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| Einstein with Georges Lemaître |
In a science classroom in
Detroit, 1964, I listened to the teacher explain about the Big Bang Theory of
how the universe came into existence. As a person of reason and intellect, I
was intrigued of this scientific idea.
At the same time, age
nine, I was taking seriously the Bible and particularly the Book of Genesis in
which the first couple of chapters describe the creation of all things.
Being a person of
intellect and religious conviction, I found no conflict between the science and
the religion.
I sat in that classroom
as the teacher continued to explain and I thought to myself “So, that’s how God
did it!”
I know, there are many
people who will feel more comfortable choosing either the science or the Bible
as their landing of belief. But I claimed both, eagerly and excitedly.
I saw the Genesis account
as a larger, macro-level description of the fundamental aspects while the
science provided the “nuts and bolts” of the cosmic operation.
To offer a somewhat
inelegant metaphor, imagine looking on Mapquest for a particular address, in
this particular case 1621 E 3rd St Mishawaka, IN 46544.
Our first big-picture view
shows most of North America and some other areas.
But it does not show
details such as individual State names and national roads.
A next level in provided
state names along with a few city names and locations.
Those two map pictures
situate us in the “Genesis, big picture view”. We will now move toward the
science, micro-level view of things.
We see more detail. More
city names and some roads begin to appear like a hard boiled egg cracked.
The next picture shows
yet more detail, just as science would provide.
Well, now let’s jump to a
closer view of things where we see very definable local streest and even some
businesses in the area.
Through these map
pictures we have traveled from the big picture, Genesis style overview to the
scientific “nuts and bolts” street names and business locations to describe our
identified address.
Just to further reconcile
the religious and scientific approaches to creation, I offer the following
information…
Georges Lemaître (born
July 17, 1894, Belgium—died June 20, 1966) was a Belgian astronomer and
cosmologist who formulated the modern big-bang theory,
which holds that the universe began
in a cataclysmic explosion of a small, primeval “super-atom.” (from Encyclopedia
Britannica).
Mr. Lemaître was also a Catholic Priest.
The Big Bang Theory was
not contrived by earth-bound misfits detached from spiritual influence; contrarily,
it was postulated by a well-educated priest nurtured in God-focused faith.
Genesis provides the
overall narrative.
Science reveals the
specifics as to how God “knit it all together”.
