Question: What do you think about the claim that evolution is in fact not directed–that natural selection was undirected and that neo darwinism is right about this? I want to.understand science and scripture. Do.you agree with Biologos foundation? Answer: It is my personal belief that, first, evolution is real and that species have evolved at […]
QUESTION: I have a question regarding the time frame in Genesis 1. I know you believe that the earth is billions of years old, yes? And that the bible is speaking figuratively when it describes how long creation took, I hope I am not assuming this. As I was researching I realized that the word […]
Question: I found the article below condemning the teaching of theistic evolution. Is it correct, or maybe do they have some errors?, Thanks! [editor’s note: the article referred to is immediately below and my response is below that] THEISTIC EVOLUTION- What Is Theistic Evolution? Proponents of theistic evolution claim that God created man by evolutionary […]
Dr. John Oakes taught a class titled Christianity and Bioethics at the 2013 ICEC at San Diego State University. The class includes a discussion of the various technologies which we can assume will be coming in the fairly near future. John proposes the kinds of technologies Christians should embrace and those which they should consider […]
Question: I am a constitutional lawyer representing a non-profit that is opposing the adoption of Next Generation Science Standards. We have a question regarding one of the assumptions used in the standards. I found your power point program on the net that identifies assumptions but did not see this one listed. “Science assumes natural events […]
Question: I’ll keep my question short. If you believe that the 7 day creation is simply figurative, why isn’t everything in the Bible chalked up to being figurative? Was Jesus crucified and rose 3 days layers? Why not 3 billion years? Answer: I would say that for probably 98+% of the Bible it is clear […]
Question: Some atheists posted this on Reasonable faith facebook page: http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2010/nov/19/penrose-claims-to-have-glimpsed-universe-before-big-bang http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Science/article1261602.ece Is it true that these is evidence of a multiverse? would the Kalam cosmological argument be refuted by this kind of data? What do you think about these articles? Are there any famous physicists that endorse kalam? What about British actor Hugh Laurie, known for his lead role […]
QUESTION: It seems foolish to deny all of the outstanding evidence of evolution and instead believe in a book written 2000 years ago. What grounds is that to make any assumption, yet alone deny a theory with tremendous caches of evidence just because the Bible says so? Please give me insight into how the Bible […]
Question: I see you’ve got some words about deism, but what answer have you for pandeism? Answer: Pandeism is an interesting philosophy. It is not a religion, but a philosophcial/worldview perspective. This is certainly not now, nor has it ever been a large movement. I am not an expert on this philosophy, but my guess […]
Editor’s Note: The essay below if by Randy Hroziencik, a student in our Apologetics Certificate program (see the link on the front page of the site). It is a follow-up to another essay (referred to as essay #2) in which he answered a request to write a defense of atheism. Thanks to Randy for permission to publish […]
Question: I co-teach an astronomy class at Bethesda Chevy-Chase high school and am working on my masters in special education with a certification in Biology. In astronomy, we know that the most abundance element in the universe is hydrogen. Many astronomers believe that hydrogen was the most abundant in the singularity. I know that hydrogen […]
Question: In Genesis, after God created the Earth he said it was good. We know dinosaurs were created but why and when? After living for millions of years why would God have them destroyed if what He created was good? Presumably they were created before Adam and Eve. Did God create the way in which […]
Questions: (second question is below) 1. Out of 500 billion galaxies we can’t be the only life in the universe and how does that affect mankind and a savior? Answer: First of all, this question based on an improvable assumption. Why, logically, is it seemingly impossible that the earth could contain the only life in […]
Question: I have a question regarding the Kalam argument: Can the universe or universes can come from quantum random fluctuations? Is the quantum vacuum part of the universe (material, energy)? What exactly is a vacuum in quatum physics? Finally, can you give me some tips about how to study apologetics books? How can I remember […]
Question: In the Bible it says the fall of man was the result of natural evil (carnivores,hurricanes,explosions,etc…), so my question is this: If that is the case, then why does science show us that dinosours and many others animals where carnivores. If God created carnivorous animals and he says it was good, then doesn’t this reflect […]
Question: Why Did God create black holes? It seems the universe works very ramdomly like creating planets from planets or comets exploding, supernovae explosions,etc… I dont think an explosion is how God will work for creating the Earth.! Answer: Obviously, I cannot speak for God on “why” he created one thing or another, but as a […]
