The Big Bang Theory

• How did the universe form?

  The universe was extremely hot, it expanded to form nuclear reactions and matter. This occurred within a minute
• What is singularity?

  A tiny, super dense and hot ball which contained all matter before the big bang.
• When was the universe formed?

  13.7 billion years ago
• Who proposed the Red Shift? What is it?

  Edwin Hubble proposed this in 1929. It is a result of the space between the Earth and the galaxies expanding. This expansion increases the wavelength of light from these galaxies and shifts them towards the red end of the spectrum.
• What is the CMBR? Why is it evidence for the big bang?

  Cosmic microwave background radiation. Cooled remnant of the first light that could ever travel freely throughout the universe.
• What is the anthropic principle?

  The universe is constructed for the development of intelligent life; even a minute change would not have formed the earth. Fred Tennant argued that this implies that there is a designer. The universe is not chaotic and was designed in such a way in which intelligent life could exist. This is either the culmination of God's plan or the current stage in it
• What is the key feature of the creationists?

  The inerrancy of the Bible
• What do YEC believe about the creation of the universe?

  The universe was created in six days by God. The earth is 6000-10,000 years old (discovered by tracing the human bloodline back to Adam and Eve using the Bible).
• What other beliefs do YEC have?

  - there was no death or decay in the garden of Eden before the fall of mankind

  - human life started when God breathed life into Adam
• What do OEC believe about the 24 hour day?

  Using the Hebrew word 'yom' in genesis to describe the time that god took to create the universe, OEC's believe that it reflects a period of time rather than a literal 24 hour day, making the Big Bang a viable theory. They still link this to the inerrancy of the Bible, as if the universe was created in periods of time by God it is still billions of years old
• What do liberals / David Wilkinson believe?

  Biblical accounts are not literally true but contain religious truths, but are sometimes myths to convey the message. This means that they reject much of the teaching on creation in favour of scientific theories
• What did David Wilkinson argue?

  Genesis is a way of describing the creation of the universe through poetry and prose. It is a love poem that speaks of the beauty of creation and the relationship between God, humanity and nature. He uses the example of a kiss: scientists would define it differently to someone in love, yet they are both correct.
• Modern day Christian beliefs are compatible with the Big Bang

  1. Christian ideas are built on inductive, a posteriori

  2. Anthropic Principle supports science too

  3. OEC accept the word yom as a period of time so this is compatible with the Big Bang

  4. Genesis and big bang talk about creation but using different language (Wilkinson)
• Modern day Christian beliefs are NOT compatible with the Big Bang

  1. Science uses experiments and inductive arguments to form opinions. Christians use faith

  2. Tenants work is still a leap. Other explanations for the world forming. God of the gaps argument

  3. YEC reject the age of the universe and follow the creation story in Genesis instead