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Cosmos and Creation

Of the two families of theories regarding the origin and organization of the cosmos, the Big Bang proposed by George Gamow and the steady state advocated by Fred Hoyle and others, the Big Bang in one version or another seems to command the greatest attention among currently working astronomers and physicists. What is quite significant is that Big Bang cosmology presupposes unilinear or historical time and suggests the possibility of an absolute beginning with an accompanying eschatology. What is even more significant is its mood of contingency, i.e., our universe just did not have to become what it is. Because of this it appears to raise important issues for theologians. Upon closer examination, however, we shall find that they are mostly pseudo issues and that even with the staggering breadth of new scientific knowledge we today must take the same point of departure for the Christian doctrine of creation taken by our ancestors, namely, the point where the Beyond made itself known in the saving gospel. This is an important topic because Big Bang thinking has raised anew the whole question regarding the relationship between science and religion. Could we be moving beyond previous open hostility and present detente toward anew collaboration on the doctrine of creation? Some say yes! Astronomer and religious agnostic Robert Jastrow startled the public a few years ago by arguing that “the astronomical evidence leads to a biblical view of the origin of the world.” In a moment of sardonic wit and inspired eloquence, Jastrow penned the now oft-quoted lines: