Creation & Nature

The Academy for Christian Thought’sCenter for Interdisciplinary Research

CREATION OF NATURE&

NATURE OF CREATION

THE 1ST ARTICLE OF THE APOSTLE’S CREED

We believe in God Almighty,Maker of Heaven and Earth

('seen and unseen’ added in the Nicene).

THIS FIRST ARTICLE DETERMINES HOW WE UNDERSTAND EVERY STATEMENT THAT FOLLOWS

A doctrine of creation is a description of reality, with increasing knowledge of the universe always resulting in revisions.

We will consider

the scientific nature of creation from the physical, chemical and biological perspectives in spacetime, and then

the theological creation of nature from a kenotic perspective.

SCIENTIFIC NATURE OF CREATION

Physics:

The detectible universe is made up of tiny particles called quarks.

Their combinations give rise to other sub-atomic particles of various half-lives.

The four forces of nature shape them to form everything else in nature.

QUARKS & PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF REALITY


Chemistry:

Some matter that exists form amino acids of which certain oriented ones clump together to form life forms.

They can generate (birth), replicate (reproduce) and corrupt (die).

Complexity and Self-organization of matter led to the emergence of human intelligence that is aware of its geohistory (time and space).

AMINO ACIDS – BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE


Biology:

Some life forms became consciously aware, acquired locomotion and sense organs to navigate dangerous environments.

Primate brains developed moral awareness.

In humans, it led to religious convictions.

As we encounter other religions and new knowledge, our curiosity will lead us to investigate – even our own origins and our future existence in a postmortem consciousness.

HUMAN EVOLUTION

THEOLOGICAL CREATION OF NATURE 1

Traditional doctrine separates creation nature, so that creation (source) gave rise to nature (effect).

But our experience hints that nature evolves without any intervention, e.g., the birth of a child, the growth of a plant, or the death of an animal.


Inspired by Jurgen Moltmann, science and theology responds:

We are God’s co-creators. Nature itself participates in secondary creation in a ongoing creation (creatio continua).

Our ability to master nature and extend our existence on land, sea and air reflects God’s creation of the evolved human mind (brain).


How does creation and providence (protology) take place?

God created by at least three means:

a. By personal word (primary creation)

b. By craftsmanship (nature’s evolution)

c. By ministerial operation (human co-creation)


19th century theology postulates kenosis as the mechanism – God in perfection allows the existence of nature in imperfection by a metaphysical ‘tolerance’ of self-limitation.

When God said “Let it be…”, it signified God’s accommodation of spacetime’s existence.

Every field of human achievement is creation by ministerial means

THE CHRISTIAN APOLOGETIC CHALLENGE

Advances in science, technology and medicine have made the doctrine of creation dated and irrelevant. Based on the Bible alone, theology cannot account for

- the smallest particles of nature (quarks, atoms, viruses, etc)

- the largest objects in space (planets, stars, galaxies, etc)

- the furthest objects in outer space (quasars)

- the 90% of nonhuman cells that make up the human body (only 10% of us are human) – you have more bacteria than you have you

THE SOLUTION

Welcome the contributions of science to better understand God’s creation just as archaeology, philology, linguistics, geology, history, all fields of scientific investigation, inform biblical studies. After all…

Sermons rely on the regularity of physical laws to explain miracles.

Missionaries rely on modern transportation to get to their fields.

Disciplers use digital technology to shape the minds of believers.

THE EVOLUTION OF DOCTRINES

All Christian doctrines evolve over time as fresh insights from new knowledge (scientia) led to corrections, adaptations and revisions.

THE EVOLUTION OF DOCTRINES

We shall trace how the history of science, technology, and medicine prompted the evolution of doctrines with specific reference to

2 discoveries (circumnavigation & DNA)

2 innovations (microscope & telescope)

2 medical advances (germ theory & cognitive neuroscience)

MAGELLAN-DRAKE CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS

2 SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES

1522: Circumnavigation

The first experience that the world is not flat (Magellan/El Cano, Drake & Cook) and that other human populations exist beyond the scope of Christian missions led to a rethinking of salvation.

2 SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES

1953: Structure of DNA

This led to knowledge about biological inheritance, nature & nurture debates, understanding alcoholism, and why some populations are prone to diseases, etc.

DNA & RNA

2 TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

1595: Microscope

This led to the discovery of microbes and the stunning knowledge that many ‘unseen’ life forms exist.

2 TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

1608: Telescope

Galileo was among the first to see the moons of Jupiter and other moving objects in the sky, overturning the traditional Hebrew world view of a disc-shaped earth or the Ptolemaic view of a geocentric universe.

MICROSCOPE

TELESCOPE

2 MEDICAL ADVANCES

1905: Germ theory

Led to major improvements in public health and cures for infectious diseases such as ebola and tuberculosis.

2 MEDICAL ADVANCES

1950s: Cognitive neuroscience

Led to an understanding of mental illness such as Tourette’s syndrome & Schizophrenia, false memory consolidation, altered states of consciousness, autism and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Psychology became a branch of biology and a more comprehensive brain science now invites theological insights into the nature of belief.

ROBERT KOCH’S GERM THEORY OF DISEASE

CN - THE SCIENCE OF THE MIND

NATURE OF CREATION & CREATION OF NATURE

The Nature of Creation

God created by a kenosis (emptying out) to tolerate the existence of imperfection.

The Creation of Nature

Nature was made to evolve. Our knowledge and appreciation of the world we live in also evolves. Religions arose to affirm a sense of the divine.

ENCOUNTERS: FAITH & SCIENCE

Love God and worship your creator

But hold on to specific doctrines with a light touch,

For no Christian church has ever escaped having to back-peddle on previous confident pronouncements of truth.

ENCOUNTERS: FAITH & SCIENCE

Belief is not based on the provisional truths of science and history

But on the eternal truths of reality,

So we must be humble about how much of such eternal truths we actually know.

CONCLUSIONS

1. God created an evolving nature – expect things and perceptions to change, including our beliefs about God drawn from multiple sources of knowing

2. Human discovery (science, technology & medicine) is part of divine creation and revelation – invite science into the Church

3. Faith seeks understanding – this is a mark of responsible belief as we learn about God’s creation through nature

Spiritual

Creation & Nature