Sunday, December 16, 2007

Science and the Bible are not incompatible

SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE ARE NOT INCOMPATIBLE

In the 16th and 17th centuries modern science flourished in the center of a growing Christian civilization in Europe. Science was not seen as a challenge to the Bible and neither did Christianity oppose science.

The world-renowned Royal Society, founded by Britian’s leading scientists in the 17th century, dedicated their efforts to the glory of God the Creator, and the benefit of the human race.

Professor Arnold Wolfendale upon being appointed Astronomer Royal in England, declared in 1991 I think the hand of God can be seen everywhere.

Far from all scientists being atheists, many believe in God. The Research Scientists Christian Fellowship has 700 members in Britian, and its counterpart in America has over 2,000 members.

The more that astronomers learn about the origin and development of the universe, the more evidence they accumulate for the God of the Bible. (Hugh Ross. Ph.D.)

Many of the early scientists were deeply committed Christians.

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) saw God’s works in nature and His words in the Bible as the twin facets of His self-disclosure.

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) has been called the greatest scientist of all time.

Robert Boyle (1627-1691) the father of modern chemistry and famous for Boyle’s law.

Michael Faraday (1701-1867) a pioneer in the field of electro-magneticism. We owe most of the basic discoveries in electricity to Christian believers. Faraday was arguably the greatest experimental scientist of all time.

Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) pioneered early work about genetics and was the Abbot of a monastery.

The fact that many scientists are Christians does not, in itself, prove that Christianity is true. It does show that Christianity and science are not incompatible. Both can be trusted with total integrity. There is no competition between Christianity and science.

Testimony from a non-Christian scientist: Is it really credible that random processes could have constructed a reality, the smallest element of which (a functional protein or gene) is complex beyond our own creative capacities, a reality which is the very antithesis of chance, which excels in every sense anything produced by the intelligence of man? Alongside the level of ingenuity and complexity exhibited by the molecular machinery of life, even our most advanced artifacts appear clumsy. We feel humbled, as Neolithic man in the presence of

twentieth-century technology. (Michael Denton, molecular biologist)

Some scientists see the scientific quest for knowledge about and understanding our world, and a religious, Christian and biblical faith as collaborators and allies, rather than, and not, enemies and opponents. (John Young in Teach yourself Christianity)

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