Facts & Faith
1993 Quarter 2
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A "Just Right" Universe
An excerpt from The Creator and the Cosmos by Hugh Ross
NavPress tells us that Dr. Ross' latest book, The Creator and the Cosmos, will be available for our distribution by mid-July (bookstores in September). This book seeks to describe what has happened in the last two years of science research to make the case for the God of the Bible even stronger than before. Woven into the text is some of Hugh's personal story. We believe the book can be understood and enjoyed by people with no training in science.
The following excerpt from chapter 14, entitled "A 'Just Right' Universe," gives a flavor of the style and content of the book:
No other generation has witnessed so many discoveries about the universe or seen the cosmos measured. For previous generations the universe remained a profound mystery. But we are alive to see several of its mysteries solved.
Not only can we measure certain aspects of the universe, but in these measurements we are also discovering some of the characteristics of the One who fashioned it all. Astronomy has provided us with new tools to probe the Creator's personality.
Building Blocks
Before the measuring of the cosmos, non-theists assumed the availability of the appropriate building blocks for life. They posited that, with enough time, the right natural processes, and enough building blocks, even systems as complex as organisms could be assembled without God's help. In previous chapters we have seen there is not sufficient time. In this chapter we'll consider just how amazing it is that the universe provides the right blocks and the right natural processes for life.
To put this situation in perspective, imagine the possibility of a Boeing 747 aircraft all coming together as a result of a tornado striking a junk yard. Now imagine how much more unlikely that possibility would be if bauxite (aluminum ore) is substituted for the junk parts. Finally, imagine the possibility if instead of bauxite, river silt is substituted.
One must monkey with the physics of the universe to get enough of the right elements for life, and again to get those elements to join together to form life molecules. One must also fine-tune the universe to get enough nucleons (protons and neutrons) to form the elements.
Getting the Right Electrons
Not only must one fine-tune the universe to get enough nucleons, but also a precise number of electrons must exist. Unless the number of electrons is equivalent to the number of protons to an accuracy of one part in 1037 (the number 1 with 37 zeros following) or better, electromagnetic forces in the universe would have so overcome gravitational forces that galaxies, stars, and planets never would have formed.
One part in 1037 is such an incredibly sensitive balance that is is hard to visualize, but the following analogy might help. Cover the entire North American continent in dimes all the way up to the Moon, a height of about 239,000 miles. (In comparison, the money to pay for the United States federal government's debt would cover one square mile less than two feet deep with dimes.) Next, pile dimes from here to the Moon on a billion other continents the same size as North America. Paint one dime red and mix it into the billion piles of silver dimes. Blindfold a friend and have him pick out one dime. The odds that he will pick the red dime are one in 1037. And this is only one of the parameters that is so delicately balanced to allow life to form.
At whatever level we examine the building blocks of life--electrons, nucleons, atoms, or molecules--the physics of the universe must be meticulously fine-tuned. The universe must be exactingly constructed to create the necessary electrons. It must be exquisitely crafted to produce the protons and neutrons required. It must be carefully fabricated to obtain the needed atoms. Unless it is skillfully fashioned, the atoms will not be able to assemble into complex enough molecules. Such precise balancing of all these factors is truly beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet with the measuring of the universe, even more astounding facts become apparent...
See Resources section for more description of the book and for advance ordering information.
Three More Discoveries Refine Creation Scenario
by Hugh Ross
Energy Spectrum Fits Perfect Radiator Profile
The research team for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite has reported the third confirmation of the big bang creation event. The newly reported data give the clearest picture yet of the kind of big bang with which the universe began.
We had already seen in the first COBE findings, reported in January 1990, that the cosmic background radiation left over from the initial burst of creation closely matched the energy spectrum (profile) of a perfect radiator.1
Another way to describe a perfect radiator is to say that it is perfectly entropic. A burning candle is a good example of a highly entropic system, one that efficiently radiates energy away. Its specific entropy measures to be about two (i.e., its ratio of photons to nucleons is two).
Only very hot explosions have much higher specific entropies. A supernova, for example, the hottest, most entropic explosion we see in the universe, has a specific entropy of 10 million. The first COBE findings included a measurement of the entropy of the big bang--a barely imaginable one: a billion.
