We innately realize that there is purpose all around
us. We recognize that humankind holds a
unique position among earth’s creatures.
We extrapolate that human existence has meaning, and that our own lives
in particular have meaning. Myths,
religions, and philosophies throughout history have offered explanations for existence. These explanations include stories of the
origins of the world. The
Judeo-Christian story of beginnings can be found in Genesis 1-2. It has been critiqued and studied for
centuries, and is remarkably consistent with the scientific evidence.
Western science today bypasses the question of meaning, and
pursues the mystery of origins in purely material terms. Whether this universe has a purpose is
irrelevant. Scientists have gravitated
to The Big Bang theory which postulates that this expanding universe had its
beginning when all matter of the universe was compressed in a tiny
“singularity.” This speck in space then
exploded, yielding, over time, the universe as we know it. Today, most scientists seem to take this
theory for granted. It is the best
explanation scientists can find.
As more evidence comes to light,
the evidence is incorporated into the Big Bang theory. Sometimes the evidence seems to contradict
the Theory, and so elaborate explanations are offered. For example, many scientists hypothesize that
the universe is full of “dark matter,”
and “dark energy.” This matter cannot be
seen, they say, but we know it is there because our Big Bang equations won’t
match the evidence without dark matter.
By some estimates, 95% of the universe is dark matter and dark energy (http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy/). Almost all of the universe, then, cannot be
detected, except by calculations based on the Theory. This traditional understanding bears the
uncomfortable weight of having different “rules” for physical properties inside
an atom vs. the larger world. Einstein’s
theories make sense everywhere except on the subatomic level. There, scientists apply the rules of quantum
mechanics.
Now some scientists are questioning the Theory. Earlier this year an article was published
entitled, Everything We Know about the
Big Band Could Be Wrong (http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/everything-we-know-about-the-big-bang-could-be-wrong/ar-AA9es2p?ocid=U147DHP).
The revisions to the Big Bang theory
have become so cumbersome that the theory as a whole becomes implausible. A simpler explanation seems more likely, as
this article suggests.
The new thinking eliminates the “need” for dark matter, and
bridges the gap between Einstein’s theories and quantum mechanics. The old theory no longer matches the
preponderance of evidence.
Centuries ago, when scientists took for granted the
geo-centric theory of the solar system, theories of planetary motion became so
convoluted that they no longer made sense.
The foundational theory was just wrong, and empirical evidence could no
longer fit into it. Only dogmatic
devotion to a traditional view could sustain the flawed theory. Good science required that the theory be
rejected. The Big Bang theory could be
at just such a tipping point.
Science must keep on grappling with the evidence, and it
will remain in flux. But the theories of
the meaning of life remain unchallenged.
As Genesis says, people were made in his image, given the role of taking
care of this world. As Jesus says, the
most important tasks in life are to love God and love people.
Life is still mysterious, but the light of the gospel brings
unchanging hope that one day the mystery will be revealed.
