Christian Apologetics – Part IIIChristian Apologetics – Part IIIIs belief in God and miracles irrational Is belief in God and miracles irrational

? ?

St. Mary & St. Mina Youth MeetingSt. Mary & St. Mina Youth MeetingDecember 5, 2014December 5, 2014

IntroductionIntroduction

• People assume that there is a People assume that there is a contradiction between science and faith, contradiction between science and faith, and between being a scientist and being and between being a scientist and being a believera believer

• The motto of Harvard for example is The motto of Harvard for example is Veritas Veritas for Christ and His churchfor Christ and His church

The importance of religionThe importance of religion• Even atheists acknowledge the critical role of Even atheists acknowledge the critical role of

religion:religion:– “…“…in Europe, our educational system, our legal in Europe, our educational system, our legal

system, our human rights are all derived from the system, our human rights are all derived from the Judeo-Christian tradition. To this day, we have no Judeo-Christian tradition. To this day, we have no other source. Everything else is post-modern other source. Everything else is post-modern chatter”.chatter”.

• The Philosophy Department at Harvard has the The Philosophy Department at Harvard has the inscription “What is man that you are mindful inscription “What is man that you are mindful of?”of?”

• 3 When I consider your heavens,    the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars,    which you have set in place,4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,    human beings that you care for them?[c]

• 5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]

    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;    you put everything under their[g] feet:7 all flocks and herds,    and the animals of the wild,8 the birds in the sky,    and the fish in the sea,    all that swim the paths of the seas.

The Nature of FaithThe Nature of Faith• Myth: Faith is a religious conceptMyth: Faith is a religious concept

– Faith DOES NOT mean believing where Faith DOES NOT mean believing where there is no evidencethere is no evidence

• The key question: Is there a super-The key question: Is there a super-nature or is the material world all that nature or is the material world all that existsexists– What evidence is there for the What evidence is there for the veritas veritas of of

either of themeither of them– In what way does science point ?In what way does science point ?

The Nature of Faith The Nature of Faith

• Faith means “trust” and we do not trust Faith means “trust” and we do not trust people unless there is evidence to do sopeople unless there is evidence to do so

• Christianity is the evidence-based faith.Christianity is the evidence-based faith.– ““These things are written that you are These things are written that you are

might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might Son of God, and that believing, you might have life in his name”.have life in his name”.

The history of ScienceThe history of Science

• Men became scientific because they Men became scientific because they expected law in nature, and they expected law in nature, and they expected so because they believed in a expected so because they believed in a law giverlaw giver

• Newton and Galileo were believers, and Newton and Galileo were believers, and so were so many other scientistsso were so many other scientists

Science and FaithScience and Faith

• Science is NOT the only way to truthScience is NOT the only way to truth

• The Nobel Prize winner Sir Peter The Nobel Prize winner Sir Peter Medawar,Medawar,– ““It is so easy to see the limits of science. It is so easy to see the limits of science.

It cannot answer the questions of a child: It cannot answer the questions of a child: Where am I coming from? What is the Where am I coming from? What is the meaning of life? Where am I going to?”meaning of life? Where am I going to?”

More confusionMore confusion

• The concept of the God of gapsThe concept of the God of gaps– ““I cannot explain it, therefore, God did I cannot explain it, therefore, God did

it”it”

• Our God is not a God of the gaps. He Our God is not a God of the gaps. He is the God of the is the God of the whole showwhole show, both , both of the bits we do not understand and of the bits we do not understand and the bits we do”the bits we do”

More confusionMore confusion

• It is important to understand that It is important to understand that understanding the mechanism does understanding the mechanism does not exclude the agent who made the not exclude the agent who made the mechanismmechanism

• The example of a Ford Galaxy CarThe example of a Ford Galaxy Car

The role of faith in ScienceThe role of faith in Science

• Even in science, scientists exercise Even in science, scientists exercise faithfaith

• Consider what Darwin wrote:Consider what Darwin wrote:– ““With me, the horrid doubt always arises With me, the horrid doubt always arises

whether the convictions of man’s mind, whether the convictions of man’s mind, “which (according to Darwin) has evolved “which (according to Darwin) has evolved from lower animals, are of any value or are from lower animals, are of any value or are to be trusted” to be trusted”

The possibility of miraclesThe possibility of miracles• It is sometimes wrongly assumed that people It is sometimes wrongly assumed that people

in primitive cultures believed in miracles in primitive cultures believed in miracles because “they were not sophisticated like us because “they were not sophisticated like us in the 21in the 21stst century century

• Nature is not a closed systemNature is not a closed system– Say I have $2,000 in my room and then one day I Say I have $2,000 in my room and then one day I

found only $500found only $500– That does not mean that the laws of math are That does not mean that the laws of math are

violatedviolated

The possibility of miraclesThe possibility of miracles

• God is not a prisoner to the laws of God is not a prisoner to the laws of nature He created. He can choose to nature He created. He can choose to go beyond such laws when He sees go beyond such laws when He sees fitfit

• The resurrection of Christ as the The resurrection of Christ as the utmost miracleutmost miracle