{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Sgwrs Tei Bow","provider_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy","author_name":"Clarke Roberts","author_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/author\/clarke-roberts\/","title":"God and the Big Bang | Bow Tie Talks","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"27ZEo7YzQH\"><a href=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2015\/03\/25\/god-and-the-big-bang\/\">Duw a'r Glec Fawr<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2015\/03\/25\/god-and-the-big-bang\/embed\/#?secret=27ZEo7YzQH\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;God and the Big Bang&#8221; &#8212; Bow Tie Talks\" data-secret=\"27ZEo7YzQH\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>","description":"This essay was written as part of my Master&#8217;s degree and looks at the way in which God may be understood in a contemporary context, with relation to the Big Bang cosmological understanding of the origins of the universe. 1.0 Introduction Since the Hubble Deep Space telescope captured images that suggested an expanding universe, the theory of the Big Bang has served as the most widely accepted account of how everything in existence came into being. The question of our origins had, up until this point, been largely answered by theologians such as Anselm, Aquinas and Paley; they each offered a philosophical argument for the existence of God which appeared to demonstrate that the cause of everything rested with the divine. The introduction of Big Bang cosmology into contemporary thought changed the way in which humanity understood the origins of the universe and called the traditional doctrine of God as creator, into question. [The] exaltation of science is\u2026implicitly made at the expense of the humanities, which include theology and religious studies. (Peacocke 2001: 5) Arthur Peacocke highlights that science appears to have eclipsed theology, which in turn has led many to reject traditional religious claims about the origins of the universe; this is arguably because the two fields of study offer contradictory accounts. Theologian Charles Raven suggests that we must not categorise the universe into things that are spiritual and physical, that instead we must &#8216;tell a single tale which shall treat the whole universe as one and indivisible&#8217; (Raven cit. McGrath 2010: 49). Whilst this goal may seem impossible, there exist theologians who attempt to achieve this. This essay aims to analyse contemporary approaches to the theology of God that appear to acknowledge Big Bang cosmology. By challenging the apparent contradictions posed by secular[1] Big Bang cosmology, this essay aims to assess the claim that belief in God is incompatible with scientific knowledge. 1.1 Setting the debate into context There are two main elements that contribute to the context of this discussion. The first is founded in the relationship between science and theology, in particular, religion as a whole. The second element of the debate is an issue surrounding the language use seen in the Old Testament account of creation and the subsequent theologies of God that have emerged from it. 1.1.1 Modes of Interaction between Science and Religion Alister McGrath discusses the common modes of interaction between the fields of science and religion, of which there are four: (1) conflict, (2) independence, (3) dialogue and (4) integration. The context of this essay comes from the fact that science and religion and often seen to be in conflict. In order to fully understand this context, the relevant modes of interaction between science and religion will be discussed. Perhaps the easiest position to acknowledge is that of (1) conflict. McGrath helpfully points out that this model of interaction may also be understood as &#8216;warfare&#8217; (McGrath 2010: 45); evidence of this may be seen in examples from social networking website, Twitter: [&hellip;]"}