Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Big Bang theory seems to contradict the Bible
A reading of the first two chapters of Genesis will show that the big bang theory
presents a challenge to a literal interpretation of Genesis. The following table
summarises the main differences between the bang theory and the two accounts of
creation given in Genesis1 and 2
Bible
God created the Universe
Pre-Ptolemic view of the Universe -e.g.
upper and lower domes, water, etc.
Sun and moon created after plants
Time scale very short
Creation complete
J.Keenan.
Big Bang Theory
No mention of an ultimate cause of the
Universe
View of the Universe Very different galaxies, stars, planets, etc
No life without the Sun. Life developed 2
billion years after the planet earth formed
from the debris of an exploding supernova.
15 -17 billion time scale
Universe continues to evolve
Section 4, Page 1
Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Theory of Evolution seems to contradict the Bible
In this section we consider how Darwin's theories presented a threat to Biblical
Christianity by challenging; 1. the idea of the fixity of species, 2. human importance and
dignity, 3. the biblical time scale of creation, 4. the idea of God as a designer of the
universe, 5. teleology, 6. the idea of a loving God and 7. Christian morality.
In 1859 Darwin published his ideas in "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural
Selection , or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" (Usually
refered to as "Origin of Species") It is hard for us now, 150 years on, to realise just
how dramatic an impact Darwin's theory had. For the people at the time it was as if the
carpet of faith had been wrenched out from below their feet. The prospect that
humans were descended from the apes was particularly disconcerting. On hearing of
Darwin's new theories the wife of the Bishop of Worcester is reputed to have
exclaimed, "Descended from the apes! My dear let us hope it is not so ; but if it is, that
it does not become generally known."
Darwin's theories presented a threat to traditional Christianity on several counts which
we will now examine;
1. The fixity of species.
According to the Bible, the plants and animals are said to have been created "according
to their own kind". This was taken to confirm the idea of fixity of species - the idea
that all the species were created in a final form by God. It was believed that each
species had been created separately and no one species could develop out of another.
2. Human importance and dignity.
Darwin’s theory showed our continuity with the animal kingdom. Many were
uncomfortable with this. Contrary to the biblical idea that humans were special and
made in the image of God, it now looked like as though we were naked apes made in the
image of the beast.
3. The time scale was severely challenged.
By means of some very convoluted calculations based on Old Testament genealogies, the
Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Armagh, Archbishop Ussher, achieved lasting fame
by dating the creation of the world at 4004 B.C. Dr John Lightfoot, was even more
J.Keenan.
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Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Theory of Evolution seems to contradict the Bible
precise by stating that, "Heaven and earth, centre and
circumference, were all created together in the same
instant. This took place on October 23rd. 4004 B.C. at
nine o’clock in the morning!" Evolution and contemporary
developments in geology implied a much longer timescale
of events. Today on the basis of radioactive dating, we
reasonably believe the earth to be 4.5 billion and the
universe roughly 17 billion years old.
Although few in Darwin's time would have literally
accepted creation in 6 days they accepted the idea that
creation was complete. Evolution on the other hand
implied an ongoing process which was still continuing.
4. Evolution challenged the idea of a designed universe.
Bishop Ussher
William Paley argued that nature showed so much
evidence for design that it required a designer.
Darwin, on the other hand, showed how apparent
design and complexity could be achieved by a
process of natural selection. This process was
driven by random CHANCE. The comfortable
assurance of God as Creator was challenged. This
was the case with Darwin himself, who gradually
lost his faith. Darwin said of this,
"The old argument (for the existence of a
personal God) from design in nature, as
given by Paley, which formerly seemed to
me so conclusive, fails now that the law of
William Paley
natural selection has been discovered. We
can no longer argue that, for instance, the
beautiful hinge on a bivalve shell must have been made by an intelligent
being, like the hinge of a door by a man. There seems to be no more design
in the variability of organic beings and in the action of natural selection,
than in the course which the wind blows. Everything in nature is the result
of fixed laws.."
The biblical idea of a teleological universe was overturned. The Universe no longer
appeared to be going anywhere. This was the most serious threat of all. Human
J.Keenan.
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Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Theory of Evolution seems to contradict the Bible
existence was now literally pointless. Life was meaningless. Talking of this, in his
introduction to Science and Religion Ian Barbour says,
"For centuries the Bible has been thought of as witnessing to a small
geocentric and static world governed by a wise and almighty God, whose main
interest is to help man, the crown of his creation, to his eternal destiny. Now
however Man looks insignificant ..... He is emerging out of lower nature, and that
seems to be governed by a grand arbitrary and blind power"
5. God is dropped from the picture.
Darwin’s view, like many of the scientific theories emerging at the end of the
nineteenth century seems to have no need for God. If science has no need of God in
explaining the workings of the Universe the question then arises can't ordinary people,
perfectly adequately, live their lives without any reference to God?
