Big Bang Theory: +s & -s

• Aim: to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the Big Bang Theory

21.2.12

Starter Activity:

I’m going recruiting for next year’s RMPS class... While I’m gone (approx 10 minutes) make two lists: one outlining the strengths of the Big Bang Theory, and one outlining the weaknesses. Do this in small groups, but without looking at either the purple book or the Joe Walker book.

98 days until the final exam

How is your revision going?

Strengths Weaknesses

Strengths

1. There is compelling evidence for it. We can detect things like cosmic background radiation and using telescopes can see way ‘back in time’ to very close to the Big Bang

Strengths

2. Meteor Craters show us the age of the rocks which hit the earth, and allow us to compare the age of the rocks and the earth. These rocks point to the earth being 4.5 Billion years old

Strengths

3. Who is to say that someone or something (God?) didn’t cause the Big Bang? Many Christians see no problem in saying that God used the Big Bang as his method of creating the universe.

Limitations

1. The Big Bang Theory is just a theory. Scientific history shows us that theories are often shown to be wrong.

- E.g. Lord Kelvin, scientifically proved the earth was 20 million years old by

measuring heat from rocks. He worked on the assumption that the earth had no heat source of its own. This assumption was later shown to be wrong, and Kelvin’s ‘fact’ was shown to be wrong.

Limitations

1. So, how can we be absolutely sure that all of our assumptions, which the Big Bang theory is based upon, are correct?

Limitations

2. The Big Bang theory leaves a lot of questions unanswered. For example:

a) What was there before singularity?b) What caused the Big Bang to happen?c) What caused all the factors needed for the

universe to ‘work’ to be absolutely correct?d) What causes the universe to continue expanding,

and indeed, to appear to be speeding up?

Limitations

3. The Big Bang theory doesn’t give moral guidance. It doesn’t answer the fundamental questions about what it is to be human, for example...

- Why are we here?- What is the meaning of life?- What happens after we die?- Is there a God?- What is ‘goodness’?

Now...

• Read page 64 in the purple book• Complete the questions• If you haven’t already, read pages 95 to 103 in

the Joe Walker book (at the back)• Answer questions 1 – 18 on page 104• Answer the following question:

-‘”Big Bang Theory contradicts revelation and must be rejected for this reason.’ WouldChristians agree with this statement?” 8 AE