In the Beginning: Science and Genesis 1-11

Class Two - INTRODUCTION II

We’re are going to view a DVD that will clarify for you the importance of what we will be examining in this class. But before we do that let’s reinforce what we learned in our first class regarding presuppositionalism and the ultimate proof of creation. I presume you all have read last week’s handout, Dr. Greg Bahnsen’s Revelation, Speculation and Science. The following fairly extensive quotes from the end of that article are impactful and underscore the point: PP

“The activity of science is never impartial; there is always a substructure of metaphysical or religiously motivated belief. If there were not, science would be futile, its feet firmly planted in mid-air. The naturalistic scientist claims to work with “the facts.” Yet even to speak of “facts” is to make some metaphysical declaration concerning the existence of factuality itself.” PP

“The only basis, the only presupposition, that allows for factuality and the scientific enterprise is the truth of Scripture. Without the Bible, science has no order in nature to expect, and the scientist finds himself adrift between abstract timeless logic and pure ultimate potentiality – or “pure chance.” PP

“The world of actuality is only an accident, and the “universe” (if there is such a thing) cannot be known since there is no known connection between sense experience and analytic thinking, no reason why irrtional dreams are not as true as rational thought.” PP

“The scientist must believe that he confronts a system when he does his work, or else the work would be futile. That system is either the result of the purposeful plan of the sovereign God, or it is the reflection into the unknowable “universe” of the ordering mind of man – which in its turn is equally unknowable.” PP

“If the scientist refuses to presuppose the truth of Scripture…, he will have neither a true universe to investigate or any reason to suppose he has the ability to do so. The Bible provides the only possible presupposition for all thought and reason.”

Let’s view a seven minute segment on Dr. Richard Lumsden, with an introduction by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy. (DVD Dr. Richard Lumsden - ~ 7 minutes)

Dr. Lumsden’s testimony is included in the book Persuaded by the evidence, a compilation of scientists who have in fact indicated they have been persuaded by the evidence that evolution is false and Biblical creation true. Relative to the video segment on him we just saw, notice how the student was very respectful in raising simple questions which demonstrated to Dr. Lumsden that evolution was bankrupt. 1Peter 3:15, calls us to be ready to give the reason for the hope in us with gentleness and love. While this video segment appears to indicate it’s the evidence convincing Dr. Lumsden in contradiction to what we have been discussing regarding presuppositionalism, that is not the case. Dr. Lumsden, as with most of his generation, had a Biblical background that readily came to the forefront upon his realization that science did not contradict the Bible as he had been taught. Sadly, today most people even in their 40’s have never opened a Bible and are completely ignorant of the truth’s it contains.

The presentation we a about to view is by the founder and CEO of Answers In Genesis. In the interest of time we will start about 22 minutes into the one hour presentation

DVD The Relevance of Genesis in Today’s World (~ 40 minutes).