New `Big Bang' Theory Revelations Put The Science- Religion Debate At A Crossroads

As we know from astronomy and physics, the deeper into space we look, the further back in time we see. The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1989 is so sophisticated that it is able to peer billions of years into the past. Now, with COBE findings made public in April, it seems we have sound evidence in support of the so-called Big Bang theory of creation--a theory suggesting that all components of the material universe, including time, space, energy, and matter, were once condensed by gravity into a space about the size of a thumbnail. According to the theory, the "thumbnail exploded about 15 billion years ago into the colossal universe of planets, stars, and galaxies that we know today. The COBE satellite, which measures radio emissions and light waves of vast distances, is being hailed as the platform upon which our understanding of the origin of the universe may be solidified. But where does this new understanding leave the yet-unanswered questions surrounding the notions of divine creation and of a personal God? Some will argue that the COBE findings put a dagger through the hearts of divine creation proponents. Others will steadfastly keep their faith, claiming that if indeed there was a Big Bang, a supreme being was its architect. In light of COBE, will astronomers, physicists, and cosmologists still be willing to work with religionists in a cooperative effort to explore further the origins of man, the world, and the universe? Or has the religion-science gulf widened? Although pieces of the grand puzzle are beginning to fit together and thus provide traces of answers to some of man's deepest existential questions, the COBE findings have not yet solved the entire puzzle. Conclusions based on these and future investigations must be drawn with caution, for further enigmas must be addressed: Is the Big Bang the true origin of the universe? Who or what was responsible for the Big Bang? For what reason? What is the responsibility of science regarding how much of the universe it attempts to explain? Should science limit itself to questions of "what and "how, and simply pass the baton to philosophers and theologians to address the question of "why? Ironically, as science moves toward answering questions of ultimate origin, its limitations become more apparent. Each new cosmological or astronomical achievement yields an awareness that pure research may not be able to adequately address the ultimate questions of man's existence, and the origin of the universe. Religious and scientific leaders recently attended a meeting in Washington, D.C., called "The Joint Appeal for Religion and Science for the Environment, cochaired by Cornell University astronomer Carl Sagan. At the gathering, participants urged a unified effort by science and religion to save the ailing environment. In my view, if the effort can be made in the name of the environment, then it can be made in the name of man's quest for understanding his ultimate beginning. Humans, by nature, seek to satisfy their curiosity. Man investigates the unknown because the inner self demands to quench its thirst for ontological understanding. Nothing less than the use of all available resources to indulge this innate curiosity is acceptable. What, in light of this, should be the responsibility of scientific and religious leaders? Given the recent COBE findings, it seems to me that science and religion are in a prime position to act collectively--to combine forces in a grand endeavor to address the greatest existential questions on the grandest of scales: Who or what orchestrated the birth of the universe, and for what purpose? Bryan Farha is an associate professor of behavioral studies and counseling at Oklahoma City University.

New `Big Bang' Theory Revelations Put The Science- Religion Debate At A Crossroads

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