No doubt there are some very smart people, scientist or not who are Christians.
That's beside the point however, what matters is can the basic tenets of Christianity be proven. Whether Francis Collins wants to accept them on faith or not is irrelevant, it does not mean they are true... Smart men can be, and often are wrong. That's why following the actual evidence is important to determining truth.
Many key points to many, if not all "major" stories in the bible are indeed contradictory to what we've learned about the world through science (and history). We know the earth was not created in 7 days, we know it's a sphere, we know it orbits the earth, we know life did not arise with multiple fully developed complex species, etc. We know the Great Flood did not happen, we know the Tower of Babel and the Jewish Exodus out of Egypt were incorrect, we know King Herod's massacre of the innocents never occurred, the Roman census that apparently sent Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem never happened. We know Nazareth was not founded until the late 1st century and the Easter "Zombie Apocalypse" when Jesus came back to life, likewise never happened. And this is just the stuff I can pull off the top of my head.
That involves Astronomy, Biology, Archaeology, Geology and Physics to determine those, which are certainly scientific disciplines. There are major areas of conflict between the biblical stories and Science.
More liberal versions of Christianity I will agree are more in line with what we've discovered through science.... however the problem with them is that they are moving further and further away from what's actually written in the Bible.
I hate to invoke the no true scotsman fallacy... and many Christian denominations split over things that are written in the bible but interpreted differently. However, more and more liberal Christian Churches are popping up that pretty well preach things that are opposite to the Christian Biblical message. When you start preaching in opposition to your own holy book, one must ask are you actually of that religion?
Either way, to sum things up, it depends what branch of Christianity you're in. Fundamentalist Christianity is in open conflict with science, where more liberal versions are more comparable. I wouldn't say any Christian church I'm aware of has been 100% compatable with science though.
I thank you kindly Mr. Ellis for your contribution here. I pray you and your's are well.
I will briefly take the time to address something that is oftentimes overlooked by some when there is a discussion about the beliefs of Christians especially when looking at The Way from an atheistic or naturalistic point of view. It is easy even for sincere defenders of the faith to forget this simple fact. This fact is seen in a letter which the Apostle Paul wrote to the 1st century church in Corinth. In the letter he says: "my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."
As Christians we value knowledge, we value the scientific method, we value the disciplines of philosophy and psychology and the use of logic etc. etc. But as Christians, we at the same time realize that these disciplines are unable to answer some of life's toughest and most meaningful questions. However learned we as humans may become, the same basic set of questions that have existed since the beginning of the human race will always be there, waiting to be answered.
As Christians, we have all come to the point in our lives where by God's grace we reach the end of ourselves and see that in actuality we really are quite small considering the vastness of the cosmos. But nevertheless, we are here, and we look back on the rich history of the human race. We look back at all that has been done in the name of love, and charity and we cannot ignore the great sacrifices many men and women have made for their fellow man. It is the looking beyond that which binds us so tightly to this earth and all that shall pass away which enabled many of those righteous saints to give their lives for complete strangers and those who were in need. It was the looking unto life eternal that inspired many to give their lives for their fellow man.
As Christians we see God's grace as enabling us to look beyond the natural to that which cannot be grasped by the finite minds of men. We are called to look unto those things which are eternal and not only the things which are temporal. For the Apostle Paul writes in his second letter to the Christians in Corinth that: "we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
This looking unto things eternal and beyond the natural is accomplished by the gift that God gives to people called "faith". This faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is not some magical thing that men can point to and say this is faith or that is faith. Faith is simply believing what God has said about Himself and about us as people created in His image. This is the only means by which humans can understand the works of God.
Why?
If you think about it, lets say God made it to where He could be understood and comprehended through sheer mental exercise and human effort. Lets say He made it to where only those who were very intellectual could understand Him and have a relationship with Him. Would this be fair? Of course not! In that case only smart people could know Him.
Or lets say, only people of a certain race could know Him and love Him. Would this be fair? Of course not! If that was the case, then everyone not of that race would be left out.
Or lets say God said only wealthy people could know Him. Would this be fair? Of course not. In that case what would become of the poor?
If any of these were the case, then the ones who could understand God by their own effort would have reason to brag and boast and be prideful of themselves. They could walk around and say: "look at me! Im special because of this or that reason."
God being who He is, is not going to do any of those things. He has made it possible for all to know Him. In His wisdom He has made it possible and at the same time eliminated the possiblity that anyone could brag and boast about it!
How you may ask?
Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not
come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For it is true, many ask for signs and for wonders and many search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to some a stumbling block and to some it is foolishness, but to those who are the called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
God decided that men would not be able to know Him by sheer mental exercise and learning and wisdom. But by the message of the cross.
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the intellectual? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? But why? Was it not to strike at the very root of pride which keeps a man from looking outside of himself? It is pride that great destroyer of men that goes before them when they fall. But how does this play out?
As Christians there were not many who were/are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble that God extended this faith to; but God has chosen the
foolish things of the world to
shame the wise, and God has chosen the
weak things of the world to
shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
so that no man may boast before God. But
by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that,
just as it is written, “ Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
I have written this by way of explaining that when a Christian is asked to give empirical evidence to justify their belief, the Christian will always and forever respond by simply saying: "It is not necessary." It is not necessary for a child of God to be able to sit down and go through the five arguments for the existence of God. It is not necessary for a child of God to be able to explain every difficult passage in the Bible away and to be able to know every logical response to every objection raised to him. It is not necessary for him or her to be able to explain why God decided to make the world the way He did. It is not necessary for them to be able to explain the exact nature of hell. All of these things do not affect the Christians salvation and status as a child of God and heir of Christ.
Nor does having these answers or not having them affect one who is truly seeking to know God. Why? Because ultimately it is God who draws a person unto Himself and reveals Himself to a person. No amount of striving or self effort or determination can bridge that infinite gap.
Now I know that there are some that do not even see the validity in speaking of the supernatural. They will not greatly benefit from all that I have written, although in some manner I pray they do. Nevertheless, this is the Christian perspective and many have testified to it's life changing power.
I pray that someone on the path for the search of truth might benefit from these humble words.
May all things praise Him.