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The 12 fundamental principles of Christianity. 9. God the Father, requires us to become Holy by assuming the Holiness of God the Son (Jesus) through the action of God the Holy Spirit in our lives.
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The 12 fundamental principles of Christianity 9. God the Father, requires us to become Holy by assuming the Holiness of God the Son (Jesus) through the action of God the Holy Spirit in our lives. 10. He does this by enabling our unholiness to die with Jesus on the Cross, thereby entombing it, and replacing it with Jesus’ Holiness, which permits us to rise through His resurrection as a new, Holy creation. 11. We can know this is true through the revelation of Himself in His creation, His inspired Holy Word, His incarnate Son, and His involvement in our lives through the Holy Spirit. 12. 1.-11 combine to form a logical and consistent worldview. 1. God created the universe.2. God is Holy.3. We are morally unholy.4. Holy and unholy do not mix.5. God is Love.6. Love for His creation inspires God to want us to know His Love now and experience it with Him for eternity.7. 2.-6 create a challenge for God.8. 1 gives God the right to solve that challenge (as He sees fit).
You currently hear evolutionary atheists such as Richard Dawkins stating something like, “Evolution is all we need to explain why we are here.” The trouble with this statement is that it reflects a willingness to stop too soon. Evolutionary atheists do not ask the deeper question:
“What are the features of cosmological, chemical, and biological evolution that enabled us to “get here” by evolution? Which leads to the deeper question, “Why do these features work the way they do?”
As we examine these features, we should be led further to ask, Why these features, and not others? And its related question, Are these features likely to happen elsewhere in the universe?
If we conclude, “yes.” Does that suggest a Creator?
“I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming.” Freeman Dyson. 1979. Disturbing the Universe (New York), p.250
God could create a universe that would unfold through cosmological, chemical, and biological evolution to produce in more than one place and more than one time, minds that would ponder its purpose and origin. It might even be that these minds would, in every place and every time, be in a hominoid body.
Eight Phenomena That Recur Throughout Cosmological, Chemical, and Biological Evolution (that just might produce something like us elsewhere in the universe) Carlos F. A. Pinkham, PhD Norwich University, Northfield, VT Adapted from Presentations given at Oxford Round Table, “Faith and Science, the Great Matter” Oxford University, England 26 July 2006 ASA/CSCA Annual Meeting George Fox University, Oregon 4 August 2008
Approach The Algorithm The Phenomena Requisite Conditions with Examples Conclusion
The Algorithm The universe has produced intelligent life via the processes of Cosmological Evolution Chemical Evolution Biological Evolution. For this to be so, a large number of requisite conditions had to have been satisfied/met. The accuracy and precision found in numerous fundamental constants, forces, and masses established at the moment of the Big Bang interacted to produce solutions that met these requisite conditions These solutions almost always are characterized by eight phenomena which separately and collectively imply the universe was designed to produce intelligent life like us not only here, but elsewhere.
The accuracy and precision found in numerous fundamental constants, forces, and masses Cosmological Constant Weak Nuclear Force Strong Nuclear Force Electromagnetic Force Gravity Mass of proton Mass of electron Mass of neutron
The Phenomena Verbalized “Requisite conditions” exist for the evolution of “human” life. Almost every time a “requisite condition” is met, it has done so because of eight phenomena that result from the properties of the universe. 1) Each requisite condition presents design considerations which have an “optimal solution.” 2) Each “optimal solution” exists at a “precise peak.” 3) “Compelling detractors” around the precise peak cause the precise peak to be favored. 4) The conditions necessary to produce the optimal solution will occur in an “ample sample.” 5) Thus with an ample sampleand adequate elapsed time, the optimal solution will be found by evolution with “statistical certainty.” 6) Once found, each optimal solution results in “narrowing options” for future evolution, thus giving rise to 7) an “essential sequencing" of optimal solutions. The above often results in 8) an “intricate simplicity" in the way the optimal solution meets the requisite condition.
ThePhenomenaFormulated, 1 REQUISITE CONDITIONS must occur if life is to arise or evolve. Each REQUISITE CONDITION … has anOPTIMAL SOLUTION: B works best at meeting specific requirements; not B', B'', b', b'', or 1. B exists at aPRECISE PEAK: Properties that result in B often operate with great precision to ensure that precisely B will occur. B has COMPELLING DETRACTORS: Properties naturally result in B, and while they may also make B- and B+, these either do not work as well as Bor do not work at all. B exits in an AMPLE SAMPLE: Properties that result in B are such that B will occur in abundance (and often, so may B-, B+ , b', b'',and/or 1).
