Transcript Do the Findings of Astronomy Strengthen or Challenge Our

Messages From Space!
contact
Do the Findings of
Astronomy Strengthen or
Challenge Our Faith?
• What are some of the possible areas of
conflict?
• What are some of the findings of
Astronomy that you find most troubling?
Lets look at ….
•
•
•
•
From Dust...
To Ashes
To Worlds Without End!
From the Ends of Time to the Ends of
Space
• To the Moment of Creation
Where do Stars Come From?
We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and
we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and
discuss about whether they was made or only just
happened. Jim he allowed they was made, but I
allowed they happened; I judged it would have took
too long to make so many. Jim said the moon could a
laid them; well, that looked kind of reasonable, so I
didn't say nothing against it, because I've seen a
frog lay most as many, so of course it could be done.
We used to watch the stars that fell, too, and see
them streak down. Jim allowed they'd got spoiled and
was hove out of the nest.
Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
link…
From Dust
What is a Star?
• The Sun – our closest
star (courtesy of They
Might be Giants)
• Visit some Sun links:
To Ashes…
You and I are Star Stuff!
I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the
journey work of the stars,
Walt Whitman 1855, Leaves of Grass
links…
To Worlds Without End!
From the Ends of Time to the
Ends of Space
The expanding universe
To the Moment of Creation
It depends on how you view the
relationship between Faith and
Science
• Conflict?
• Dialogue?
Astronomy can describe physical
processes in the universe but cannot tell us
about ultimate meanings or purposes or
even why is there a universe in the first
place!
In fact …
Science can only operate from a more
basic set of beliefs about the nature of the
world or cosmos.
“
…When I consider your heavens, the work of
your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in
place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly
beings
and crowned him with glory and honor. …
Psalm 8