Scientifically Minded Christians

[MCA]

Some of you may have heard my story but in a nutshell I lost my faith in college mostly due to a biology course I took. I have developed a very scientific/naturalistic perspective of the universe and our origins. As a former Christian, I am conflicted with being this way. To the point that I cannot listen/read/converse with scientific teachings because, well, it makes sense to me. And as I have stated in a couple other threads, I don't want to be an atheist. I've read lots of apologetic material, the Bible, a few priests/pastors, and this way of mind I have remains. I am wanting to know of any scientifically minded Christians out there who have found God. How did you balance the two. In other words, how does it work out for you? What are your thoughts? How do you cope?

 

[lesliedellow]

How did you balance the two. In other words, how does it work out for you? What are your thoughts? How do you cope?

It may have been easier for me, because I live in Britain, and most European Christians just take it for granted that the two can live together.

The greater part of the Binle is a theological interpretation of history, and, as such, it can't come into conflict with science, even in principle. So I suppose you are talking about the first few chapters of Genesis.

If you try to read the first few chapters of Genesis as science, then from the point of view of modern science, they are just wrong. But I do not think that is what they are about. The writers were not trying to give a scientific account of creation, but a theological one. Their concern was (amongst other things) to state the important doctrine of God as creator of all things. To quote atheists, when they are trying to be derogatory, "goddidit". But it really does not matter how he did it, whether through Evolution or special creation. The important thing is that he did it.

Genesis isn't just about creation, of course. Also to be found in the early chapters is another important doctrine; namely that of the fall. Again, the important thing is not whether the story is literally true, but whether what it is tryiing to say is theologically true.

Is it true that man is a fallen creature, steeped in sin, in constant rebellion against God, and now incapable coming to God unless God first reaches down to us? Yes all of that is true. It doesn't really matter how that situation came about - the answer to that question my not be within our creation, which is try it is stated as a myth (in the original sense of that word - as something hidden). Anyway, we now have to live with the consequences of the fall, and we are in need of redemption.

As a final piece of advice, I would suggest that you suspend disbelief for a moment, and just read Genesis as if it were literally true. That way you may be in a better position to listen to the writers' (both human and divine) theological concerns, without science intruding itself into your mind all the time. Or to put it another way, switch off rationality, and turn on devotion. Both have their proper place.

 

[bling]

You need to search the internet more on this subject because the Biblical truth and science are not in conflict.
Natural selection and evolution do happen for living things, so these systems do provide a possible explanation to how all living things could come from other less complex living things. It might be possible for a single cell over billions of years (like most Biologist believe) to happen into becoming multicellular. BUT if science is right in a very short time non-living chemical formed the first cell almost as soon as a cell could even survive (millions of years and not billions of years). This is hard to imagine or believe, since chemicals do not evolve and there is no logical explanation (no system) of how this could happen.

 

[Lukaris]

I know Christian pastor & apologist Ravi Zacharias has often preached & lectured with fellow Christians who are scientists & apologists. A series of articles on his website relating to physics can be found here:

physics | Search Results | RZIM

 

[korvus]

I take a psychoanalytic approach to Christianity, seeing it as archetypes to follow along that in general help someone thinking in helping them become a better person.

I don't believe in creationism, and I see God as the universe itself, as also being an archetype.

Jesus saved us. Fine, agreed.

 

[lesliedellow]

I take a psychoanalytic approach to Christianity, seeing it as archetypes to follow along that in general help someone thinking in helping them become a better person.

I don't believe in creationism, and I see God as the universe itself, as also being an archetype.

Jesus saved us. Fine, agreed.

Fine. But you can hardly call that Christianity, can you? For a start, in both Christianity and Judaism God is the creator of the universe; not the universe.

 

[korvus]

Fine. But you can hardly call that Christianity, can you?

I one can as long as they still believe. Idk, I guess you can call it informed belief or something or another.

EDIT:
I'm not saying the universe created God, I'm saying God is the universe. "God" is just a name we tag to it/Him

 

[Nilla]

Mod Hat On

This thread has been cleaned.
Please no more off topic nonsense posts.
Stick to the topic of the thread. ​

Mod Hat Off​

 

[lesliedellow]

I one can as long as they still believe. Idk, I guess you can call it informed belief or something or another.

It is pantheism. The least you could do is call things by their proper names.

 

[korvus]

It is pantheism. The least you could do is call things by their proper names.

Well I try.

Pantheism is just one of the ways to solve the religion-vs.-science problem.