The PhenomenaFormulated, 2 B hasSTATISTICAL CERTAINTY: Because of all the above, B, not B-, B+, B', B'', b', b'' or 1 will be found by cosmological, chemical, or biological evolution, to fulfill the requisite condition. B produces NARROWING OPTIONS: Furthermore, once found, BC, not 1, nor □, because neither 1 nor □ are now possible or effective. that result in ESSENTIAL SEQUENCING: This leads to optimal solutions occurring in order: ABCD etc, & B cannot occur before A occurs. INTRICATE SIMPLICITY: Although the above may result in 10,11,12,13,14,15…99, different steps or different categories of optimal solutions, this intricate variety of differences can be simply summarized as tens, twenties, thirties, etc.
TheRequisite Conditions and their Solutionswith Examples The Big Bang and the Cosmological Constant Carbon Water Cell Metabolism Senses and the Brain
The Big Bang and the Cosmological Constant Atoms get too far apart too soon to allow forces to produce heavier elements Atoms never get far enough apart to allow forces to produce heavier elements Not ready, yet Gibbs, W. Wayt. 1998. Beyond physics: renowned scientists contemplate the evidence for God. Scientific American. 279(2):20-22.
Water Water Has to Have a Number of Very Special Properties (Curtis, 1983) The Polarity of Water Water and the Hydrogen Bond Water and Ionization Water and Temperature
Water Water Has to Have a Number of Very Special Properties (Curtis, 1983) • Possibly most abundant dielemental molecule in the universe • Best solvent and transport agent for charged and polarized compounds • The highest combined heat storage capacity (specific heat), heat loss at freezing (heat of fusion) • and heat input at boiling (heat of vaporization) of all compounds • High incompressibility • High cohesive and adhesive forces • Lighter as a solid than as a liquid
Senses and the Brain Direction of movement Front
Senses and the Brain Direction of movement Front Low gradient of useful information High
Senses and the Brain Direction of movement Front Low gradient of useful information High photons: sight chemicals: smell-taste pressure-forces: vibrations-sound
Senses and the Brain Direction of movement Front Low gradient of useful information High photons: sight chemicals: smell-taste pressure-forces: vibrations-sound receiving-processing-responding center: brain
Like any proper scientific thesis, this one has predictive powers: • We will find the earlier stages more often and under a wider range of conditions. • We will find later stages in proportion to the time since chemical evolution could have occurred in that star system. • We will find the greatest departure from the evolutionary path taken on Earth as we get into more complex organisms, since the larger the organism, the fewer offspring it would have to provide an ample sample. • We may well find the only other form of intelligence in the universe is “hominoid.” • We may find that Ward and Brownlee’s Rare Earth Hypothesis is not totally correct.
In addition, this thesis will force us to closely consider the processes that brought us about and ultimately will provide a test of how well we understand them. It also forces us to think, “What it is that makes us unique and how unique is that really apt to be?” In any event, the more examples of requisite singularities that we find following this pattern, the more difficult it will become to argue that this is all by chance (Brandon Carter and Andrew Watson’s Critical Steps are considered “unlikely steps”). Thus I make an appeal to all here to consider this thesis as it applies to their respective fields to see if additional requisite singularities are out there.
This view of creation does not require the Christian God. And as expected, there are alternate explanations (see Leslie’s discussion of multiverses). However, Genesis does begin with “Let there be light,” which is a perfect description of the Big Bang. And taking the evidence for the existence of God in we have mutually supporting circumstances that cry out for understanding, for explanation. They can be understood as being unrelated, with disparate explanations: random chance, luck, mankind’s need to explain the unknown, etc. or they can be understood as being unified with a single, efficient explanation: The God of the Bible. • cosmological, chemical, and biological evolution (His Work) • with that in: • the Bible (His Word), including • the life, death and resurrection of Jesus • His fulfillment of so many Old Testament prophesies • the radical conviction of the early witnesses • the changed life of believers, who clearly see their sin, and • other witnesses we have all experienced,
Acknowledgements The Norwich University Faculty Development Program The physicists, chemists, biologists, and engineers at Norwich, Oxford, and the American Scientific Affiliation with whom I have had useful discussions