The Great Divide: Science and Faith
In 2008, one of the greatest cosmologists of our time, Stephen Hawking, visited South Africa. During an interview, his remarkable triumph over disability shone brightly, but so did his unyielding stance on scientism. What is scientism? It’s the optimistic faith that science alone can resolve the world’s mysteries.
A Brief History of Scientism
In the past, the church ruled supreme, misusing Scripture to silence science. Today, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme. The scientific book of nature is paramount, and some scientists dismiss Scripture as a source of truth. Atheist fundamentalism flourishes, with a philosophical agenda to avoid any need for a Creator.
Two Cathedrals
We see two cathedrals before us: the traditional cathedral of Scripture and the new cathedral of scientism, where science is the bearer of all truth. But what about the great scientist Blaise Pascal, who found salvation in Jesus? His God-centered worldview was never threatened by the cathedral of scientism.
The Limits of Science
Science deals with the truth of nature, but it’s only half the story. The broader nature of truth includes both physical and spiritual domains. God’s revelation of himself to us is the work of his grace. Insisting that truth lies only in one domain is tunnel vision.
The Wind and the Trees
G.K. Chesterton’s essay “The Wind and the Trees” sets the stage for this discussion. He writes about sitting under tall trees, with the wind boiling like surf about their tops. The trees are straining and tearing, like dragons tied by the tail. A little boy complains about the wind, suggesting that if the trees were removed, the wind would cease. This illustrates the great human dogma: the wind moves the trees. But the great human heresy is that the trees move the wind.
The Stereoscopic View
The nature of truth lies in the stereoscopic view of the physical and spiritual realms. Science deals with the truth of nature, but those who claim to see the complete human story from within the hallways of scientism alone are spiritually blind.
God’s Revelation
God has visited us in person (John 1). God’s revelation of himself to us is the work of his grace. We can never know God by scientific analysis, but only by his grace. By grace, the spiritually blind are given sight to behold him, God incarnate.
The Multiverse Hypothesis
Some scientists propose the multiverse hypothesis, which suggests that our universe is just one of many. However, this hypothesis is not testable and is therefore not a genuine scientific theory. It’s a philosophical attempt to avoid the notion of a Creator.
The Boundaries of Science
Science cannot prove or disprove the existence of God. It’s beyond the boundaries of the book of nature. Scientists should learn with humility from the Galileo affair, lest they fall into the same trap of partial blindness.
Beware of Atheist Agendas
Our red flag would be this: beware of atheist agendas masquerading under the mantle of science. Some scientists use scientific words to convey their views, but these views are often driven by a philosophical agenda rather than scientific data.
The Grand Design
Stephen Hawking recognized a grand design in our well-tuned universe. However, he attempted to sidestep the notion of a Creator by embracing the multiverse hypothesis. But is this a genuine scientific theory?
The Mystery of Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Over 95% of the universe is not visible; it’s in the form of dark matter and dark energy. We still have no idea what dark matter is. Not only is there the enigmatic dark matter problem, but also the mystery of dark energy, which fuels the acceleration of the expanding universe.
The Central Mystery
Science cannot solve the central mystery: “Why are we here?” This is a metaphysical issue, beyond the competence of science.
Hawking’s Utilitarian God
Hawking believed that historically “God” was necessary only to solve mysteries that science had not yet solved. But this “unnecessary God” does not interact with us or with our universe and its laws of nature. We believe otherwise. The Incarnation is an act of divine grace. Salvation is an act of divine grace.
Conclusion
Although science can illuminate the glories of creation, it’s beyond the domain of science to infer that God does not exist. The God we’re talking about is a personal God – the God-Man who made the world. The Logos who became incarnate (John 1) exists outside space and time. Science does not have the weapons to expunge God’s Spirit or the revelation of his spiritual kingdom. At the heart of God’s kingdom is grace. In a universe spanning approximately 92 billion light-years, we have come to know its Creator.
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