THEOLOGY

2023.11.04 23:30

How Old is the Universe?

조회 수 119 추천 수 0 댓글 0
?

단축키

Prev이전 문서

Next다음 문서

크게 작게 위로 아래로 댓글로 가기 인쇄 첨부
?

단축키

Prev이전 문서

Next다음 문서

크게 작게 위로 아래로 댓글로 가기 인쇄 첨부

vvvvvvvvvvassse.jpg

 

 

How Old is the Universe?

 

The Christian Apologetics Conference, with the theme 'The Origin of the Universe and Life,' was held on November 4, 2023, at Chungju Sumun Church, Chungju, Korea.

 

One of the speakers on that day was Professor Je Wonho. He is currently a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Seoul National University. He gave a lecture titled "The Origin of the Universe as seen by Physicists: A Comprehensive Perspective beyond the Material World."

 

Professor Je Wonho covered three main topics:  Is there a contradiction between science and religion (faith)?  How old is the universe?  What is the fundamental difference between humans and animals?

 

Professor Je argued that to understand the visible world properly, one needs a comprehensive understanding of the invisible world as well. He claimed that the creation story in Genesis is not in contradiction with science and provides a consistent narrative for the material world and human existence.

 

According to the professor Je, God created not only the visible material world but also the invisible spiritual world. He argued that focusing solely on the visible material world in scientific research has limitations when it comes to understanding the origins of matter. Therefore, he emphasized the need for a comprehensive understanding of the material world and its connection to the spiritual world.

 

Professor Je's discussion can be summarized as follows: God created humans in His image and allowed them to experience both the material and spiritual worlds.

 

A genuine understanding of both creationism and science is necessary because they are not opposing realms. Science begins with observable phenomena and seeks to connect them to hidden, unchanging truths and ultimate reality.

 

In contrast, faith starts with the unseen and provides new insights into natural and social phenomena. Science and faith may have different starting points and approaches, but they are not entirely unrelated domains. While scientists can explore the hidden laws, providing ultimate origins is a more challenging task.

 

People used to believe that everything visible was material, adhering to a materialistic worldview. However, with Einstein's theory of relativity, science demonstrated that there is a certain amount of energy hidden within the visible material.

 

Therefore, it became necessary to modify the materialistic concept. Gathering the right amount of energy alone does not automatically create matter, but the existence of a sophisticated "intelligent design" behind the combination of energy is intuitive.

 

Professor Je discussed the topic of "Time and God." Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning," represents the concept of the beginning of time. In other words, God created time even before the creation of heaven and earth. The universe started with the Big Bang, a tremendous explosion that generated light and all matter, marking the beginning of time.

 

Scientists estimate the universe's age to be about 13.8 billion years, while the Bible describes it as approximately 6,000 years. There is a discrepancy between modern scientific theories and the biblical account of the universe's creation.

 

However, according to the theory of special relativity, time itself has a relativistic nature. After the Big Bang, the universe had extremely high temperatures and rapid expansion, meaning time could have passed much faster than today.

 

In this perspective, the first day, lasting 24 hours, could correspond to about 8 billion years. However, the second day would have seen a significant decrease in temperature due to the rapid expansion of the universe, reducing the length of a day to approximately 4 billion years.

 

From the third day onward, time continued to decrease by half. The sixth day, which began about 250 million years ago, they ended approximately 6,000 years ago when Adam's human history beganaccording to this calculation, the first day started about 15.7 billion years ago, which is remarkably close to the estimate of today's scientists.

 

Professor Je argued that evolution is not a theory that explains the origin. The understanding of "humans and animals" is possible when you take a comprehensive look at both the visible and invisible worlds. Science, including evolution, may include humans among the animals, but the Bible's creation narrative belongs to the domain of God. The spiritual and the physical are independent, and one cannot fully explain the other.

 

The questions of the old Earth theory, evolution, and the universe's age do not necessarily conflict with scientific theories. Evolution is not an explanation for the origins of all things. The initial creation of the universe was not a matter of chance.

 

Science does not threaten faith. However, whether it is theistic evolution or evolutionary creationism, trying to explain everything solely through evolution can be limiting.

 

Dr. Je Wonho received his B.S. (1982) and M.S. (1984) degrees from Seoul National University and earned his Ph.D. in Physics (1989) from Yale University. He began teaching at Seoul National University in 1992. He also obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the Boston area.

 

BREADTV./ REFORMANDA

 

 


  1. Dialogue as a Continuing Christian Concern

    Dialogue as a Continuing Christian Concern (1971) by Stanley Samartha '1. The basis of inter-religious dialogue is the commitment of all partners to their respective faiths and their openness to the insights of the others. The integrity...
    Date2024.12.07 Views1
    Read More
  2. Lausanne Seoul Statement 2024

    Lausanne Seoul Statement 2024 Preamble The Fourth Lausanne Congress held in Incheon, South Korea, marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of a remarkable movement committed to global mission. The First Lausanne Congress in 1974 brought toge...
    Date2024.09.23 Views170
    Read More
  3. What is the Kingdom of God?

    What is the Kingdom of God? Christians frequently mention the "Kingdom of God." Jesus also taught His disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come." Theologians interpret the Kingdom of God according to their theological traditions. Liberal theolo...
    Date2024.09.07 Views113
    Read More
  4. How Many Books in the King James Version, Original?

