Christianity and science

• 10 marker - Info on Change in scientific thinking during the Renaissance and Enlightenment

  1. Empirical approach (evidence from observation)

  2. Rationalist approach (use of reason to interpret evidence)
• 10 marker - Info on Approaches integral to science today

  • Deductive (aims to give certain truth, works from general theory to specific observation)
  • Inductive (based on probability, works from specific observation to general theory)
• 15 marker - Christian response to rise of science

  - Deism- belief that God set things off (BBT) and left the universe to work according to the laws he created it with- without influencing it further

  - existentialism- the view that humans define their own meaning in life- their choices make them what they are
• 10 marker - Info on Darwin's theory of evolution

  1. Based on inductive reasoning

  2. Natural selection (individuals better suited to environment survive and pass on characteristics to offspring)
• 15 marker - Christian responses to evolution

  • Goes against humans as distinct creations
  • Suggests existence due to random mutations, no purpose
  • Ridiculed (Bishop Wilberforce debate)
  • Dismissed as human error, conflicts with Bible
  • Many lost their faith
  • Liberal Christians welcomed, rejected literalist Bible readings
• 15 marker - Current Christian responses to evolution

  • Young earth creationists reject it as incompatible with Genesis
  • Most see natural selection as how God works
  • Catholics see evolution and Christianity as compatible
• 10 marker - Info on Christian responses to Big Bang Theory

  • Deism (God set it off and left)
  • 'God of the gaps' (attribute unexplained to God)
  • Young earth creationists reject it as incompatible with Genesis
  • Old earth creationists say Genesis compatible, 'day' means era
  • Catholics fully accept it
• 10 marker - Info on John Polkinghorne's points on science and Christianity

  • The world's intelligibility suggests it was part of God's plan
  • Hume's cycles of order/chaos is speculation, multiverse theory lacks evidence, anthropic principle needs explaining
  • Providence is at the heart of God's relationship with creation
  • Religion and science both aim to understand experience, religious experience requires consideration
  • Bible evidence about Jesus can be rationally examined like scientific theory
• 10 marker - Info on Possibilities offered by genetic engineering

  • Treatment for currently untreatable diseases (cystic fibrosis)
  • Parents selecting DNA for 'super-human' offspring (transhuman)
  • Genetically modified animals producing human proteins
  • Genetically modified crops with higher yields, disease resistance
• 15 marker - Christian responses to genetic engineering

  • Catholics and Protestants support GM crops to help world hunger, concern over GM animals (Catholics)
  • Fletcher - as long as proper controls, good for human flourishing, rules based on outdated biblical text should be set aside