I have been invited to speak at St. Andrews College Chapel this Thursday. The theme for the term is “Faith”. So I’ve chosen to talk about the relationship between science and faith. It’s a relationship that is frequently fraught both inside the church and out.

Based on the first creation narrative in Genesis 1, I’ve offered some thoughts. Let me know yours!

So often today faith is seen as incompatible with science. If you believe in science, then you can’t possibly believe that airy-fairy God stuff! Or if you believe in God, then it means you have to blindly reject any science that seems to oppose what the Bible says. If it’s a choice between believing in some God that we can’t see, versus believing provable, empirical science — then, let’s be honest, it’s pretty hard to choose God! We live in a society where that’s increasingly the case. Something is true if it can be proven with science. Something is true if we can see it, or hear it, or measure it.

But that’s actually deeply problematic. The idea that science can tell us everything true about life or existence is simply wrong. For example — take an electric kettle. Now, if I plug it in, fill it with water, and switch it on… what will happen? The water will start boiling. If someone asks me, why is the water boiling? I can say (I’m not a scientist by the way so don’t quote me on this!) that a large electrical current flows from the outlet into the heating element. The element’s resistance turns the electricity into heat. Because the element is touching the water the heat passes to the water by conduction and then by convection the water heats up.

But I can also give a second answer to the question why is the water boiling? …cos’ I want a cup of coffee (which in my case is almost certainly always true!).

Are either of those answers wrong? No, both are quite true. But neither of the answers tell the whole truth. If we relate that to the faith vs. science debate it is possible for both faith and science to tell us something true about life and existence without necessarily being in contradiction with each other. We need both.

One thinker says this: If the purpose of science is to break things down to understand how they work, then faith seeks to put them back together again to understand what it all means. Both faith and science actually work together to give us a full picture of what it means to live as humans in the world.

So let’s talk about the creation of the world as an example. What does science teach us? Well, using the Big Bang Theory TV show as a guide (the ultimate authority) science teaches us that:

“Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait…
The Earth began to cool,
The autotrophs began to drool,
Neanderthals developed tools,
We built a wall (we built the pyramids),
Math, science, history, unraveling the mystery,
That all started with the big bang (Bang)!”

(I bet you just sang the whole thing in your head…) As far as the best scientific minds can tell, this is true.

But the Bible also tells us something true about the creation of the world that science can’t tell us. A different sort of truth that gives meaning and purpose.

1. There is a God and that God loves us.

The first creation narrative in Genesis 1 (there are two creation stories in Genesis!) tells us that there is a God and that this God created the whole world and everything in it. But we also know that this God cares about us and the world. God blessed humanity and God called creation good — this God is very involved in history, not distant and removed.

2. This world is good.

The story also tells us that this world is good, that humans have been given responsibility to look after the world — to use it for our enjoyment, but also to see it flourish. In the light of climate change, over-farming, polluting rivers, and poisoning the soil, the Bible reminds us we need to care for God’s world because God cares for it.

3. Human beings are created in God’s image.

The creation narrative also tells us that human beings are blessed and created in the image of God. This has huge implications when we think of the victims of the Orlando shooting and their families and loved ones. Or if we think of the thousands of refugees from Syria, walking away from war and death into the unknown. Think of the people in your own life. The ones who bully you. The ones you bully. The teacher you don’t like. The girl or boy you have a crush on. The Bible tells us that all these people have infinite worth. Each person is made in the image of God. Their lives are sacred in a way that science can’t measure. There is worth beyond what chemistry and biology can tell us.

4. Faith encourages scientific discovery and human ingenuity!

Finally, the story actually encourages science and faith to work together. And even though the Church doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to supporting scientific innovation, it is no mistake that the scientific revolution has emerged largely out of a Christian society. In Genesis 1 we learn that God’s creation is good and we learn that humans are supposed to use and look after it. This lays the foundation for scientific discovery, developing new technologies, understanding the world around us in order to enjoy it and steward it to the best of our ability.

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But, when all’s said and done, why do we need to have faith in God? Can’t we just work together to build a better society? Can’t we still look after the world and other humans without God? Why does it matter what you believe, as long as you don’t hurt others?

Well, firstly, many people who aren’t Christian do look after others and the world. You don’t have to be a Christian to do good things.

But I believe there is still a place for faith. Here’s a story to try and illustrate what I mean:

At a zoo in Ohio, a three-year old boy was being typically adventurous. Escaping his parents he climbed a three-foot fence and crawled through some bushes. Suddenly he lost his grip and fell down about 15 feet…into the ape enclosure. Looking up he came face-to-face with Harambe, the silverback gorilla. Harambe dragged the boy violently around while onlookers watched in horror. Eventually, in order to save the boy’s life, the zookeepers shot Harambe dead.

I don’t know if you saw, but there was a lot of controversy about whether the gorilla should have been shot. The argument was made that the gorilla shouldn’t have been shot seeing as human beings put him there in the first place. They should have left the boy to be killed.

As sad and tragic as it is that Harambe had to be killed, we’re talking about the life of a human boy here.

The idea that human life is sacred,
that every person has worth that can’t be measured,
the very foundation for human rights, justice and equity,
the idea that you and I have a right to live and to flourish —
this doesn’t come from nowhere.

Ultimately it comes from the belief that human beings — you and me — are made in God’s image, and that this God is a God of love and calls us to love others and our world.

Say what you like about religion and church and Christians, but in a world where 50 people can be mercilessly killed in a bar, where thousands of refugees are turned away from asylum because of fear, where a little boy’s life can seriously be up for debate —

In that world, I believe there is still room for faith.

Do you?