 

[hedrick]

I'm not sure what sites you're trying to find. If you want to find sites that look at science from a Christian point of view, biologos.org is a great place to start. So is the American Scientific Affiliation, American Scientific Affiliation. The ASA used to present both views and look at theological implications, but I'm not sure how successful they are these days in trying to find a reasonable presentation of the creationist viewpoint.

If, on the other hand, you're trying convince yourself that the science you've been learning is wrong, there are plenty of places, but I predict you won't find any of them convincing.

 

[lesliedellow]

If, on the other hand, you're trying convince yourself that the science you've been learning is wrong, there are plenty of places, but I predict you won't find any of them convincing.

I second that.

 

[ConfuseddotCom]

How do you think it all started, nothing comes from nothing, there had to be a creator.

 

[korvus]

How do you think it all started, nothing comes from nothing, there had to be a creator.

There always has been something.

Think about it in a more traditional Christian perspective, where did God come from?

I just theorize personally that just like God didn't have a creator, everything else didn't have a creator.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Some of you may have heard my story but in a nutshell I lost my faith in college mostly due to a biology course I took. I have developed a very scientific/naturalistic perspective of the universe and our origins. As a former Christian, I am conflicted with being this way. To the point that I cannot listen/read/converse with scientific teachings because, well, it makes sense to me. And as I have stated in a couple other threads, I don't want to be an atheist. I've read lots of apologetic material, the Bible, a few priests/pastors, and this way of mind I have remains. I am wanting to know of any scientifically minded Christians out there who have found God. How did you balance the two. In other words, how does it work out for you? What are your thoughts? How do you cope?

Here's a good place to start:

Dr. Francis Collins is a world-renowned scientist for being the former head of the Human Genome Project, which mapped out the human genome. Dr. Collins is not only an excellent geneticist, but he's also a devout Evangelical Christian. He founded the BioLogos Foundation. He rejects Intelligent Design as pseudo-science in favor for actual science, namely the theory of evolution and the evolutionary origins of species.

The purpose of the BioLogos Foundation is to provide an ongoing public conversation concerning the interplay of [Christian] faith and science, neither compromising the faith nor compromising science.

There is no reason why a Christian cannot be scientifically minded; the social doctrine that Religion and Science are at odds (specifically Christian Religion) is a false doctrine hoisted upon Western society in the 20th century. Since Darwin there have always been faithful, observant, Christians from all stripes who not only accept Darwin's theory, but who were themselves active in the sciences and promoted the theory. The modern notion that Christians cannot accept the science of evolution is a patently false one promulgated by certain Fundamentalists and atheists; but is been rejected by the religious mainstream.

Yes. You are an ape and the descendent of apes.

Yes. You are created in the image and likeness of God.

You are a specific sort of ape created in the image and likeness of God known as a human being, for whom Christ came into the world to save from sin and death, and in whom you and I can hope for the future resurrection of the dead and eternal life in the Age to Come.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[lesliedellow]

the social doctrine that Religion and Science are at odds (specifically Christian Religion) is a false doctrine hoisted upon Western society in the 20th century.

Unfortunately creationists do more than enough to justify that belief in the popular mind. It is a bit ironical that it is the self proclaimed "true Christians" who do most to drive people away from Christianity. With perhaps the OP being amongst those driven away.

 

[MCA]

It may have been easier for me, because I live in Britain, and most European Christians just take it for granted that the two can live together.

The greater part of the Binle is a theological interpretation of history, and, as such, it can't come into conflict with science, even in principle. So I suppose you are talking about the first few chapters of Genesis.

If you try to read the first few chapters of Genesis as science, then from the point of view of modern science, they are just wrong. But I do not think that is what they are about. The writers were not trying to give a scientific account of creation, but a theological one. Their concern was (amongst other things) to state the important doctrine of God as creator of all things. To quote atheists, when they are trying to be derogatory, "goddidit". But it really does not matter how he did it, whether through Evolution or special creation. The important thing is that he did it.

Genesis isn't just about creation, of course. Also to be found in the early chapters is another important doctrine; namely that of the fall. Again, the important thing is not whether the story is literally true, but whether what it is tryiing to say is theologically true.

Is it true that man is a fallen creature, steeped in sin, in constant rebellion against God, and now incapable coming to God unless God first reaches down to us? Yes all of that is true. It doesn't really matter how that situation came about - the answer to that question my not be within our creation, which is try it is stated as a myth (in the original sense of that word - as something hidden). Anyway, we now have to live with the consequences of the fall, and we are in need of redemption.

