Religion and Science

Creationism vs Science?
 Christianity
Before the
Scientific Revolution,
people thought the Earth
was the centre of the
Universe and everything
moved around it.
People believed
that humans were the
final part of God’s
creation, and therefore
the most important
beings on the most
important planet.
 Science
Since the Scientific
Revolution, these beliefs
have been challenged;
our planet is not at the
centre of the Universe
and we are just one of
many millions of galaxies.
The Universe has
evolved over billions of
years and is still
changing; we are one of
many life forms that is
constantly evolving in
response to our changing
environment.
The Origins of the
Universe
Christian understanding…
In the beginning…
God said ‘let
there be light’
and He made
day and night
On the second day…

God created the sky

 On the third day…

God created land & sea

and then all the plants
On the fourth day…

God created the sun

and the moon and the
stars
 On the fifth day…

God created birds for

the air and fish for the
waters
 On the sixth day…

God created animals to

roam the earth…
…and finally
He created
humans in His
own image to
rule over all
the creatures
 The Origins of the Universe:
Christianity
• Turn your page landscape
• Write the following subtitle:
The Bible tells how the world was created in the first
book of the Bible: Genesis (Chapter 1)
• Draw this arrow in your book

Day 1 Day Day Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

2 3
 God created
birds and fish
to fill the sky
and sea God
separated
The earth
God created light and
was
animals and darkness shapeless
human and empty
beings God
separated
sea from
God
dry land
created
God created plants
lights to
rule the day
God
The heavens and night
separated
and the
water and
earth were
sky
finished and
God rested
 The Origins of the Universe:
Christianity

The earth God God created God created

was separated lights to animals and
shapeless sea from rule the day human
and empty dry land and night beings

Day Day Day Day Day Day Day

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The heavens
God God God God created
and the
separated separated created birds and fish
earth were
light and water and plants to fill the sky
finished and
darkness sky and sea
God rested
 James Ussher
• He was an English
bishop
• He lived in the 17thC
• He calculated the
time of creation by
working through the
dates in the Bible
• Creation took place
at 9am on 26th
October 4004 BCE
 “Strong Creationism”
• This is an example of “strong
creationism”. Such Christians believe
that God created the world in 6 days
of 24 hours each.
• Their understanding is that the Bible
is the Word of God and must be true.
• Therefore, the creation of the world
must have happened exactly as
described.
 Take a look at the text…
• This is a translation of Genesis 1
• What evidence is there that this is
more of a poem than history?

• Take a highlighter and find any

examples you can of poetic language:
– Repeated phrases
– A “verse-like” structure
 If it is a poem…
• …what is it trying to say?

• Look again at the text.

• What points is it trying to make

about the world and how it was
made?
 “Weak Creationism”
• Thinking about the creation story in this way is
called “weak creationism”.
• Such liberal Christians still believe God
created the world (“creationism”)
• But they don’t believe that it literally
happened in 6 days – they take the message
of the poem with out taking the poem literally.
• (Note: When people refer to “creationism” on
its own they are probably talking about
“strong creationism”).
 The Origins of the Universe:
Christianity
• Genesis 1 teaches that the universe was
made by God; God made it out of nothing:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth. Now the earth was formless and empty…”
Genesis 1:1
• God planned and made the world
carefully, nothing happened by chance or
accident; all the different species were
there from the beginning:
“God made the wild animals…, the livestock.., and all
the creatures that move along the ground...” Genesis
1:25
How do these beliefs differ
from those of Scientists?
What are the challenges of
Science to Religion?
 The Origins of the Universe:
Science
• Scientists think the Universe was made by
a massive explosion – a BIG BANG
• The Big Bang sent matter and gases flying
in all directions
• As matter collided it formed the planets
and stars that formed into galaxies; these
are still moving apart as the Universe
continues to expand
• There is evidence to support this theory;
background radiation left over from the
Big Bang can be detected with powerful
telescopes
Dense
matter,
smaller
than
the eye
of a
needle
 How does Science challenge
Religion?
• The Big Bang happened 14 billion
years ago, not 6-7000 years ago
• The process took many millions of
years, not 7 days
• The process appears to happen by
chance and through natural laws, not
by divine intervention
• The Universe is still changing, it is not
perfectly completed to a grand design
Genesi Big Bang
s Similarities
 Some ideas to help you!
• Run by laws of Physics and • All created over time, still
Maths changing
• Planet Earth is fit for • God made everything
purpose piece by piece
• All things created • Began at one point in time
separately and
purposefully • Happened by chance

