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This article discusses the cosmological argument and the Big Bang theory to evaluate their validity in explaining the existence and creation of the universe. It explores the concepts of God as the First Cause and the challenges faced by both theories. The article also delves into the Christian belief of God's eternal nature.
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The Cosmological Argument What is the cosmological argument and Big Bang Theory? Evaluate these theories.
The Cosmological Argument • For hundreds of years people have argued that God exists. • This argument states we can tell God exists be looking at the universe and its creation. • It is called the cosmological argument because it come from the Greek word, ‘cosmos’ meaning, ‘universe’ or, ‘world’.
St. Thomas Aquinas • A philosopher and theologian. • A Christian monk who lived from 1224 - 1274. • “Nothing comes from Nothing”
The Universe • The sun is one of only 200 billion stars in our galaxy • The Milky Way is one of billions of galaxies in the universe • The sun is 93 million miles from earth • The sun is 30,000 light years from the centre of our galaxy [9.46 trillion km] • Aquinas was saying, “Look at the universe and ask, how did it get here?”
“Nothing comes from Nothing” • Aquinas stated that the Universe couldn’t have just appeared out of nothing. • Nothing just appears out of nothing. • Something had to have made it all happen. • Therefore Aquinas said this had to have been … God
The Domino Effect • We can think of the argument by using an analogy. • Dominos don’t fall over by themselves so for a whole line of dominos to fall over something must have happened to the first one. • Something must have CAUSED the first domino to fall.
Georges Lemaitre • A Belgian Astrophysicist • Lived from 1894 - 1966 • The Big Bang theory.
The Big Bang • 14 Billion years ago the universe was a dense nucleus. • An incredibly powerful explosion occurs that creates protons, neutrons and electrons. • As the universe cools down elements are created that form into stars, galaxies and planets. • As the universe continues to cool, life begins on at least one of the planets - earth.
What is the major problem with the Big Bang theory? Where did the dense nucleus come from?
What is the major problem with the cosmological argument? Where did God come from?
The First Cause • Aquinas said that God was the First Cause that caused the other causes but has no cause Himself! • So in other words no one created God or caused God to happen. • He has always just been there! • What happened to “Nothing comes from Nothing”? • Has Aquinas contradicted himself?
The Christian Belief: • God is eternal. • This means He has no beginning and no end. • He is the creator not the created. • It is impossible for us to fathom how God ‘just was’.
