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Are You a Christian Atheist on Origins?The need for Christians to develop abiblical view of origins and historyJason D. BrowningApril 11, 2008
Views on OriginsSecular ScienceEvolution – No need for GodIntelligent DesignThere is a designer (unspecified)Old-Earth CreationismThe designer is the God of the BibleYoung-Earth CreationismThe history of the Bible is trueBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org2
What is a Worldview? A “worldview” is how you think about theworld and answer the important questions oflife: Where did we come from, and who are we?What has gone wrong with the world?What can we do to fix it?Where are we going?Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org3
Two Basic Worldviews Theism – there is a God Biblical Christianity Creation Naturalism – nature is all there is Atheism (there is no God) Evolution Each of these worldviews answers theimportant questions very differently!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org4
Where is the Truth?NaturalNaturalism:Natural TrueBrowning - 2008SupernaturalCreation:Natural Supernatural TrueNJBibleScience.org5
Only 9 percent of born-again Christianshave a biblical worldview!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org6
Barna’s Definition of a Biblical Worldview Absolutes exist and the Bible defines them Christ lived a sinless life God is the all-powerful and all-knowingCreator of the universe and He still rules ittoday Salvation is by grace and not by works Satan is a real being Christians have a responsibility to witness The Bible is accurate in all of its teachingsBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org8
Human Manifesto III Knowledge of the world is derived by observation andrational analysis Humans are an integral part of nature, the result ofunguided evolutionary change Ethical values are derived from human need andinterest as tested by experience Life‟s fulfillment emerges from individualparticipation in the service of human ideals Humans are social by nature and find meaning inrelationships Working to benefit society maximizes individualhappinessBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org9
Effects of Your WorldviewBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org10
The Naturalistic View is All Around Us! TelevisionMoviesMagazinesMuseumsPublic schoolsScienceLife is largely portrayed as if there were no God!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org12
How Old is this Rock? Collins Chewsays it is 3.9billion years old!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org14
Interpretation of Scientific DataAssumption ofEvolutionAssumption ofCreationScientific DataEvolution isSeenCreation isSeenInterpretation is influenced by assumptions and biasesBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org15
Grand Canyon: Evidence forA) Evolution over long ages, or B) Noah’s flood?Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org16
Comparing WorldviewsCreation-ChristianityEvolution - NaturalismGodThere is a God who is personal,eternal, exists outside of timeThere is no God(nature is all there is)The UniverseCreated by GodAppeared from nothingthrough a “quantumfluctuation”PeopleCreated in the image of GodA cosmic accident –the result of evolutionSpiritual worldIs real, Satan is the leader of thefallen angelsReligion is a myth made upby manWho is in control?GodManMoral lawsTen Commandments –absolute, unchangingDetermined by man, canbe changed by manYour futureHeaven or HellNo life after deathBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org17
God Wants us to be Scientists! God blessed them and said to them, “Befruitful and increase in number; fill the earthand subdue it. Rule over the fish of the seaand the birds of the air and over every livingcreature that moves on the ground.”Genesis 1:28 The mandate from God for scientific study Man can only subdue and rule over the creation bystudying itBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org18
Amazing Scientific Insights in the BibleThe Bible is not a science book, but weshould expect it to be accurate where itdoes touch on scientific matters
The Earth is a Sphere Suspended in Space He [God] sits enthronedabove the circle of theearth, and its people arelike grasshoppers.Isaiah 40:22 He [God] suspends theearth over nothingJob 26:7Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org20
Second Law of Thermodynamics They [the earth and the heavens] will perish,but you [God] remain; they will all wear outlike a garment. Hebrews 1:11 Describes the “SecondLaw of Thermodynamics”- the universal principlethat everything is “mixingtogether” and decayingBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org21
Mountains Under the Oceans To the roots of themountains I sank downJonah 2:6 Jonah (860 B.C.)describes that there aremountains under theocean!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org22
Ocean Currents The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, allthat swim the paths of the seas. Psalms 8:8Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org23
The Expanding Universe JOB 9:8 - He alone stretches out theheavens PS 104:2 - he stretches out the heavenslike a tent ISA 42:5 - he who created the heavensand stretched them out ISA 45:12 - My own hands stretched outthe heavens JER 10:12 - [God] stretched out theheavens by his understanding ZEC 12:1 - The LORD, who stretchesout the heavensBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org24
The Bible is a book about history –God was the only one there at the start!