    How Many Books in the King James Version, Original? The King James version of the English Bible, published in 1611, included 80 books—39 in the Old Testament, 14 in the Apocrypha, and 27 in the New Testament. The 1611 edition included...
    Date2024.08.27 Views113
    Read More
  5. The Song of Songs in taverns

    The Song of Songs in Taverns Wilfred C. Smith points out that originally the Song of Songs was a secular love song sung in taverns in the first century A.D. How then did it get a place in the Hebrew Scriputure? Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac descr...
    Date2024.08.17 Views527
    Read More
  6. The Philistines in the Bible and Modern Era

    The Philistines in the Bible and Modern Era The Philistines mentioned in the Bible and the modern Palestinians are not directly related by blood. Their relationship is complex due to historical changes and various influences, but they are n...
    Date2024.01.07 Views139
    Read More
  7. Justification by Faith for Wrong Doing?

    Justification by Faith for Wrong Doing? Is the salvation of God valid forever? Do Christians possess eternal salvation regardless of their sins? Christians who confess the doctrine of being 'saved by grace' or 'Justification by ...
    Date2023.12.30 Views154
    Read More
  8. Gresham Machen studied Liberal Theology

    Gresham Machen studied Liberal Theology Professor Gresham Machen, who established Westminster Theological Seminary, studied under the prominent liberal theologian Professor Johann Hermann( 1846-1922) at the University of Marburg in Germany....
    Date2023.12.24 Views142
    Read More
  9. Rethinking the Meaning and Goal of Public Theology

    Rethinking the Meaning and Goal of Public Theology In recent years, there has been a growing interest in Public Theology. Several theologians emphasize Public Theology without recognizing its limitations and the need for supplementation. Th...
    Date2023.12.11 Views142
    Read More
  10. The Theatrical Preaching of George Whitefield, a Calvinist

    The Theatrical Preaching of George Whitefield, a Calvinist George Whitefield(1714-1770) was an England Calvinist who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully to the biblical doctrines. Whitefield consistently preached about the sinful...
    Date2023.11.15 Views151
    Read More
  11. Korean Churches do not Wecome to LGBTQ+

    Korean Churches do not Wecome to LGBTQ+ The United Methodist Church, USA, has experienced divisions for decades over rules that prohibit the blessing of same-sex marriages for clergy and the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ individuals. The deba...
    Date2023.11.05 Views143
    Read More
  12. How Old is the Universe?

    How Old is the Universe? The Christian Apologetics Conference, with the theme 'The Origin of the Universe and Life,' was held on November 4, 2023, at Chungju Sumun Church, Chungju, Korea. One of the speakers on that day was Professo...
    Date2023.11.04 Views119
    Read More
  13. China, Stop the Repatriation of North Korean Defectors.

    China, Stop the Repatriation of North Korean Defectors. Several organizations in South Korea, along with some Christians and members of parliament, are condemning China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors. On October 31, 202...
    Date2023.11.01 Views119
    Read More
  14. LEAVE THE WOLRD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES(WCC)

    LEAVE THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES (WCC) In South Korean Christianity, the Presbyterian Church of Korea is predominant and vital. The largest Presbyterian group is the Presbyterian Church of Korea, Tonghap, a member of the World Council of...
    Date2023.10.30 Views122
    Read More
  15. God's Hospitality

    God's Hospitality Recently, hospitality has become a topic of discussion. Hospitality means to treat others generously and graciously. Hospitality is an essential virtue in humanity, and it has been a recurring theme in literature and p...
    Date2023.10.29 Views102
    Read More
  16. May We not be Dominated by Hatred and Animosity

    May We not be Dominated by Hatred and Animosity Prayer for the Christians of Gaza. May we not be dominated by hatred and animosity. In Gaza, significant Christians continue demonstrating the image of "praying Christians" even amidst war and...
    Date2023.10.26 Views104
    Read More
  17. The Dignity of Middle-Aged Adults

    The Dignity of Middle-Aged Adults As people enter middle age, their dignity becomes more pronounced, earning them respect. People admire middle-aged individuals who possess refined joy, a calm and stable disposition, and an unwavering chara...
    Date2023.10.24 Views97
    Read More
  18. 예수는 반신화다, 정일권-최덕성

    예수는 반신화다, 정일권-최덕성 박사의 대담 예수는 사생아인가? 성경의 예수 이야기는 디오니시우스 신화와 같은 종류의 허구인가? 정일권 박사는 예수 이야기를 신화로 여기는 자유주의 신학과 비기독교 지성인들을 향하여 외친다. 성경의 예수 이야기는 ...
    Date2019.12.30 Views1118
    Read More
  19. 예수 희생양 부처 희생염소

    예수 희생양/ 부처 희생염소 브레드채플, 20191020, 정일권 박사와 최덕성 박사의 담화 예수 그리스도는 인류 구원 목적의 죄 없는 희생양이이다. 반면 불교의 성불 개념의 부처는 자신도 인지하지 못하는 희생염소(scapegoat)이다. 희생양과 희생염소의 차이...
    Date2019.10.27 Views1201
    Read More
  20. 요단강 세례 양식

    요단강 세례 양식 러시아 정교회 신자들의 요단강 세례 영상이다. 세례 요한이 예수님에게 준 세례의 형태-양식을 짐작하게 한다. 유대교 미끄베와 초대교회 유적지 세례대와 카타콤 벽화 세례 양식 등을 종합하면 세례는 몸을 씻고 물을 붓는 양식으로 이뤄...
    Date2018.12.30 Views2571
    Read More
Board Pagination Prev 1 2 Next
/ 2