Running head: CHRISTIANITY/BIG BANG

Christianity vs. the Big Bang Theory

Molly Anderson
Ferris State University

Christianity vs. the Big Bang Theory

It has been debated for many years how our universe came into existence. There are
many different theories running around, but two that could possibly be the most common are the
big bang theory and Christianity. Of course, these two can be considered the most widely
accepted among us, but they also hold the most controversy. Peoples opinions are extremely
strong on this particular subject, and often cause a lot of dissension among neighbors, friends,
and even complete strangers.
According to the big bang theory, our universe came into existence when the entire
universe was confined to a dense, hot, supermassive point. Roughly 13.7 billion years ago, a
cataclysmic explosion occurred, expanding the universe in all directions. It is believed that
everything in the universe was created at that instant. Evidence that supports this theory is the
idea that we should be able to detect the afterglow of such an event. Of course when the
explosion happened, light released would have had very high energy and very short wavelengths,

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but the expansion of the universe should have stretched out the waves so that today they would
be seen as long-wavelength radio waves. Indeed, long-wavelength radio waves are exactly
what we see. Astronomer, Edwin Hubble used the Doppler Effect to find this evidence in 1929.
According to the Doppler Effect, when a light source is moving away, the light we see is of
lower energy than the originally emitted light. The light originally emitted would give off a blue
shift, because it has high energy, whereas a light that is moving away would be of lower energy,
giving it a red shift. After Hubble collected decent data, he was able to make the prediction that
almost all galaxies have Doppler shifts toward the red end of the spectrum, supporting the big
bang theory.
The opposing view takes on more of a philosophical stand point, rather than scientific.
Christianity is one of the most widely accepted religions in the world. According to the Bible,
the entire universe was created in six days. The first book of the Bible (Genesis) describes that
the earth was created by a divine, supernatural being: God. Each day God created some other
part of our universe, and in particular, our world. The first day, God created the heavens and the
earth and separated the light from the darkness. On the second day, He created an expanse
between the waters to separate water from water. God called this expanse sky. On the third
day, God gathered water on earth to one place, and created dry ground. He called the dry ground
land, and the gathered waters He called seas. Also on the third day, God created vegetation
on the land, including: seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit with seed in it, according to
their various kinds. On the fourth day, God created lights in the expanse of the sky to separate
the day from the night. He made two great lights: the greater light to govern the day (sun) and
lesser light to govern the night (moon). God also made the stars on this day. On the fifth day,
God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the
water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. On the final

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day, God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds,
and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. This is the day that
God also created man, in His own image. He allowed us to rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures in it (Genesis 1:131 New International Version).
The belief in a divine, supernatural being is something that people around the world are
passionate about. To look around at our world and believe that a Creator must have been behind
it all, does take faith. Christianity is a religion that has endured much ridicule for many, many
years. Some people in other countries are even physically tortured and persecuted for their faith
in a divine Creator. There are many that believe that there is no evidence for God, let alone that
He was the Creator of the universe and everything in it.
It may seem as though both of these beliefs have absolutely nothing in common, but one
thing that is confirmed by both beliefs, is that there was a beginning to the universe. The big
bang theory and Christianity do not necessarily agree on the timing of the beginning of the
universe, but both ideas assume that there was a beginning to it all. Other than that, it is clear
that both those who believe the big bang theory or Christianity, have a deep passion for their
particular belief. Christians and scientists alike have put much time and effort into proving how
our universe came to be, and still are passionate about sharing their beliefs with others.
The controversy between the big bang and Christianity is far from over, and most likely
there will never be a resolution. The best that can be hoped for is that each and every
individual has the right and privilege to make their own choice on how the universe came into
existence. Every person on this earth should have the right to choose for themselves what they
believe as truth, and that option should always remain theres, even if others do not agree with it.

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References
E. J. Tarbuck, F. K. Lutgens, & D. Tasa. (2009). Earth science: Twelfth edition. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice-Hall.