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The Search for God Can Science Help John Houghton Irvine, California 18th February 2003. The search for God; can science help. The Big Bang; - the Universe created with humans in mind? Where is God; an analogy from science? Caring for the Earth - both a scientific and a spiritual challenge. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Search for GodCan Science Help
John HoughtonIrvine, California
18th February 2003
The search for God; can science help
• The Big Bang; - the Universe created with humans in mind?
• Where is God; an analogy from science?
• Caring for the Earth - both a scientific and a spiritual challenge.
Hubble Space
Telescope
Solar syste
m
Pluto’s orbit has a diameter of about 12,000 million kilometres
Two views of
our galaxy
Our sun is 30,000 light
years from the galaxy’s centre.
2 billion light years
Background galaxies
Galaxies near theedge ofUniverse
- 5 billionlight yearsaway
THEBIG BANG
12By
10-43s 1 second
1million y
10-33cm
QuarksHydrogen and Helium
Stars & Galaxies
Conversion of mass to energy
The sun is our nearest example.
Two nuclei of Deuterium fuse to form a Helium nucleus. Mass is lost and energy released, according to E = mc2
500 light years
Evidence for the Big Bang
• Redshift of galaxies
• Microwave background radiation
• Abundance of helium
Doppler Effect
Waves from an approaching object are compressed.
Waves from a receding object are stretched.
The first ground-based measurement of microwave background intensity at about 7cm wavelength
(4 GHz)
Wilson and Penzias
Pigeon droppings or Big Bang relics?
Abundance of Helium in Universe
1 atom of Helium to 3 atoms of Hydrogen as predicted by Big Bang
Theory
Is there meaning in the Universe;
has it been designed?
Designed with humans in mind?
•Human brain is, so far as we know, most complex object in universe
‘the most incomprehensible thing about the Universe is that it is comprehensible’
Designed with humans in mind?
•Universe needs to be as large as it is and as old as it is for human life to be possible.
How special is the Universe?
- it is not any old Universe
•Incredibly fine tuning needed at the Big Bang
How special is the Universe?
Make yourself a universe!
Dials must balance to 1 part in 1060
1 part in
10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Roger Penrose
How special is the Universe?
•Roger Penrose in The Emperor’s New Mind argues that initial order specified to ~ 1 part in 10 to the power of (10123)
Possible universe
s
To produce a universe resembling ours, the Creator aims for a tiny volume of the
‘phase space’ of possible universes (after Penrose).
Can science explain everything?
Conflicting
or
Comple-mentary?
Which is it?
•Science OR God
•Science AND God
Where is God?
- an Analogy from Science
Albert Einstein
Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity
• Essentially described by 4-D Space-Time
construction
Flatland
The cover of
Abbott’s book
A sphere from Spaceland over Flatland
God in action when we pray
Complementary stories
•God story - Creator and Sustainer
•Science story - orderly & precise
•Faith story - events seen in terms of our relationship with God
Caring for the Earth
- both a scientific and
a spiritual challenge
Gardeners of the Earth
. . . . provides. . provides
– food, water and resources for human life and industry
– a place of beauty and diversity
– for human creativity
– for future generations
Adam/Eve cartoon
“This place is vast; we couldn’t pollute it
if we tried!”
Some Global Problems
• Population Growth
• Resource Use & Degradation
• Poverty
• Global Warming & Climate Change
Global Warming & Climate Change
•The earth is warming•Sea level will rise•More floods and more
droughts•Poor nations worst affected•Many environmental refugees
Global Warming presents a challenge to:
•scientists•industry and technologists
•governments •everybody
Environmental Action
“Mostly we know what to do, but we lack the will to do it”
Sir Crispin Tickellin the Doomsday Letters
Caring for the Earth presents a
Challenge and an Opportunity
to Christian Churches
What Can I Do?
• Support the reen Code– cut down waste– save energy and natural resources– travel sensibly– prevent pollution– look after your local environment
• Check how green you are
The Two Books:God’s Word & God’s Works
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…All things were made by Him.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us John 1 v 1-2 & 14
Celtic cross