Science

Question 1

who belief that science is compatible with christianity

Answer 1

John Polkinghorne

Question 2

what are Polkinghorne 5 arguments

Answer 2

1. explanation is needed for the fact of the world is intelligible
2. idea of providence is at heart of Gods relationship with the world and human kind
3. both religion and science concerned with understanding and making sense of experience
4. bible gives evidence for christian claims about Jesus which can be rationally examined
5. claims that there is a god seems to many to be one that can be made on the basis of evidence and as such can be treated in the same way as a scientific claim

Question 3

1. explanation is needed for the fact of the world is intelligible

Answer 3

purely sciatific view on universe doesn’t satisfy need to understand the very intelligibility of the world - opens to scientific inquiry science is unable to penetrate sees it as Gods plan
version of anthropic Principe - existence of life a fact of interest calling for an explanation.
demises Humes as speculation as he dismisses multiverse no evidence filed argument against there being a god

Question 4

2. idea of providence is at heart of Gods relationship with the world and human kind

Answer 4

argues God creates sustains cares for human life allows purpose hicks epistemic distance

Question 5

3. both religion and science concerned with understanding and making sense of experience

Answer 5

religious experience don’t require consideration - rejects Humes argument argues differences are due to cultural conditioning

Question 6

4. bible gives evidence for christian claims about Jesus which can be rationally examined

Answer 6

NT Wright necessity of Jesus’ resurrection as a historical event

Question 7

5. claims that there is a god seems to many to be one that can be made on the basis of evidence and as such can be treated in the same way as a scientific claim

Answer 7

insists that religion and science are compatible as different ways of understanding reality

Question 8

give facts on genetic engineering - 3

Answer 8

1. treatments for incurable diseases - genetic energinnering
2. choose to modify DNA - greater intelligence - genetic enhancement therapy
3. modified animals have been created

Question 9

christian responses to enhancement therapy

Answer 9

social rather than medical purpose - creates superior human race - rejected by church
interferes with being made in image of God
two tier society those who can afford and can’t

Question 10

christian responses to somatic cell therapy

Answer 10

therapeutic genetic engineering correct genetic disorders welcomed loving and responsible use of God given skills - as long as benefits outweigh costs

Question 11

christian responses to xenotransplantation

Answer 11

animal diseases potentially being transmitted to human don’t like

Question 12

christian responses to genetically modified crops

Answer 12

poorest countries suffer the most in terms of global climate change and hunger concern about reducing biodiversty unwon consequences of its use
some support

Question 13

medieval times

Answer 13

happy relationship
God ordered universe using natural law

Question 14

renaissance

Answer 14

period in European history - transition from Middle Ages to modernity
new thinking let to progress in art, politics science etc

Question 15

enlightenment

Answer 15

intellectual philosophical movement dominated world of ideas. emerges out of renaissance humanism and preceded by scientific revolution

Question 16

deism

Answer 16

popular in negligent - a diety set things of no longer involved in workings - as laws are set in place most reject - incompatible with church teachings e.g. religious experience

Question 17

existentialism

Answer 17

humans define own meaning in life - existence entirely about choices that make them what they are
no clash between religion and science concerned with meaning and purpose of life
view faith as personal commitment

Question 18

Darwin evolution

Answer 18

noticed how animals differed from another on different islands
different conditions = adaptions
survival of forest only strongest survived
contraversal, competitive, blind

Question 19

What were the 4 main assumptions that Darwins theory challenged

Answer 19

1. separate creation - gen 1 - god gave life
   Darwin - Natural process have common ancestor
2. instant creation - gen 1 - 6 day create
   Darwin been a struggle/ vast timespan
3. providential creation - bible creation Gods goodness
   darwin - theory heartless result of natural forces rather than guiding hand
4. uniqueness of humanity - gen 1 man in image of God
   darwin - humans no more animal than child of God

Question 20

19th century christian responses to Darwins theory

Answer 20

initial responses were defensive and dismissive evolution was seen as an affront on the Bible
Church of England ridiculed the theory
fundamentalists disagreed - bible couldn’t be wrong
some lost faith in God
liberals allowed theory

Question 21

creationists

Answer 21

fundamentalists - once one belief undermined all collapses
scripture inspired and true
evolution - theory - may be proved wrong science can only support scripture

Question 22

young earth creationism

Answer 22

genesis literally true 100,000 years ago

Question 23

old earth creationism

Answer 23

accepts earth 4 million years old - allows evolution God created it

Question 24

god of the gaps

Answer 24

doesn’t need to explain everything.. god fills in gaps as we understand more science God gave out

Question 25

steady state theory

Answer 25

Hoyle - matter and energy are constant throughout universe - continuous creation

Question 26

what is the Big Bang

Answer 26

many rejected too theistic
cosmic explosion of dense matter, cooled down chemical reactions took place - creating life. can calculate age by how far away we are due to rotations
others believes the multiverses theory adds on doesn’t give answer for galaxies being created

Question 27

what are the christian response to the Big Bang - 3

Answer 27

1. Catholic Church - accept gen 1 myth
2. deism - God was cause of Big Bang - God is uninvolved
3. creationism - young earth - reject. Big Bang age is wrong
   old earth - gen 1 compatible

Question 28

challenge to religion - 2

Answer 28

1. carbon dating - accepted showing unverse to be old
2. Bertrand Russell - universe brute fact

Question 29

who created the intelligent design argument

Answer 29

behe

Question 30

intelligent design - 7

Answer 30

1. claims to be scientificic theory
2. evolution doesn’t explain origin development of universe
3. point to discoveries of DNA
4. irreducible complexity - refers to complexity of biological systems
5. behe analogy mouse trap removal of any piece would destroy function
6. natural selection couldn’t create irreducibly complex systems
7. irreducibly complex biological mechanisms include cilia and adaptive immune system challegenes idea of them evolving from simples forms - argues need for designer

Question 31

what does Behe think abut intelligent designer

Answer 31

behe refused to identify the intelligent designer
certain foundations and assumptions with Darwins theory are now dismissed
Doesn’t reject is altogether can’t alone account for development of complex organisms
Most christians reject no conflict in accepting natural selection God created. Catholics reject harmful to both