Day 2 : The Christian Worldview and the Origin of Life

Where did we come from? In fact, where did everything come from? What does Christianity say about the origin of the universe and life? Are faith and science in conflict?

The Christian doctrine of creation is backed by adequate scientific and philosophical data which affirm that the universe was not eternal in the past. A universe that is not eternal in the past implies the universe had a beginning. For something to transition from non-existence to existence, there must be a causative agent to bring about that change, which constitutes the act of creation. The Christian doctrine of creation and scientific data are well in harmony. God, who by definition exists eternally, created the universe and everything in it. Nobel Laureate physicist Arno Penzias said,

“The best data we have [concerning the Big Bang] are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the five books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Bible as a whole.” (New York Times, March 12, 1978, as cited in Bergman 1994, 183.)

How is the Christian creation account different from other such writings? While examining the other ancient near eastern creation accounts, like Enuma Elish and Epic of Gilgamesh, we see that the deity didn’t exist eternally, but rather sprung up from a pre-existing chaotic ocean. In those accounts, humans were created as slaves to the promiscuous deities. In Christian theology, the act of creation was an extension of the love within the Godhead and humans were the epitome of that creative glory. Humans are made in the imago dei (Image of God), endowed with supreme dignity and worth, and immensely loved by the Creator Himself! While on an atheistic worldview, there is no moral high ground or greater worth for humans; we are just one of the animals. Materialistic worldviews like atheism negates our very own humanity by denying the existence of an immaterial soul.

Application:

Take time to reflect on the origin of our magnificent universe and adore our Creator God, whom we have the privilege to call our Father in heaven. As we ponder our origins, may we recognize the sacredness of life and the profound truth that we are all created in the image of God and we are cherished by God Himself.