6. The threat to morality.
If God drops out of the picture on what are values to be
based? Of what value is Christian love in a vicious jungle?
The only morality that could be drawn from natural selection
would be a radical selfishness based on the survival of the
fittest. (Darwin's theories have in fact been interpreted in
such a way by the ultra-right)
7. Nature red in tooth and claw.
It can be argued that the theory of evolution does not
necessarily do away with the idea of God as such, for
evolution could be regarded as the means whereby God might create life. A central
belief of the Christian faith, however, is that God is loving. The question then arises,
why would a loving God use such a cruel means to produce lving beings? Natural selection
teaches that in human life, as in all animal and plant life only a small chosen minority can
exist and flourish, while the enormous majority starve and perish miserably. The
terrible suffering involved in nature was what ultimately led Darwin to lose his faith.
In a letter to Asa Gray, a fellow biologist, Darwin says,
J.Keenan.
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Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Theory of Evolution seems to contradict the Bible
My dear Gray,
Again I have to thank you for one of your pleasant letters.... With respect to
the theological view of the question. This is always painful to me. I am
bewildered. I had no intention to write atheistically but I own that I cannot see
as plainly as others do, and as I would wish to do, evidence of design and
beneficence on all side of us. There seems to be so much misery in the world. I
cannot persuade myself that a benficent and omnipotent God would have
designedly created the ichnuemonidae with the express intention of their
feeding within the living bodies of caterpillars, or that a cat should play with
mice. Not believing this I see no necessity in the belief that the eye was
expressly designed. On the other hand , I cannot, anyhow be contented to view
this wonderful universe, and especially the nature of man, and to conclude that
everything is the result of brute force. I am inclined to look at everything as
resulting from designed laws, with the details, whether good or bad left to the
working out of what we may call chance ... But the more I think the more
bewildered I become; as indeed I have probably shown by this letter. Most
deeply do I feel your generous kindness and interest.
Yours sincerely and cordially,
Charles Darwin.
Darwin was fully aware of the controversy his theories raised and delayed publishing
Origins as long as possible. When he did finally publish, an enormous outcry followed.
The newspapers were full of articles, some condemning Darwin and others his critics.
The major champion of Darwin’s case was Thomas Huxley. Huxley felt that science
ought to be able to go about its business without obstruction from religion. In the
summer of 1860, The British Association for the Advancement of Science met in
Oxford for its annual meeting. Thomas Huxley was to debate the theory with the
bishop of Oxford. The following account of the debate is given by Hal Hellman.
"The debate between Huxley and Bishop Wilberforce on the last day of the meeting has
now passed into scientific folklore as the greatest battle of the nineteenth century. .....
Those assembled knew that the bishop of Oxford would attempt to contradict Darwin’s
views, and they were anxiously awaiting the fireworks. Samuel Wilberforce had taken
the trouble to be briefed on Darwin’s ideas by the biologist Richard Owen. He was an
able speaker and had earned himself the nick name "Soapy Sam" .......The chairperson
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Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies. Christianity: Belief and Science (Higher)
4. How the Theory of Evolution seems to contradict the Bible
opened up the subject for discussion and the Bishop rose to reply. His speech was
fluent and followed the lines of comments on Origin he had made in a recent magazine
article. Despite his study he was not sufficiently master of his facts, yet it was not in
his biology but in his etiquette that he made his fatal blunder. According to one account
he finished his speech by enquiring of Huxley whether it was "through his grandfather
or his grandmother that he claimed his descent from a monkey?" Huxley murmured
to Sir Benjamin Brodie sitting next to him, "The Lord hath delivered him into mine
hands," but refused to speak until the crowd was calling for him. Once on his feet he
defended Darwin’s views but took
advantage of the Bishop's distasteful
jibe by adding that if the choice was
between an ape for a grandfather or a
man who misused his eloquence to
introduce ridicule into a grave scientific
discussion then he unhesitatingly
affirmed his preference for the ape.....
The exact words of either are now
uncertain. Their effect is not. One lady
fainted. The undergraduates cheered.
Most of the audience applauded. To
reply in such a vein to a Bishop,
especially in his own diocese, was rare
indeed. The Bishop himself sensed that
Huxley had won the day and did not rise
again."
Thomas Huxley
J.Keenan.
William Wilberforce
(Soapy Sam)
Section 4, Page 6