Science and Religion

Question 0

Who popularised the idea of evolution and when?

Answer 0

Charles Darwin, in the 19th century

Question 1

What different questions do science and religion ask?

Answer 1

Science asks ‘how’ and religion asks ‘why’

Question 2

What is evolution?

Answer 2

The theory that animal and plant life forms have developed and adapted from simpler forms of life (through natural selection)

Question 3

Give five reasons why Richard Dawkins is opposed to religion

Answer 3

1. Religion is wrong and dangerous (causes wars)
2. Religious ideas cannot be tested and are based on an ancient book
3. Religious ideas brainwash children so they feel guilty and confused
4. Evolution has overwhelming evidence for it
5. Evolution does not need God because the world has no ultimate purpose

Question 4

What two things does Stephen Hawking think about the Big Bang?

Answer 4

1. We have enough evidence to suggest the universe began 15 billion years ago with the Big Bang
2. We can explain the physical conditions that led to the Big Bang and don’t need ‘the God hypothesis’

Question 5

Give six arguments in favour of Creationism

Answer 5

1. The Bible is inspired by God’s Holy Spirit
2. The Bible has more authority than changing human scientific opinions
3. The Bible is more accurate on origins, as God was there at the beginning!
4. Genesis 1 says that God created everything from nothing, just by speaking
5. The universe has the appearance of design and was not created by chance. Nothing comes into existence without a cause
6. Genesis says everything has a purpose and is not ‘blind’

Question 6

Young Earth Creationists believe… (four things)

Answer 6

1. The date of Creation was around 4004BC
2. Cosmologists are wrong when they use the 15 billion years figure
3. Evolution is wrong because humans are God’s special creation, made in His image (Genesis 1)
4. There is no convincing evidence to demonstrate higher lifeforms evolved from simpler ones

Question 7

Intelligent Design Creationists believe (three points)….

Answer 7

1. Science and the Bible agree that creation is amazingly complex
2. For example, the eye is amazingly complex - too much to have come about by chance
3. Complexity points to an intelligent designer, called God

Question 8

Progressive Christians believe there is no conflict between science and religion because (five reasons)…

Answer 8

1. Science gives us great insight into the ‘how’ of the universe
2. Laws of science seem to remain unchanged - an unchanging God sustains these laws and keeps the universe ordered
3. Genesis does not need to be read literally, but as a poetic story which supports the view that God is the all-powerful Creator
4. Evolution does not contradict religion because Genesis already suggests that creation is a process
5. Humans can still have a special relationship with God even if they evolved from lower life forms