Origins Flashcards
What are literal christians?
They take everything in the bible word for word, if it’s not in the Bible it didn’t happen
What are liberal Christians?
They take the bible liberally (loosley) the creation of the universe and life is symbolic and can work alongside science and have different interpretations
What are scientific materialists?
Scientists that are not religious, they believe the only way to discover truth is through science, they reject anything religious that cannot be proved
Quote for literal christians
“Everything was created by God in six, literal, 24-hour days about 6000 years ago” - Ken Ham
Quote for liberal Christians
“If in any way science threatens your faith, then you probably need to get a better faith” - Rob Bell
Quote for scientific materialists
“Nearly all peoples have developed their own creation myth, and the genesis story is just the one that happen to be adopted by one particular tribe of middle eastern herders” - Richard Dawkins
What is the nature of God?
Omniscient - All knowing
Omnibenevolent- All loving
Omnipotent - All powerful
Transcendent - Beyond human understanding
Eternal - Was not made, has always existed and will always exist
Creator - Created the universe, life, everything
Explain Genesis 1 (6 days)
Day 1 - Light and dark
Day 2 - Sea and sky
Day 3 - Land and plants
Day 4 - Sun, moon and stars
Day 5 - Creatures of the sky and sea
Day 6 - Humans and land animals
Day 7 - Day of rest
Liberal response to Genesis 1
They don’t deny creation but see it as a way of understanding the universe. The Bible is a simplified story that allows humans a glimpse into God’s workings (transcendent, dumbed down). Science doesn’t undermine this, but enhances it (science gives the how, God gives the why). Day age view, instead of 6 24-hour days, each day could have been the long periods of time that are the stages of the developing universe after the big bang.
Literal response to Genesis 1
Everything has to be taken literally. Accepting the big bang theory would mean denying God as a creatorand preserver of the universe. Science has been wrong in the past, it relies on observation and they don’t know how the big bang started, unreliable theory that gives no meaning or purpose.
Scientific materialists response to Genesis 1
The bible has been around for so long that it is outdated, they deny the existence of God. The bible doesn’t use empirical evidence and the scientific method.
What is divine revelation?
One way christians might get their knowledge: Story comes directly from god in a dream or vision to humans, God can do this because he is omnipotent, God is omnibenevolent so we can trust the truth of Genesis, God is omniscient so He knows how to write it so we’d understand
Strengths and weaknesses of divine revelation
Strengths: It’s directly from God and he would only choose good people to give the message to
Weaknesses: People could lie and dreams are misleading
What is oral tradition/word of mouth?
Another method of how Christians get their knowledge: The story could have been passed down directly from Adam and Eve to their children and so on until it was eventually written down. Some might argue the story is unchanged, but others may say it has become more poetic and less accurate with all the retellings.
Strengths and weaknesses of oral tradition/word of mouth?
Strengths: Comes from primary source that witnessed it
Weaknesses: People can mishear it, change it, or forget parts
What is the scientific method?
Observe, Hypothesis, Evidence/Experiment, Verify
Strengths and weaknesses of scientific method?
Strengths: Reliable, evidence is used to prove/disprove, scientists work to prove their theories
Weaknesses: science has been wrong in the past, no meaning or value if life was created by pure chance
What is the big bang theory?
There was nothing, then there was a singularity which is a really hot dense point which then rapidly expanded which lead to creation of time, matter, space and energy. (Elements were made, then as it cooled down planets formed)
What is red shift?
When you are close to a light source it is violet in colour, far away it is red, the background light in our galaxy is red -> implies something has pushed us away and is still expanding
What is cosmic background radiation?
Lots of heat and radiation in the universe -> scientists suggest this is leftover heat from the big bang expansion (e.g. sparklers)
Abundance of 3 certain elements?
There is approximately 90% of atoms that are hydrogen, scientists suggest is the Big bang theory happened there would be lots of hydrogen
What is Genesis 2?
God created Adam from the soil and blew life giving breath into him. He then made Adam name lots of animals, then made him fall asleep, took out his rib and made Eve with it. You can trace the age (6000 year old, by stories in the bible)
Literal interpretation of Genesis 2?
They believe that accepting evolution means rejecting God as creator. Believe in Genesis 2 word for word, animals made after humans, humans have total control over animals and a duty to take care of the earth. Implication of Adam and Eve speaking directly to God means we had a special relationship with God from the start, humans formed to have connection with God.
What is the issue of Cain’s wife?
Who does Cain take as his wife if his parents and siblings are the only humans on earth?
Responses to Cain’s wife issue
1) Cain’s wife could have been his sister, it was a different time and this does not mean it is okay.
2) There was another group of ppl created by God not mentioned in the bible, these ppl might have lived around the same time as Adam and Eve and are just hinted at, God only included the most important parts in the Bible
Liberal response to Genesis 2?
People living too long or the serpent speaking aren’t an issue, because it’s symbolic. Adam and Eve may represent all of humanity, the snake is temptation, it’s the meaning behind it that’s important. God is the why, science is the how, they can believe in evolution.
Scientific materialists response to Genesis 2?
They need cold hard facts, physical evidence in order to believe. If evidence suggests they’re wrong, they change their beliefs, faith isn’t enough. Genesis 2 is outdated and meant to provide meaning and purpose and explain why before science existed. Science explains the unknown so it is no longer needed. (Religion only exists because of evolution, community bonds)
What is evolution?
An explanation of the orgins of all living things; plants, animals, fungi ect. All living things have a common ancestor.
Who came up with the theory of evolution and how?
Charles Darwin travelled the world on the HMS Beagle looking at biodiversity and fossils, coming up with the theory of natural selection. His findings on this were published 20 years after his journey began, it was called “The origins of species”.
What is natural selection?
It drives evolution, it’s when animals are born with advantages (traits) that help them survive.
Evidence for evolution? (fossils)
Fossils: Most evidence is this, shows how species are connected and change over time. Bones of dead creatures, if they come from different places they have similarities but certain changes.
Issues with evidence for evolution?
Fossils: Fossil records are consistent with catastophism (mass extinction), something like the flood of Noah. Christians could argue this proves the word is only thousands of years old not millions. There are also too many missing links, the creatures could just all be seperate creatures that got killed in the flood.
Embryology: Nothing wrong with God reusing good features
Evidence for evolution, embryology?
Embryology: Human embryos are very similar to dolphin embryos. Humans, lions, chimpanzees and many other creatures all have rib cages and have common features
What are Darwin’s finches?
Finches that each lived in a different environment but are part of the same species, their beaks were different (adapted) so they could eat the food that was most plentiful where they lived
Evidence for evolution, DNA?
DNA mutation is a blind process (natural selection). Everyone has different DNA, even twins, this is called genetic diversity. Caused by sexual shuffling which is mixing of different genes during sex and genetic mutation, it’s when mistakes are made when genes are being copied
What is compatibility?
How well the literal, liberal and scientific views work together
How to answer compatibility question?
What do the viewpoints have in common?
Do they help eachother?
Do they weaken eachother?
Purpose, timelines, how much they agree/disagree
If the question only mentions origins what can you write about?
Origins of the universe and origins of life
How to answer any origins questions?
Start off with the topic question, religious/scientific, then check what section of origins and whether it’s compatibility or what extent you agree
What would liberalits say about the connection between science and faith?
They are two parallel lines that never meet or they are like water and oil they do not mix
