God of the Gap

[dlamberth]

A term that's been around for a quite while, but new to me, "God of the Gaps". God of the Gaps is a theological argument used to bring in the existence of God to help explain gaps in scientific knowledge. We see it invoked often in C&E. When Googling the term I was surprised at the number links that popped up. After asking ChatGPT: What is God of the Gap, below is what came back. And below that is a Wiki page on the subject.

The "God of the Gaps" is a term used to describe a theological argument or perspective that invokes the existence of God to explain phenomena that science has not yet explained or fully understood. This approach assumes that gaps in scientific knowledge or natural explanations are evidence of divine intervention or presence.

Here's how it works:

• Gaps in knowledge: When people encounter something in the world that they cannot explain, they might attribute it to supernatural forces, often invoking God as the cause. For example, in the past, natural events like thunder or diseases were sometimes explained by invoking God's will or intervention.
• Limitation: The issue with this approach is that as science progresses and provides more natural explanations for these phenomena, the "gaps" become smaller. As a result, the reliance on God to explain these gaps may seem less valid over time.

Critics argue that this approach is problematic because it bases faith on an evolving set of gaps in scientific knowledge rather than providing a deeper or more consistent theological understanding. Some also believe that it limits God’s role, only being involved in areas where human understanding is incomplete, rather than seeing God as an active presence in the world at all times.

The "God of the Gaps" concept can be seen as a form of argument from ignorance, where something is assumed to be true because it has not yet been disproven or explained by other means.

Wiki

God of the gaps - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Aaron112]

When people encounter something in the world that they cannot explain,

MSG
“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’