No, not the TV show about geeky scientists and engineers that those of us in the scientific community know is much, much too true to life.
The scientific theory. You know the one - the one that says the universe is ever-expanding, and that this expansion finds its origin in a single point (mathematically termed, a singularity) that "exploded" out along time ago in the "big bang."
Yeah, that big bang. The one that generated yet more controversy in the debate between science and religion over origins. That debate has, at times, degraded into something like this :
Science: The Big Bang Theory: the universe began from the rapid expansion of a very hot, dense state - a singularity. No need for a Creator here, folks.
Religion: The Big Bang Theory: God said, "Bang!" and it happened. Can I get an AMEN?
Forgive me for interjecting some humor into the discussion. ;-)
The problem, at least as I see it, is that neither side really knows where this theory came from to begin with, and then, that both sides need to - yes, I'm going to say it - both sides need to get over themselves and realize that there's no need to take sides when we can live together peaceably! So let's clear this up a little.
The Big Bang Theory was first postulated by a brilliant Belgian physicist, Georges Lemaitre. Let me be more specific, though.
It would be more correct and proper to refer to Lemaitre as Monsignor Georges Lemaitre.
Yes. That's right. He was a Catholic priest. And an MIT-educated physicist. All at the same time.
I believe Lemaitre understood, as so many on both sides of the argument today do not, that the point of science is not to prove or disprove the existence of God.
The point of science is to study the natural world. The point of theology is to study God. Science and theology inevitably meet up for persons of faith, and they often meet up in that place we call beauty - i.e., when we look up at the stars at night, and can only think of the words to the old hymn "Conditor Alme Siderum," - in English, "Creator of the Stars of Night".
I can't come up with any kind of experiment to do in my lab that will prove or disprove the existence of God, and that's. just. fine. It's not why I do science. I do science to learn about the world around me, and to apply what I learn in developing improved technologies to help people. Not to say I don't pray for my experiments to work, but that's another issue entirely!
It seems to me that too many people on both sides of the proverbial fence have lost sight of what I think are a few fundamental facts. We would do well to recall that:
First, it really doesn't matter what science discovers about the origins of the world. God is not a measurable, observable, quantifiable phenomenon... which places Him outside the realm of science. Remember that the next time you hear an atheist physicist go on and on about how God can't possibly exist. That's really his own personal belief talking - it's not anything he discovered in the lab. Sure, the Big Bang may have been what started the expansion of the universe and set into motion what eventually became our living world. That doesn't mean it happened by itself! Science cannot touch faith, for good reason. It can't put a number on it. But it also doesn't mean that scientists who are also people of faith do not see the action of God in the things we observe in the course of our work.
Secondly, science is not the enemy - but we must know where science stands. Those who work in science, by and large, are not in this game to even attempt to prove or disprove the existence of God. We understand that God is, as stated above, not a quantifiable phenomenon. We're curious about fundamental laws that govern natural processes, and what we can learn about what makes the universe tick - even if it's on the far less than astrophysical scale, say, synthesizing a new material that could have biomedical applications or the like. We want to learn about nature, and on the engineering side, how we can find ways to mimic its intricate workings. Yes, there are plenty of atheists in science, but there are plenty of believers, too. The atheists may often get more attention. That doesn't mean the rest of us aren't still here. As scientists, we must be confident in the tools provided us to tease out the nature of nature, but also willing to humbly commit ourselves to where science can reasonably take us, and cognizant of where it can't.
Thirdly, faith is also not the enemy - but we must know where we stand in our faith with respect to science. Just like some atheist scientists don't do themselves any favors running their mouths about their personal lack of belief in God, so we must take care not to defame scientific discoveries because we don't understand them, or they don't seem to fit in with the literal story of creation laid out in Genesis. Believing in God need not make us anti-science, and certainly should not make us scared of science and scientific discoveries. We know Who we believe in. We don't know everything about how He created the world... and that's okay. (Hey, it gives some of us day jobs!! Good for the economy!) As believers, we must be confident in our faith, willing to let science do its duty in uncovering secrets of the world God created, and cognizant of the fact that since God's mind conceived of the entire universe and all its intricacies, we have much to learn about both God, and His creation.
Instead of seeing only a battle between faith and science, it would do us well, perhaps, to consider each as the other's fulfillment. Science illuminates the creation of the God in whom we believe; faith gives purpose to the amazing order that science has observed in the universe. Complementarity, not opposition. Einstein said it well, "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."
"Creator of the stars of night,
your people's everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer of us all,
we pray you hear us when we call.
In sorrow that the ancient curse
should doom to death a universe,
you came, O Savior, to set free
your own in glorious liberty..."
+peace, and all good!
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