“How can you prove the existence of God?”
Perhaps you’ve encountered this question at one point in time from either a peer or from yourself- and what a legitimate question to ask! You may have sat in the cafeteria with an Allison or Ryan and felt compelled to invite them to church. At first, they are taken aback by your sudden proposition and consider the offer for a moment to reply, “Um… no thanks.” You feel a bit rejected after having your offer denied, but persist in trying to convince them to attend, asking: “Why not?”
In response they exclaim: “I don’t believe in God. I can only believe in what science can prove. You can’t scientifically prove that God exists.” (They smirk) “If you can prove God is real, maybe then I’ll go to your church.”
Students at a Q&A session with J.P. Moreland
For some of us, such a conversation hits close to home and may have caused periods of doubt and searching for answers. That very question has challenged us this week, as we were privileged to learn from guest professor and distinguished author Dr. J.P. Moreland. The insight which we gained from his instruction has been invaluable in acquiring methods of logical defense for the Christian worldview.
Dr. Moreland discussed Intelligent Design and walked us through several philosophical and scientific arguments that prove our faith is more than just blind. We can be confident and own our faith, because it stands on objective truth that can be seen in the universe, not just in our hearts.
Although there are a multitude of concepts that support the idea that faith and science coexist, one theory that we particularly took away was the argument of Fine-Tuning. This idea proclaims that beauty, life’s sustainability, and morality come from an Intelligent Being. Everything in the universe exists exactly as is supposed to exist. For example, the Earth orbits the Sun in precisely the right pattern, degree, and distance and anything different would be catastrophic. The Earth is designed to flourish, and that requires an Intelligent Designer.
Student with J.P. Moreland
For many of us, this was the first time we have taken the concept of faith from our hearts and put it in the context of our minds. One Fellow said, “the Fine-Tuning Argument gave evidence for the complexity of God. Random processes could not generate such things as diversity and beauty. I was reaffirmed of God’s intelligent and creative nature.”
Whether you find yourself in the cafeteria, with a Allison or Ryan or anywhere else with friends or strangers, and you get asked the question “Can you prove the existence of God?” Have confidence. Our beliefs can be proven and are scientific. The truth of God can be shown through the way the world works, not just based on our personal experiences.
If you are interested in more information or want to read some of the books we have been reading, check out Dr. J.P. Moreland’s book Kingdom Triangle.
May you be enriched, Class XIII