The Universe: Hasn’t Physics Disproved God?

Professor Tom McLeishProfessor of Physics, Pro-Vice Chancellor – Research,Durham University

My Research

Professor of Soft Matter and Biological Physics

• Theory of Polymer Dynamics and Flow

• Biological Physics of Protein Dynamics

• Medieval Science• Narratives for Science Policy

University Roles

Pro-Vice-Chancellor ResearchOverall responsibility for Research Strategy, support (research office and network), Research Institutes, REF strategy and process. Multidisciplinary

research. A member of the University Executive Committee (UEC).

Research InstitutesInstitute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Biophysical Sciences InstituteDurham Energy InstituteInstitute for Computational CosmologyInstitute for Particle Physics PhenomenologyInstitute of Advanced StudyInstitute of Hazard, Risk and ResilienceWolfson Research Institute

• Surely Science Removes the Need for God?

• Isn’t Science incompatible with the Bible?

• Hasn’t the Church always opposed Science?

Some Big Questions

Religion without Science is blind;Science without Religion is lame.

Albert Einstein

"The most incomprehensible thing about the Universe is that it is comprehensible"

Job 38-40

Questions, questions, questions,……..

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea?.....Where is the way to the abode of light?......From whose womb comes the ice?..... Do you know the laws of the heavens?...…

The Bible and …Science? … or .. Understanding the physical world

The Church and Science?

Robert Grosseteste• Bishop of Lincoln 1235-1253

Formam primam corporalem, quam quidam corporeitatem vocant, lucem esse arbitror. Lux enim per se in omnem partem se ipsam diffundit, ita ut a puncto lucis sphaera lucis quamvis magna subito generetur, nisi obsistat umbrosum. Corporeitas vero est, quam de necessitate consequitur extensio materiae secundum tres dimensiones, cum tamen utraque, corporeitas scilicet et materia, sit substantia in se ipsa simplex, omni carens dimensione …

13th Century Science

• Re-conquest of Aristotle

• Arabic Translationo Averroes

• ‘Natural’ Science and Scientific Method

• God’s Creation• Reason and

Rationality• An Ordered Universe• Observation

Aristotle: Opera Logica

Concluding Remarks

• Science is at the heart of and part of a Christian worldview

• The roots of science are very old and part of the “healing” story of the Bible

• The universe is extraordinarily delicately constructed for complexity and order.

• Removing the false opposition of Science and Faith is going to be important.