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Christianity and Science - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Peter Atkins
        
        God of the Gaps is placing a divine placeholder in areas where we lack understanding
        
        As science progresses, these gaps will continue to shrink
      - Dawkins
        
        God of the Gpas is a lazy way of thinking that hinders scientific inquiry
      - Drummond
        
        Warned against God of the Gaps because this approach could ultimately weaken faith when science progresses and fills these gaps
      - Examples of God of the Gaps
        
        Lightning and natural disasters
        
        Origin of life and complexity
      - Christian responses to God of the Gaps
        
        Theistic Evolution
        
        Compatibility
        
        God's role is not to intervene in specific gaps but to be the foundational source of existence and order for the entire universe
        
        Invoking God is not necessarily a sign of ignorance but an acknowledgement of the mysterious and transcendent nature of reality
    - - All species of life share a common ancestry
        
        Natural selection
      - Human evolution
        
        Bipedalism
        
        Cognitive abilities
        
        Tool use and manipulation
      - Evidence
        
        Fossils
        
        Comparative anatomy reveals anatomical similarities
      - Christian responses to the theory of evolution
        
        Creationism and fundamentalism
        
        Literal interpretation of the Bible
        
        God created the world in 6 days
        
        Young Earth Creationists
        
        Earth is 6000 years old
        
        Fundamentalist Christians reject evolution as incompatible with this belief
        
        Eg. Ken Ham's Creation Museum,Kentucky USA
        
        Intelligent design
        
        Argues that certain features of the natural world are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than natural processes
        
        An offshoot of creationism
        
        Eg. Dover Trial
        
        Dawkins' 'Selfish Gene' challenges ID by explaining complex biological behaviors through natural selection
        
        Metaphorical interpretation
        
        Biblical creation accounts should be understood metaphorically rather than as literal historical records
        
        The primary purpose of these accounts is to convey theological and spiritual truths about God's role and relationship with humanity
        
        Eg. Roman Catholic Church
        
        Theistic evolution
        
        Eg. BioLogos Foundation - seeks to reconcile science and faith
        
        Roman Catholicism and many Protestant denominations
        
        The evolutionary process is a means through which God's plan unfolds, rather than a challenge to faith
    - - The Theory of the Big Bang
        
        The universe began as an incredibly dense and hot point, 13.8 billion years ago, and has been expanding ever since
        
        Evidence for the Big Bang Theory
        
        Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
        
        'Afterglow' of the initial intense heat of the Big Bang.
        
        Its uniformity and specific temperature distribution match the predictions of a hot and dense early universe.
        
        Redshift of galaxies
        
        Reveals galaxies are moving away from us, and the farther away from us they are, the faster they are receding.
        
        This is consistent with an expanding universe scenario.
        
        Abundance of light elements in the universe
        
        Particularly hydrogen and helium.
        
        Early universe's extreme heat and density allowed for nuclear fusion to occur, forming these element.
        
        Cosmic structures
        
        Supports the idea that matter has been expanding and clustering together over billions of years.
      - Christian responses to the Big Bang Theory
        
        integration and enrichment
        
        Many Christians have embraced the theory as a confirmation of the idea that the universe had a definite begginning, aligning with ex nihilo
        
        Science offers insight into the how of creation
        
        Supported by Pope Pius XII in 1951
        
        Prime mover argument
        
        Reflection of the idea that something external to the universe initiated the cosmic expansion
        
        Resognates with a transcendent God who set the universe in motion
        
        Aquinas argued for a 'prime mover' or 'first cause'
        
        Questioning the beginning
        
        Questions lead to reflections on the nature of God's existence and interaction with time-bound realities
        
        Did anything come before this beginning of the universe?
        
        Stephen Hawking explored the concept of what happened before the BB and many Christians engage in this
        
        Interpretive flexibility
        
        Inyterpretations vary
        
        Some may assert a literal interpretation of the Bible's creation account and reject the BB theory
        
        Others take metaphorical approaches to Genesis, allowing coexistence between their faith and science
        
        Catholic Church take a flexible stance, with even Pope Francis claiming the theory does not contradict the idea of divine creation
        
        Dialogue with science
        
        Many aim to find common ground between faith and science
        
        Emphasise both realms can provide insights into the nature of reality
        
        Biologos Foundation emphasises harmony between faith and science
        
        Potential conflict
        
        BB theory contradicts Genesis
        
        However, many denominations advocate for an approach that accommodates science without abandoning core beliefs
        
        Creationist opposition (eg. Young Earth Creationists) interpret the BB theory and Bible's creation story as incompatible
        
        Ethical implications
        
        Some Christians contend that recognising the vastness of the universe and humanity's place within it underscores the importance of stewardship and care for creation
        
        Environmental stewardship
  - - - Evolution does not account for human intelligence and its capacity to understand the cosmos
    - - Science explores the natural world through empirical observation
      - Theology engages with questions of ultimate meaning
  - - - Artificially manipulating genes
      - The HFE Act permits research on foetal development for up to 14 days
        
        Eg. contraception, fertility, genetic abnormalities
      - Negative therapy
        
        Removal of defects
      - Positive therapy
        
        Enhancement of geens
    - - Use of human stem cells
      - Therapeutic cloning
        
        Producing stem cells to treat diseases
      - Reproductive cloning
        
        Cloning that makes a duplicate copy of another organism (eg. Dolly the Sheep)
    - - Sancyity of life
      - 'Designer babies'
      - Boundary between natural and artificial becomes blurred
      - Parenthood is adjusted
    - - Human dignity and Sanctity of life
      - Stewardship over creation
      - Playing God
      - Alleviation of suffering
      - Respect for creation