• Happened over 14 billion • Happened over time

years • God is in charge
• Began with light • Happened in 6 days
• Earth is central to creation • Earth is one of many
story
planets
• No creator
 Big Bang
Genesi
s Similarities No creator

God made Happened by

everything piece chance
by piece Began with light Happened over 14
Happened in 6 Began at one billion years
days point in time All created over
All things created Happened over time, still
separately and time changing
purposefully Earth is one of
Planet Earth is fit
God is in charge for purpose many planets

Earth is central to Run by laws of

creation story Physics and Maths

Which of these would a Liberal Christian believe and which would a

Conservative Christian believe?
Some views of the relationship
• The creationist’s view
• The liberal view
• An atheist's view
• Creationist vs atheist scientist
The Origins of Humanity
Christian beliefs…
 The Origins of Humanity:
Christianity
The Bible tells how humans were created in the first
book of the Bible: Genesis (Chapter 2)
• God made human last; they were given pride of place in
the world
• Humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) so
share something of God’s nature
• Adam was given the breath of life; a personal creation
• Humans were given a soul, animals were not
• Adam and Eve were given the Garden of Eden to live in; it
was perfect
• Adam and Eve were put in charge of all the animals and
creation
• All the different animals were shown to Adam and Eve so
they could choose names for them
“He brought them to the man to see what he would name them” Genesis
2:19
 Christian Origins of
Humanity
• L
• I
• B
• S
• E
• C
• A
D Part Question

Explain why
Christians believe
God intended
humans to be more
important than
other forms of life.
(7 Minutes)
 D Part Model Answer
• There are several examples in the book of
Genesis which Christians use to show that
humans are more important than other creatures.
Firstly, God created humans last. Secondly, only
humans were created in the “image of God” and
were given the “breath of life”. These two also
imply that humans have a “soul”.
• Finally, human beings were given authority and a
position of stewardship over the animals. Genesis
also says that God put Adam and Eve in charge.
 D Part Model Answer
(improved)
• There are several examples in the book of Genesis which
Christians use to show that humans are more important than
other creatures. Firstly, God created humans last, which
suggests that they are the pinnacle of creation. Secondly, only
humans were created in the “image of God” and were given
the “breath of life”, which shows that humans share something
of God’s nature which other creatures do not. These two also
imply that humans have a “soul” which distinguishes us from
the rest of creation and makes us special.
• Finally, human beings were given authority and a position of
stewardship over the animals. This authority is shown in the
story of Adam being given the job of naming the animals.
Genesis also says that God put Adam and Eve in charge, which
clearly demonstrates that they are more important than the
animals of which they are in charge.
Look at your own answer

How much explanation is there?

Have you just listed “facts” or
have you explained them?
How do these beliefs differ
from those of Scientists?
What are the challenges of
Science to Religion?
 The Origins of Humanity:
Science
• In 1830 Charles Darwin travelled the world on a
ship called The Beagle studying plant and animal
life. His studies led him to conclude that species
evolve over time
• 150 years on, most scientists today still accept
this theory
 The Origins of Humanity:
Science
• As conditions change, e.g. climate, the
species most able to cope will survive and
reproduce; others will die out
• The next generations have slightly different
characteristics as species gradually change
over time in response to their environment
• This is known as natural selection through
survival of the fittest: weaker animals die
out; the strongest ones survive to
reproduce and pass on their genes
 Those able to
cope with
change,
survive and
reproduce: Over time,
SURVIVAL species
Continuous change in line
OF THE
Change, FITTEST with their
e.g. environment:
Climate NATURAL
Other SELECTION
species/me
Remember our mbers of the
stinging ameobas? species die
out
 Extinction
Climate change
Natural selection
Survival of the fittest
 How does Science challenge
Religion?
• People have evolved gradually over
millions of years, not as the conclusion to
a designed creation
• Species are always changing and some
become extinct, they have not all been
here since the beginning of time in a
perfect form
• Humans are the product of natural forces
in the world, not divine intervention
• Survival of species is based on adaptability
and suitability, not a grand design
How does the process of
evolution work?
Evolution
 “Is it credible that all favourable
varieties of turnips are tending to
become men…?”
Bishop Samuel Wilberforce
reviewing Darwin’s book ‘On the
origin of species’ in 1860
 Edmund Gosse

