Science

Science, the Bible, and Jehovah's Witnesses

The Bible is in harmony with science in many details. Jehovah's Witnesses believe in and support true science.

The Bible says simply, in its opening words, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1. Rather than putting a time limit on when the universe or earth was created, it states that the creation of the universe, including the earth took place, "in the beginning". The Bible, then, does not teach that the earth or universe was created in six days.

The creative days that are mentioned in the Bible are believed to be creative epochs. These epochs are each an undetermined period of time. Days, from the perspective of the earth, are 24 hours in length. However, other planets and stars have days of varying lengths of time. While the earth spins on its axis, it revolves around the sun. The sun in turns flies through the Milky Way Galaxy, as shown to the right. The Milky Way Galaxy in turn, travels through the universe. Who is to say what a day from the perspective of the Creator of the Universe, quite possibly, very different from an earth day. In fact the Bible states, as one example, "A day to the Lord is as a thousand years." 2 Pet 3:8. This is not saying that each day in the Bible is a thousand years, but rather, it is using something of a hyperbole to illustrate that man's concept of keeping time, is very different from that of God.

Science believes the universe to be over 15 billion years old and that the earth is over 4 billion years old. The Bible's view of creation is in complete harmony with current scientific thought on this subject, as is the thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses, then, are not fundamentalists. The Awake magazine published by Jehovah's Witnesses, regularly features well researched articles featuring marvels in nature and science, including lives and accomplishments of scientists in history. They feel that the advancement of science, when used in a positive way, does not detract from the authenticity of the Bible, or God's creatorship, but rather, fully supports it.

"The heavens are declaring the glory of God;

And of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.
One day after another day causes speech to bubble forth,
And one night after another night shows forth knowledge. 
There is no speech, and there are no words;
No voice on their part is being heard. 
Into all the earth their measuring line has gone out,
And to the extremity of the productive land their utterances.
In them he has set a tent for the sun..."  Psalms 19:1-4

Milky Way credit: Nick Risinger

Evolution

Jehovah's Witnesses and their literature support microevolution. The types of observations that Darwin originally made in the Galapagos with finches, is in full harmony with both true, observable science, and the Bible teaching, that God made animal life in groupings referred to as "kinds". This does not mean that God individually created each individual species type, as they are classified today, but leaves room for variation beyond the boundaries of species. Natural selection and other natural forces could have been part of what shaped these changes that have brought forth new species. It is possible that God himself directed the development of unique species after creating basic "kinds".

The Bible account of the flood indicates that Noah brought within the ark, only two of each "kind". It is likely, then, that the Bible indicates that Noah did not bring in every species of bear as an example, but rather, one major species of bear, from which all modern day bears developed. This is what is referred to as "microevolution." On the other hand, fossil evidence is open to interpretation, and science often strays beyond the boundaries of true observation when formulating changing hypotheses in the remote past.

Science seems to support the idea of "punctuated equilibrium," in considering the fossil record. That is, there seems to be a plethora of life that occurred in sharp bursts in the fossil record, rather than a slow, gradual and steady state of evolution that Darwin envisioned, through eons, from simple organisms to complex. In that respect, the fossil record more closely supports the Bible account as found in Genesis, than what was once thought to be the case.

Genesis Chapter 1. Darwin's observations of variations in types of finches, is in complete harmony with the Biblical record as recorded in Genesis.

As for human evolution, there is genetic evidence that modern man descended from an original pair, as we are all closely genetically related. While there are many scientists who have abandoned belief in God, there are many respected scientists who are equally passionate in defending their belief in God, including the director of the human genome project, who vigorously defends his belief in the existence of a Supreme Being or God.

Scientists Who Believed in God

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) - Astronomist

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1627) - Scientific Inquiry

Johannas Kepler (1571-1630) - Mathematician, Astronomist

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) - Solar System
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) - Mathematician, Philosopher

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) - Physics, Optics
Robert Boyle (1791-1867) - Chemistry
Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) - Genetics
William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907) - Physics
Max Planck (1858-1947) - Physics - Atomic, sub-atomic particles
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) - Physics, Universal Science (see notes on link below).
Francis Collins - (1950-present ) - Geneticist - Head of Human Genome Project (off-site)

Michael Behe (1952-present) - Microbiologist - Author of "Darwin's Black Box" and other works which endeavor to substantiate scientific evidence for God.

Adapted From: Evidence for God (off-site)

“Almighty God, who is not limited in space or time, created a universe 13.7 billion years ago with its parameters precisely tuned to allow the development of complexity over long periods of time.”

Francis Collins, scientist and head of human genome project. Collins has stated that he sees, "no conflict between science and religion," and that he believes there is “a consistent and profoundly satisfying harmony” between science and Christianity.

Harris, S. (July 26, 2009). Science is in the Details. New York Times.

Science page updated January 23, 2009

While many ancient peoples believed that the earth was flat, and that the earth rested upon the back of elephants, turtles or giants, the Bible stated, "There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth, the dwellers in which are as grasshoppers, the One who is stretching out the heavens just as a fine gauze, who spreads them out like a tent in which to dwell." Isaiah 40:22. (Year approximately 750 BCE).

Similarly, the book of Job, believed to have been written by Moses about 1,500 before Jesus, stated, "He is stretching out the north over the empty place, Hanging the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7

See: The Bible, a Book from God (off-site).

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photo: The Natural History Museum, London

Microevolution vs. Macroevolution - While scientific evidence as found in the fossil record readliy supports microevolution, evidence for macroevolution is subject to interpretation and might be considered to be scarce.

This example of what has for years been used as evidence of macroevolution for the development of dinosaurs to birds, on closer examination is now considered to be obsolete.

"Scientists who examined pieces of fossil bone concluded that Archaeopteryx was a dinosaur," not in any way could it be considered to be a bird. (off-site link)

Study: Gregory M. Erickson, Oliver W. M. Rauhut, Zhonghe Zhou, Alan H. Turner, Brian D. Inouye, Dongyu Hu, Mark A. Norell. (June 6, 2009).Was Dinosaurian Physiology Inherited by Birds? Reconciling Slow Growth in Archaeopteryx? Plos One. (off-site link)

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