The Power of Creation

1. The Power of Creation Oklahoma Pastors’ Conference October 14-15, 2013 What the Culture Says

2. Fundamental Questions We can discover the answers to the central questions of life. • “From where have we come?” • “Why are we here?” • “What does the future hold?”

4. Four Goals • If you are an Old-Earther, to persuade you to a Scriptural presupposition • If you hold to the Scriptural Presuppositions, to strengthen your resolve • To provide principles for conversation with others about Creation • To provide resources for continued reading and research

5. Five Sessions • What the Culture says. • What the Scripture says. • What the Church says. • What the Evidence says. • What the Mission says.

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7. Evolution Logic All things came into existence as a result of random chance processes. This means: • Truth is relative • Purpose in life is transient • Death is final • Morals & Ethics are relative • All life is valued equally

8. London Zoo 2005

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10. “Macro-Evolution Is Fact” The word “theory” can be used to mean something speculative and tentative. In everyday speech it probably usually is used in that sense. Scientists very often use it in a much more positive sense. I think the easiest way is to use the ordinary language word “fact”. In the ordinary language sense of the word fact, evolution is a fact.Interview with Richard Dawkins, October 21, 2009

11. Very Large Array

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13. Biblical Proposition In the BeginningGod spoke all things into existence out of nothing over the course of six, ordinary, 24 hour days.

14. The Biblical Logic • Truth is absolute • Life has purpose • Death in not final • Morals & Ethics are standardized • There is a distinction between Mankind and Creation.

15. Comparing Views Creation Evolution Truth is relative Purpose in life is transient Death is final Morals & Ethics are relative All life is valued equally • Truth is absolute • Life has purpose • Death is not final • Morals & Ethics are standardized • There is a distinction between Mankind and Creation.

16. An Old View “The fortuitous and ever-changing combination of eternally existing atoms with the Void is the explanation for all things.” - Democratis(died 380 BC)

17. The Nature of the Universe “Nothing can ever be created by divine power out of nothing … the theory that they (the gods) deliberately created the world in all its natural splendor for the sake of man ....This theory ... with all its attendant fictions is sheer nonsense!” - Lucretius (1st century B.C.)

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19. Attempts to Synchronize • Theistic Evolution • Progressive Creation • Intelligent Design • Framework Hypothesis • Divine Accommodation • The Gap Theory & Day-Age

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21. The Scientific Method - History • Aristotle • Luther

22. The Scientific Method - Luther God did not ‘wind up’ the world and let it run on its own. He is always personally involved, the highest expression of His personal, daily involvement in His creation being found in His grace in Christ. L.W., Vol. 22, pp. 28-29

23. The Scientific Method - History • Aristotle • Luther • Galileo • Francisco Redi • Earnst Mach

24. The Scientific Method 1) Observe; 2) Hypothesize; 3) Predict the outcome; 4) Experiment; 5) #3-4 are repeatable.

25. The Difficulty Not Cosmology (the study of space-observation) Rather, the difficulty is Cosmogony. 1 - any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence (or origin) of either the  cosmos  (or universe), or the so-called reality of sentient  beings. 2 - Developing a complete theoretical model that has implications in both the philosophy of science  and epistemology. In other words, the explanation of what is observed.

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27. Epistemology 1) The Scientific Method 2) Logic  If you start in the wrong place, you will end up in the wrong place, even though your logic that brought you there is perfect. 3) Senses 4) Authority

28. The only way that we can know truth absolutely is to submit to absolute authority.

29. The Power of Creation Oklahoma Pastors’ Conference October 14-15, 2013