“I am endeavouring to
show that a grand law
exists, by which, in two
great departments of
nature at least, the
analogues of the fossil
skeletons were formed
Gosse thought the without pre-existence.”
fossils were planted
by God to test the
faith of humans.
 The Catholic Church
only accepted
evolution theory in
1996

In some parts of the

USA, it is illegal to
teach evolution as it
goes against the
biblical teachings.
Genesi Similarities Evolutio
s n
 Some ideas to help you!
• Nature selects successful species
• Humans have control over animals
• Humans have a special place on Earth
• God made humans in His own image
• Humans evolved by chance
• Humans were the last creature created by God
• All living things die out if they can’t adapt to change
• Humans were here from the beginning
• The order of creation of species is similar
• God created each living thing in turn
• Only the fittest survive
• All living things were created in 6 days
• Humans have evolved over many years
Genesi Humans have Evolutio
s control over animals Similarities n
Humans evolved
God made
by chance
humans in His
own image Humans have a special All living things
place on Earth die out if they
Humans were the
can’t adapt to
last creature The order of creation of
change
created by God species is similar
Nature selects
Humans were
successful species
here from the
beginning Only the fittest
survive
God created each
living thing in turn Humans have
evolved over
All living things
many years
were created
God wasin in
6
days charge of our
creation
Answer the following questions
1. Why is the Big Bang theory a
challenge to religious belief?
2. Does evolution theory make
humans less special than the
Genesis account?
3. Why do some people not accept the
theory of evolution?
4. If the Adam and Eve story is not
literally true, does it mean that the
Bible is wrong?
 Where does this leave the
relationship between Science and
Religion?
 The Conflict
Religion Science
1. There is a plan to the 1. The Universe is here
Universe: God is very by chance; there is no
much in charge reason or plan
2. According to Genesis, 2. The process of
creation took 6 days creation has taken
from beginning to end billions of years
3. Humans are a special 3. Humans have
creation who have evolved gradually
been given control and have gained
over the animals superiority over time
 The Conflict
• Some people say that Science and Religion
can never agree; they speak entirely
different languages so the conflict can
never be resolved
• Some people think that one day either
Science or Religion might be proved right
• Some people think it is possible to believe
in both Scientific theory and have religious
faith (Professor Polkinghorne is a Scientist
at Cambridge University and an Anglican
Priest)
 The Relationship between
Science and Religion
• Religion and Science are often seen as
being in conflict: one based on faith
(speculative), the other based on fact
(correct): CONFLICT
• They can be seen as being entirely
separate: science asks ‘How?’; religion
asks ‘Why?’: INDEPENDENCE
• The can be seen as intimately linked:
science teaches about the world; religion
uses this to understand more about God
and His creation. Religion might be used
to manage the ethics of science:
DIALOGUE
 The Similarities
• The Universe had a
beginning
• The Universe
began with light
• Plant life came
before animal life
• Humans came last
• Humans have a
superior place on
the planet
 Christian views
• CREATIONISTS – The Bible is literally true so
Science is wrong and the Bible is right; the Big
Bang and Evolution theories are rejected in
favour of the Genesis account of creation
• CONSERVATIVES – There is literal truth in the
Bible, but this does not discount Scientific ideas;
the Bible mentions ‘let there be light’ and this
could refer to the Big Bang
• LIBERALS – The Bible if full of metaphorical
language and Genesis is a creation myth used to
explain how God made the world; Science gives
the accurate explanation, but doesn’t discount
the role of God in the Big Bang and evolution
Non-literal interpretations of
the Bible
Myth Metaphorical
A story which Language
contains important Language that
truths, but does not expresses
necessarily describe something, which
what happened
is not a literal fact.
historically. A
It adds vividness or
poetic way of telling
draws
important truths.
comparisons.