Question: Discussing Christianity with a friend, we both agreed that what makes Christianity hard to believe for non-believers, and believers, is the supernatural aspects. As children we are told not to believe in ghosts or spirits. But yet as Christians our belief is based on the unseen. And for us humans, we like to see,smell […]
Question: Can you give me some reasons why God would created the universe in so many time… If He is so powerful, and intelligent, then why he created everything in many periods of time? Answer: I assume that you are asking why God use such vast amounts of time to create the universe, the earth […]
QUESTION: I am taking a Introduction to the Old Testament and the professor stated that the first phrase in Genesis, “In the beginning,” has been mistransated and the better phrase is “When God began creating the heavens and the earth.” She states that the former gives the impression to the readers that this was the […]
Question: As I write, I am thinking of Eccl 1:9, there is nothing new under the sun. As I think about theological/scriptural/Christian ideas, I believe that others have considered and discussed the same ideas sometime and someplace in the past. I am just ignorant. I was watching TV a few weeks ago—a scene where a […]
Randall Hroziencik, one of the students in our ARS Apologetics Certificate Program submitted a paper on the cultural and theological background to the two Genesis creation accounts, focusing on the genre of the first part of Genesis. We feel that this paper is of a very high quality and offer it for your consideration. Thank […]
Question: If life is discovered on another planet, how will it affect our understanding of the Bible, God, the Anthropic Principle, and our place in the universe? Answer: In a word: no effect. If God created life here, he can create life elsewhere. That is God’s prerogative. The Bible does not suggest one way or […]
Question: Your thoughts on the new information concerning the Higgs-Boson, the “God particle”? Response: My thoughts on the new information about the Higgs Boson is that it changes absolutely nothing from a Christian Apologetic point of view. First of all, the theory about the existence of this particle–the one responsible for giving mass to particles–has been […]
Question: At what point in the evolutionary line did humans develop the Image of God? At what point in time did we fall into sin? What is the eternal fate of our evolutionary ancestors? Please forgive my rusty science, but what I am asking is will there be neanderthals, cro-magnons, etc. in heaven Answer: Humans […]
Question: I recently read an interview with atheist psychologist Steven Pinker about one of his books that he wrote. It was on a website (unfortunately,I can’t recall it). The topic of concern is the apparent biological basis for behavior and the impact this has on the traditional understanding of the Free Will Doctrine. As you […]
QUESTION: In Genesis 1:27 it is stated that God created “man”, with gender male and female. In Genesis 2:5-7 it is stated that God formed a man and called him Adam. Does this mean that God has created “man” first then later God formed Adam and Eve? In Genesis 6:1-2 it is stated that in […]
Question: How could God create this material world out of nothing? We know nothing comes from nothing. Did God turn the energy of His words into matter? Kindly, explain this to me. Thanks. Answer: What a great question! I am afraid that this is one of those questions which will forever be beyond human ability to […]
A number of related questions have come in lately about abiogenesis/the origin of life, so we thought it would be a good idea to reproduce an appendix from the book Is There a God (www.ipibooks.com) which addresses this topic. See below. John Oakes
Question: I was wondering if science and scripture have any contradictions. I have done a small study on the creation account, and when doing that, I wanted to show how evolution was irrational, not logical, and so on. Even Darwin had doubts in his own theory, people of his day did not accept his theory. But […]
Question: Did Adam and Eve really exist? Some say they have disproved their existence. I have seen this claimed many times. For example, on wiki answers they say that the Bible does not contain the earth rotating on its axis. But we can look at what God said in the book of Job (38:12-14) “Have you […]
Question: First, let me just say I love your website. It is one of the few Christian websites I know of that answers such difficult questions and so many of them. To the heart of the matter: I understand you are a theistic evolutionist and I am wondering how the Doctrine of Original Sin fits […]
QUESTION: I know that you are probably busy but I hope you can answer some of my concerns. I am currently a Christian bordering on converting to Nihilism. I grew up believing in God creating everything as per the Genesis account even though I believed in an old universe. I believed that God physically created […]
Editor’s note. This article was recently published by Dr. Robert Kurka, a professor at Linconln Christian University and a good friend of us at ARS. He carefully discusses the theological and biblical implications of recent evidence from biology with respect to the origin of human beings. If Adam Be Razed
