The Science of God

Dr. Gerald Schroeder is a distinguished physicist and biblical scholar, earning undergraduate and doctoral degrees from MIT. In his book, The Science of God, he addresses, among other related topics, the “fine-tuning of the universe”. In the following particular pericope, he begins by quoting renowned physicist – and avowed skeptic – Dr. Steven Weinberg:

“Life as we know it,” writes Professor Weinberg, “would be impossible if any one of several physical quantities had slightly different values…One constant does seem to require incredible fine tuning.” This constant has to do with energy of the big bang. Weinberg quantifies the tuning as one part in 10(120). That’s one part in 10 to the 120th power. Scientific notation is an understatement and so I will expand that exponential into decimal notation. If the energy of the big bang were different by one part out of 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000 there would be no life anywhere in our universe…Michael Turner, the widely quoted astrophysicist at the University of Chicago and Fermilab, describes that tuning with a simile: “The precision,” he said, “is as if one could throw a dart across the entire universe and hit a bullseye one millimeter in diameter on the other side.”

In what C.S. Lewis describes as “the greatest poem in the Psalms and one of the greatest lyrics in the world” – Psalm 19 – David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (19:1)

David wrote this some 3000 years ago. Modern science continues to affirm it.

Soli Deo Gloria, Nick