As a final piece of advice, I would suggest that you suspend disbelief for a moment, and just read Genesis as if it were literally true. That way you may be in a better position to listen to the writers' (both human and divine) theological concerns, without science intruding itself into your mind all the time. Or to put it another way, switch off rationality, and turn on devotion. Both have their proper place.

Your response was quite comforting and alleviates my anxiety on the topic. I have heard of old earth Christians, but for me it is very hard to imagine us being evolved while there being a God or Christianity being true. Like who was the first person with a soul? Why did God wait so long to send Jesus? Evolution to me just really complicates things. Another topic other than evolution is the cosmos argument. I understand the idea that something cannot come from nothing, but to me the universe is so grand and we are just a speck in the universe. It just seems so godless to me. Like this whole evolution thing makes sense when you realize that we are just a dot in our universe. They say there's like 1 in a trillion chance of a planet being capable of sustaining life, but if you think about it, there is enough in the universe to meet that odd. These are my reasonings and I feel like I should not keep them and should let them go to y'all. Thoughts like these ache me daily

 

[Rhizobium]

I am wanting to know of any scientifically minded Christians out there who have found God. How did you balance the two. In other words, how does it work out for you? What are your thoughts? How do you cope?

I'm going to recommend some of the Christian authors I've read who have a good grasp on this issue. First, Francis Collins, an evangelical Christian and the director of the National Institute of Health, explains why he doesn't see a conflict between science and Christianity in his book, The Language of God. He also deals with some of the issues that seem to be bothering you in this talk at the Veritas Forum. I'd also recommend the work of John Polkinghorne, who is a physicist and and Anglican priest. Here's a brief clip where he discusses evolution. Finally, Ken Miller is a biologist and a Roman Catholic. I recommend reading his book Only a Theory, which is about evolution and religion.

I've read through a lot of your previous posts, and it seems like you think there is a necessary conflict between evolution and Christianity. I teach college biology, and I don't think this is the case at all. It's certainly not a problem for the many professors in my department who teach science and are Christians.

 

[MCA]

Here's a good place to start:

Dr. Francis Collins is a world-renowned scientist for being the former head of the Human Genome Project, which mapped out the human genome. Dr. Collins is not only an excellent geneticist, but he's also a devout Evangelical Christian. He founded the BioLogos Foundation. He rejects Intelligent Design as pseudo-science in favor for actual science, namely the theory of evolution and the evolutionary origins of species.

The purpose of the BioLogos Foundation is to provide an ongoing public conversation concerning the interplay of [Christian] faith and science, neither compromising the faith nor compromising science.

There is no reason why a Christian cannot be scientifically minded; the social doctrine that Religion and Science are at odds (specifically Christian Religion) is a false doctrine hoisted upon Western society in the 20th century. Since Darwin there have always been faithful, observant, Christians from all stripes who not only accept Darwin's theory, but who were themselves active in the sciences and promoted the theory. The modern notion that Christians cannot accept the science of evolution is a patently false one promulgated by certain Fundamentalists and atheists; but is been rejected by the religious mainstream.

Yes. You are an ape and the descendent of apes.

Yes. You are created in the image and likeness of God.

You are a specific sort of ape created in the image and likeness of God known as a human being, for whom Christ came into the world to save from sin and death, and in whom you and I can hope for the future resurrection of the dead and eternal life in the Age to Come.

-CryptoLutheran

I've read some of your comments in your other threads too. You give me some hope. You think a little differently than most of the Christians I've spoken to. I might have to pm



And yes I grew up very conservatively. The stories of the bible were taught as literal, the world was 6k yrs old, evolution did not take place.

 

[MCA]

I'm going to recommend some of the Christian authors I've read who have a good grasp on this issue. First, Francis Collins, an evangelical Christian and the director of the National Institute of Health, explains why he doesn't see a conflict between science and Christianity in his book, The Language of God. He also deals with some of the issues that seem to be bothering you in this talk at the Veritas Forum. I'd also recommend the work of John Polkinghorne, who is a physicist and and Anglican priest. Here's a brief clip where he discusses evolution. Finally, Ken Miller is a biologist and a Roman Catholic. I recommend reading his book Only a Theory, which is about evolution and religion.

I've read through a lot of your previous posts, and it seems like you think there is a necessary conflict between evolution and Christianity. I teach college biology, and I don't think this is the case at all. It's certainly not a problem for the many professors in my department who teach science and are Christians.

I am going to look at your link. Thank you. And it is comforting to know a biology professor can have faith