Question: I have a science background and looked at theology too. I was wondering if you had an answer to the variations between different races if we descend from Adam and Eve. For example, if we say that we came from them, how do we make sense of different skin colour and eye shape? Even if we […]
This is an updated version of a class on God and Science/Science and the Bible presented by Dr. John Oakes at the 2012 ICEC at UCLA October 20, 2012. God and Science UCLA ppt
QUESTION: For a long time I accepted a young earth model and read Genesis literally. Recently, I’ve had a lot of conversations about evolution and the evidence that points us to that as a possibility. I feel that it is possible to believe God had a hand in evolution and used that as a means for […]
Question: I’m going to be taking a class on evolution this fall and wanted to see what book(s) you recommend I read so I can help myself as well as my classmates. Also, if you could just give me some general advice about how to go about debating/talking about evolution that would be appreciated. Thanks! […]
QUESTION: I’m really interested in the whole area of Apologetics and I am studying it out to try and establish my own beliefs according to the evidence. It seems to me that people either believe in creation that took place over six 24hr days or evolution whether unguided, partly or fully guided by an Intelligent […]
Request: I was reading your article about the 4 Christian views of evolution and got stuck on the way you describe YEC beliefs. “YEC believes in fixed species and completely rejects the theory of organic evolution commonly known as Darwinism or neo-Darwinism. Those who take this view believe quite literally that on the third through […]
Editor’s note: We are not sure we agree with all being said here, but it is food for thought. The authors place Adam and Eve about 14,000 years ago. http://www.accuracyingenesis.com/adam.html
Question: I just watched a video (see below) in which John Clayton presents his version of what seems to be examples of irreducible complexity [IC]. Seems to be a bit more like a parade of God of the gaps. I think there might be better examples of irreducible complexity. What do you think of IC arguments in […]
Comment: A friend directed me towards your site. I’ve been reading your articles on how life could not possibility come about spontaneously. I was wondering what your thoughts are on this. When a new property of RNA was discovered: some kinds of RNA can catalyze chemical reactions – and that means that RNA can both […]
Question: Do plants have a soul? Should we use animals for food? Answer: No, plants definitely do not have a soul. Neither do animals have a soul. According to the Bible, human beings were made "in God’s image" (Genesis 1:26). This God-likeness includes having a spirit and a soul. Animals definitely do not have the […]
Question: When debating with an atheist about the origins of life I used your statement (see below) In order for life to come about by a chemical accident, as atheists and scientists committed to materialist explanations assume, several things must have happened which simply can not happen. First of all, a genetic code, capable of […]
Question: Have you ever done the Miller experiment from 1953, where they synthesized 22 of the 24 amino acids we need to live? If so how did it turn out? Answer: There are hundreds of thousands of chemists. Probably no more than one or two have ever tried to repeat the Miller experiment because there […]
Question: My Church cannot really give me answers to alot of the evolution questions I have and direct me to either Kent Hovind or some other creation website. I know from talking to a lot of my atheist friends this source is not reliable. I also have an atheist friend who is studying history. His […]
What is the most convincing evidence for the existence for a supernatural being? Answer: The most convincing evidence for the existence of God, at least for me, is the indirect evidence provided by the inspiration for the Bible (and all the evidence which supports belief in the inspiration of the Bible). For this I strongly […]
Question: As a student studying Biology I personally believe in evolution, and I also believe in God. However, I have been struggling to figure out whether I should interpret Genesis chapter 2 literally. I looked at two different prestigious scientists who are both Christians but claim evolutionary creationism or bios logos. The first is Dr. […]
Question: Does Genesis 1:7 say that there is water above the expanse(sky)? Does the Bible support this wrong cosmology? Answer: Genesis chapter one is not a scientific treatise and should not be treated this way. It is a theological treatise, stating that God created everything in the universe, giving a rough order in which the […]
Question: In the Septuagint it states that Methuselah was 167 when he begot Lamech. But that would mean that Methuselah living up to 969 would have survived the flood. The Bible states only 8 people were on the ark. Is there any earlier Old Testament text that gives Methuselah a different age when he begot […]
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