Some folks are all bent out of shape over Stephen Hawkings new book, where in God may not be needed for the creation of the universe… Folks, when things are boiled down to the minimum, physics is math modeling on steroids. Christian, do you really think you need to plug God in as a variable? And if so, how many dimensions do you really need to put God in a box, such that said box will fit in a math model?
Fwiw, I’m glad God isnt needed within such a model of creation. If He were, then the model is likely totally hosed up and worse, it means we’ve succeeded in putting God into a box, and assigning a variable to Him. I’ll take Stephen Hawking’s approach any day over doing such.
Granted, some folks take any and all discussion beyond a literal 6000 year old earth as an attack on their faith. Some folks take major issue with evolution in any form, even theistic evolution as an attack on their faith. My response is… do you put your faith in creation theories, Genesis being 100% literal, or do you put your faith in Christ.
The dangerous stuff is not the “God is not here” type deals, it is the seemingly innocuous stuff like which on the surface seems very right, but has subtle enough twisting to seriously lead one from loving God or loving one’s neighbor. Angels of light can appear very righteous and proper, the trouble lies in the twisting and minutia. Just look at how Satan tempted Jesus… I wonder how contemporary society would fair if put to the similar tests?
So I am working my way through The Grand Design ( along with several other books so the going is slow). Having been trained as a physicist, and spent time working on my PhD, I I am very interested in this book, as I know many of my congregation (located in a university town) will be wondering what I think of it.
Your comments are definitely on the mark. If God is in these equations as a variable then God ceases to be the God proclaimed in the creeds, standing outside of creation. the one thing about the book is that they are laying out an argument for scientific determinism… everything is governed by these… and therefore there is no place for God … they are clearly well acquainted with the arguments throughout history.
On the whole though, I remember being a physics undergrad when A Brief History of Time came out… THAT is a solid book. The Grand Design is fluff… 181 pages with lots of big pictures… not that impressive. oh well.
Again though… great comments. When I get my review up, I will definitely point to these.