Timelines of HistoryCreation in6 daysGlobalfloodTower ofBabelIce AgeEnd times,new heavenand earthChrist onearthBiblical Creationism6-15,000years ago?BigBang 5,000Earthforms 4,5002,000FirstlifeTodayFirsthumansUniverse diesof heat deathEvolution13 billionyears agoBrowning - 20084.6B 3.5BNJBibleScience.org100,00026
Evolution Teaches The hydrogen gas of the “Big Bang” hasturned itself into people!Something from nothing!“Big Bang”Stars and planetsLife from dead chemicalsAdvanced lifeBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.orgPeople27
Evolutionary StagesDead chemicals AbiogenesisFirst lifeInvertebrates (no backbone)Vertebrates nBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org28
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Evolutionary Worldview Answers Where did we come from? We are a “cosmic accident” that would likely never happenagain if we could start over Who are we? Nothing special – insignificant specs in a giant universe What has gone wrong with the world? We can‟t get away from the tooth and claw of ourevolutionary past What can we do to fix it? Better education, eliminate poverty, science and technology, Where are we going? Nowhere special – this life is it!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org30
The Bible Teaches A special creationAdam and Eve in EdenTower of BabelBrowning - 2008Noah‟s global floodJesusNJBibleScience.orgPeople – saved to Heaven,unsaved to Hell31
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Day-Age Theory:Overlap of the DaysFrom “The Young Earth”, Morris, p. 34Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org34
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The Cambrian ExplosionFossils relativelyabundantFossils very rareBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org39
Competing Views of the Geologic ColumnEvolutionFloodMore mobile,smarter animalsEvolution ofanimals ofincreasinghigherordersHabitat zones Various Land Near-ocean OceanPre-flood,floodboundaryBrowning - 2008Simpler shapedNJBibleScience.org40
Trilobite FossilAmazing eyes made ofinorganic calciteBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org41
Living Fossil:Coelacanth FishThe front fins (lobes) are still fins!Supposedly extinct since theCretaceous Period (70 millionyears ago) until found in 1938still livingBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org42
“Mini Grand Canyon” belowMt. St. Helens – Formed in Hours/DaysBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org43
Dinosaur Blood Cells, Soft FibrousTissues, and Blood Vessels!Dinosaur bone supposedly 65 million years old still has“fresh appearance” and elastic 25Dino tissue.aspBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org44
Biblical Worldview Answers Where did we come from? We are specially made in the “image of God” Who are we? Designed for fellowship with God What has gone wrong with the world? The fall of Adam and Eve – sin and physical decay enteredthe world What can we do to fix it? Christ came to redeem us and told us to “make disciples ofall nations” Where are we going? We will live forever in Heaven or HellBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org45
The End Times(Pretribulation View) Dead believers topresence of Christ Dead unbelievers toHades awaiting finaljudgementFirstComingof ChristSecondComingof Christ;living judged Christ rules Church reigns Satan bound Nature restored Israel regatheredRaptureChurchTribulation7 YearsMillennium1000 YearsWhen? Only God the father knows! Mt 24:36Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org Final judgement Believers rewarded Satan and demonscast into lake of fire Unbelievers sent toHellHeavenEternityHell47
Why is there Evil and Suffering? God gave us free will, therefore some willdecide not to be good (we are not robots) Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, Godcursed the Earth, so now we have: DecayThornsStormsEarthquakesAnimals that eat meatBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org48
The Fall of Man To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wifeand ate from the tree about which I commandedyou, „You must not eat of it,‟ “Cursed is the groundbecause of you; through painful toil you will eat of itall the days of your life. It will produce thorns andthistles for you.” Genesis 3:17-18 The Fall of Man not only introduced death, God also cursedthe creation itself allowing for physical calamities to takeplace (e.g. tornadoes, floods, etc.). This was a removal ofGod‟s complete sustaining power and decay would begin totake place. The after effects of the flood increased the level of physicalcalamitiesBrowning - 2008NJBibleScience.org49
The Danger of Evolutionary Thought The creation story is a myth The first eleven chapters of Genesis are amyth The fall of man is a myth Salvation is unnecessary Eternity in Hell!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org51
The Great Truths Creation We are special – made to have fellowship withGod The Fall Adam‟s sin (and our own sin nature) haveseparated us from God Redemption Christ came to restore us to fellowship with God,but we must accept it!Browning - 2008NJBibleScience.org52
Evolution says I came from an ape!But the Bible says I was createdby God!
Browning - 2008 NJBibleScience.org 8 Barna’s Definition of a Biblical Worldview Absolutes exist and the Bible defines them Christ lived a sinless life God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He still rules it today Salvation is by grace and not by works Satan is
