FAITH AND SCIENCE

FAITH AND SCIENCE

Why is it always us vs. them, when it comes to faith and science? During the last generation and earlier, there was a war between creationists and evolutionists that bordered on hysteria. One got the feeling that God needed some help defending His creation from attacks by science and evolutionists bent on destroying the whole faith community. I know that God is well-able to defend His creation from attack single-handedly, and the worst that pseudo-science throws at Him will not so much as raise a Divine eyebrow in response. Still, for the sake of argument, I suppose it doesn't hurt to postulate a scenario where God is a nail-biter who has now been backed into a corner, and is defending His territory like a wolverine-at-bay. Imagine, if you will, those pagan scientists gleefully bludgeoning our Creator with "scientific" questions and paraphernalia designed to bring Him to His philosophic knees and cause Him to recant His entire legacy. What, after all, are we left with then, after the Creator has been put-to- the-sword and His death knell has been delivered? Will scientists proudly deliberate the death of yet another theory? What then is there left for them to make sense of and legitimize, when the only response they receive from the Creator of the universe is a most-profound and Divine silence? The answer will come slowly and by degrees--that God's existence is verified by His perfection. Only the Divine Mind could ever envision and carry out creation. As I travel, I take notice of my surroundings, and here is what I have discovered, quite independently from all those theories and theologies that I grew up listening to and attempting to assimilate: This planet we know as earth is extremely old—scientists tell us around 4 1/2 billion years or more. The last generation told us that the earth was no more than 6000 years old. They based this theory (oh yes, Christians also have theories) on the basis of biblically-recorded history. There is no doubt that the Bible is 100% true and verifiable as a historic and scientific document. Archeology is one of the Bible's most ardent supporters--one might say it is scientists' blueprint of the historical timeline. What scientists and theologians agree-on however, becomes a point of departure, when it comes to extra- Biblical theorizing. Christians admit that God has not told us everything about our history on the planet, and perhaps has no intention of clarifying the finer points of creation for us. That intriguing comment at the beginning of scripture is a puzzler for thoughtful theorists--that part that says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Gap-theorists will ask this question: When is the beginning?-- 6000 years ago?--only to be answered with another question-- how old is God?--to be further answered: that God has no ending and no beginning! So then, how old is the world, if it was created "In the beginning?" My answer harmonizes Christians, scientists and thoughtful people of many persuasions: The world is extremely old, and so is the universe. Just as God has no beginning and will have no ending, God's creation is as timeless as God Himself. Creation is as old as the moment when God spoke it into existence, and creation will last until God says so! How long of a time-period is that? How long is eternity? Why do science and small-minded Christians insist that "god" is finite, predictable, definable, inept, error-prone and incapable of carrying out His plans? I have a message for you: Your "god" is too small! The God Whose I AM is too large for the universe to contain Him. He is timeless and fulfills all His purposes! After all the banter of what, where, why and when, God is still on His throne, high and lifted up. Theories abound, but God's reality never changes. Soli Deo Gloria!

Mark Overt Skilbred