the reason behind the Big Bang and he is the reason it happened in the first place. Therefore, they believe the Big Bang is the start of gods creation and would argue that he is reason it happened.

Question 33

Quote from the scientific Christian view point?

Answer 33

Gregory of Nyssa once said, “What man of sense could believe that there could have been, a first and a second and a third day of creation, each with a morning and an evening, before the sun had been created?” This quote is saying that it can’t be literal days because there wasn’t a sun, so there couldn’t be a day meaning it must mean periodic periods of time.

Question 34

Where does evidence for the scientific Christian viewpoint come from?

Answer 34

Bible and scientific theory ( big bang theory)

Question 35

Evidence for the scientific Christian’s through the bible and science?

Answer 35

They will contextualise and try learning and understand God and how he created the universe through both these methods. When relating to origins of the universe, scientific Christian’s take the view on genesis metaphorically. Therefore, they believe that the six days of creation could be taken as long six eras of time rather than literal 24-hour days.

Question 36

What does the Hebrew word ‘yom’ mean and how does it link to time?

Answer 36

This interpretation has gained support partly due to the Hebrew word ‘yom’ which is sometimes translated to days. However, the word has different meanings such as extended period like an era. The scientific Christian view on genesis 1of the six days of creation should be in fact be taken as six protracted periods of time because it corresponds into the scientific viewpoint outlined in the Big Bang theory.

Question 37

What is an implication of the scientific Christian viewpoint point?

Answer 37

An implication of the scientific Christian viewpoint is that there are so many ways to interpret biblical texts, so how do people know which interpretation of the biblical text is true? This makes it different to tell what the ‘truth’ is.

Question 38

Another implication of the scientific Christian viewpoint point

Answer 38

Another implication of the scientific Christian’s viewpoint is that it explains a strong explanation to how and why the universe was created, its logical understanding and evidence to support their view. This provides believers with an explanation to their existence.