Science Vs Faith?

Does the Big Bang Disprove the Creation Story?

One of the, for me, tragic attitudes in parts of the Christian Church these last few years is the disdain some Christians have for science. Science is seen, not as a gift from the Creator, but an enemy of the Creator. When good, credible science (and not all science is credible) meets bad Biblical interpretation, for far too many, bad Biblical interpretation wins the day—every time.

I believe that science is an important gift from God—a gift that helps us understand how this world God created works. Science can actually enhance our faith, and at times, challenge it to the point of deepening it.

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Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives a man knowledge which is power; religion gives a man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complimentary. Science keeps religion from sinking into the valley of crippling irrationalism and paralyzing obscurantism… Religion prevents science from falling into the march of obsolete materialism and moral nihilism. (Martin Luther King, Jr. Strength to Love)

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At the same time, I’ve heard far too many stories of young people headed off to college, raised in the church, followers of Jesus, only to be tripped up by “science,” specifically Evolutionary Theory vs. the Genesis 1 Creation Story. Armed only with a “Sunday School” understanding of Genesis 1, many young followers of Jesus find they cannot hang on to both the convincing science of the Big Bang and the 6-Day Creation Story of Genesis 1. Many of them choose science, because, honestly, it makes the most sense. And, far too often, dropping the Genesis story means dropping the Christian story.

The problem is not with Science. It is with our understanding of the how the Bible works, how the Bible wants to be read, and specifically with what the story of Genesis 1 is actually saying.

(Sorry, but here’s where I sell something!)

I’ve started a new book series called, The Sunday School Detective Club. It’s about a small group of High Schoolers wrestling with the tough stories of the Bible. Led by their Intern Pastor, they create a Detective Club to investigate the stories and what they are really saying.

The first book in the series, The Case of the Creation Story, was written out of my love for both Science and the Bible, in the hope that I can help students (and other readers) see that there is no conflict between the Big Bang Story and the Creation Story—that in fact, both offer very different yet important insights into Creation.

It is currently only available through this link as an epub. I’ve not yet decided if I will put it on Amazon. I do have a publisher interested (but they are a bit nervous because I don’t read Genesis 1 literally—because I don’t think it is meant to be read that way!).

The epub is only $5.00. If you are interested in this topic, or more broadly in how majestic the Bible really is when we read it as it wants to be read, give it a look, even if you are a few years beyond High School.

Here’s an excerpt:

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Chapter 1. Bored

Mel sat on a chair in the corner of the room so that she could rest her head against the wall, close her eyes, and get through this next hour. She’d already spent a boring hour in church. Actually, that wasn’t really true. The worship music was, as always, good, if not really good. The sermon was passable (sorry, Dad!). And she had to admit that the hour went by pretty quickly. So it wasn’t that the worship service was boring. More like she was getting bored with the whole church thing.

And now she had to endure an even more boring hour of Youth Sunday School.

Yawn!

Mel liked their group leader. A lot. She was good at holding the attention of the group, which was no small feat. But Mel had heard all of the Bible stories a million times having grown up in the church as a pastor’s daughter. And quite frankly, the stories had started to sound childish. She knew they weren’t. But Sunday School had a way of making them seem childish. Which made sense because Sunday School, after all, was for children.

And Mel was no longer a child. She was 15. And besides that, Mel sat in class all day Monday through Friday. Why did Sunday School have to feel so much like school?

Ugh.

She could hear the others slogging their way into the room. Her friend Rosa slumped down next to her with a sigh. Duon and Julie, apparently an item now, landed on the couch giggling. She knew from the sound of the loud lip smacking that Jahron had walked in finishing up a doughnut as he always did on his way into the room.

Mel played this game every week. Trying to figure out who had entered the room by the sounds they made. She’d gotten pretty good at it.

It sounded like a good turnout. They usually had about ten-to-twelve people in the class and, opening her eyes for a moment, she had called it once again. Ten in the room not counting herself.

She reclosed her eyes and mumbled “hmm hmm” several times as Rosa shared some school gossip.

Then she heard a sound she didn’t recognize. An adult? It didn’t sound like her Sunday School teacher. Someone different. The room had gone quiet. Something was different.

Mel listened as the adult plopped down onto a chair in the front of the room, emitting a huge, long sigh. Then it went quiet again. She could sense that all of the students were now focused on this new person. But she kept her eyes closed for a few more moments, letting the game play out as long as possible.

“Whew! It’s hot out there!”

Mel didn’t recognize the voice.

More silence.

“This is just how I remember my youth Sunday School class. Borrring!”

The class laughed nervously and Mel finally opened her eyes.

Sitting in front of her was a stranger. She was old. 25 maybe? She wore a black “dog collar” shirt—the kind of shirt her dad wears on Sundays. A Pastor shirt. She had on dark jeans with bright blue running shoes? Her bare arms had tattoos—really cool tattoos—all over them. And her spiky hair was tinted with pink.

Must be the new Intern Pastor. But she’s not supposed to be here until next week!, Mel thought, just as the new Intern Pastor said, “Hey, everyone. I’m the new Intern Pastor. My name is Lucia Woodward. I’m from Southern Minnesota. You can call me Lucia or Pastor Lucia. Whatever is most comfortable for you. Since I got here a week early Pastor Rick, Mel’s dad,” she winked at Mel—how does she know who I am?—“suggested that I might as well dig in. Since your Sunday School teacher, Rochelle I believe her name is, has asked for some time off to have a baby…”

Oohs, aahs, and clapping from the group.

“… Pastor Rick asked if I would take the lead with this group. So here I am.”

Mel could sense a bit of energy fill the room. She sat up waiting to hear more.

“So, where was I? Oh. Yah. Sunday School. Borrring! Right?”

Some of the kids laughed, then stopped, not sure how they were supposed to respond.

“And these Bible stories! Come on. Really? Are you with me? How can you believe any of them?”

Wait! What? What did she just say? Did she, the new Intern Pastor, just say we can’t believe the Bible? What’s my dad going to say? He’ll be devastated.

“Am I right?” New Intern Pastor Lucia Woodward continued. “Seriously, water into wine? Parting a sea? Raising a man from the dead? Throwing the One Ring into Mordor…” She paused. “Sorry. Wrong book. Anyway, you catch my drift, don’t you?”

It was apparent to Mel, from the smile on New Intern Pastor Lucia Woodward’s face, that their new teacher was having some fun with them. But to what end? Suggesting that the Bible isn’t true? What is she thinking? Mel could tell that the rest of her friends were just as confused.

“Anybody? Anyone? It’s hard to believe this stuff, isn’t it?”

No one responded. The energy in the room was a combination of uncomfortable and intrigued. Suddenly, Sunday School just got interesting.

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The Sunday School Detective Club—Book 1: The Case of the Creation Story. Let me know what you think (revtimwright57@gmail.com)