Lest anyone think this high energy dissipation represents waste, let me quickly say that a huge specific entropy is essential to the formation of elements heavier than helium, elements essential for life.2 Further, if the specific entropy were any less, stars and planets would never exist at any time in the history of the universe.3
The 1990 COBE results showed deviations of less than 1 percent between the background radiation and the spectrum of a perfect radiator over the entire range of observed frequencies. The data in this most recent announcement show the deviations to be less than 0.03 percent. 4
These new results do more than just prove that the universe began with a hot big bang. They tell us which kind. The 1990 results still permitted the possibility of stretching the bang of the creation event over a tightly spaced succession of "little" bangs. The new results rule out that possibility. The universe must have erupted from a single explosive event that by itself accounts for at least 99.97 percent of the radiant energy in the universe.
The new data also yield a rough but important confirmation of the timing of that event. The latest report gives us the most accurate measure to date of the temperature of the cosmic background radiation, 2.726 degrees Kelvin (that is 2.726 Centigrade degrees above absolute zero), accurate to within 0.01 degrees. 4 Knowing the initial temperature (near infinity), the current temperature (near absolute zero), and the volume into which the heat dissipated, we can apply classic equations of physics to calculate that the event occurred 15 to 20 billion years ago.
Not only do these COBE results strengthen the case for a Biblical view of creation, specifically that all the matter, energy, space, and time of the cosmos came into existence a finite time ago, but they also point out the importance of the temperature fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation that were discovered last April. With a single explosive creation event accounting for more than 99.97 percent of the radiation in the universe, astronomers can conclude that the temperature fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation, not some mysterious unknown events, must have transformed the smooth primordial cosmos into today's clumpy universe of galaxy clusters.
Big Bang Ripples Confirmed
One year ago in Facts & Faith (vol. 6, no. 2) I wrote about the first ever detection of fluctuations in the temperature of the cosmic background radiation--a finding headlined around the world as proof for the hot big bang.5 The importance of that discovery, announced in April 1992, was that it chased away a lingering cloud of uncertainty about the big bang, uncertainty about how a smooth burst and expansion of radiation could account for galaxy formation, which requires at least a little bumpiness.
COBE detected that bumpiness, slight fluctuations in the temperature of the cosmic background radiation (radiation left over from the initial bang). The astronomical community went wild. Never have I heard such extravagant exclamations from my peers, exclamations that included bold references to God, the Creator.6, 7, 8, 9
I wondered how die-hard atheists would respond. I didn't have to wait long to find out. A few days after my article went to press I was interviewed on the radio with two physicists and a fellow astronomer. The astronomer was irate that his peers were rushing off to join "the First Church of Christ of the Big Bang."11 I was encouraged that even an atheist recognized the equation: big bang -> Jesus Christ as Creator.
To get around this equation, he claimed that the signal measured by COBE was too feeble relative to the background noise to be counted as a real effect.
I replied that the announced COBE results included not one map, but three. The satellite mapped temperature fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation at three different wavelengths. Since the temperature irregularities showed up in the identical locations of the heavens in all three maps,11 they cannot be so easily discounted.
In fact, no reasonable shadow of doubt hangs over the hot big bang model. I gave two more reasons for such confidence. First, the COBE discoveries are consistent with five other recent discoveries, all pointing to a particular subset of big bang models. Second, many astronomical measurements, including COBE findings, prove that the universe is extremely entropic (i.e. radiation dominated). The only possible explanation for such extreme entropy is that the universe really did experience a hot big bang origin.
As of December 1992 I can give a third reason. A balloon-borne experiment adds its confirmation to the COBE results. The balloon instruments measured the cosmic background radiation at four different frequencies, frequencies higher than the three measured by COBE. The angular scale (field of view) was different too. Whereas COBE was measuring temperature fluctuations on a scale of 7 degrees, the balloon-borne instruments were viewing the cosmic background radiation on a scale of 3.8 degrees. These differences make the match between the COBE results and the balloon instruments all the more remarkable. As Edward Cheng, leader of the balloon-borne experiment said, "With two totally different systems, it's very unlikely that random noise would give rise to the same lumps at the same places on the sky. People will have a lot harder time imagining errors in the measurements."12
The balloon-borne experiment does more than just confirm the COBE results. It also adds one more detail to our picture of how the universe developed over time. The 7 degree view of the COBE study shows us an epoch just 300,000 years after the birth of the cosmos. The 3.8 degree view of the balloon-borne instruments shows us an epoch a few hundred thousand years later--a perfect era for investigating very large scale structures in the universe (clusters of clusters of galaxies). A narrower field of view will enable us to examine the fluctuations responsible for the formation of individual galaxies. For that one needs angular scale maps of 1 degree and smaller.
Many experiments are underway to accurately measure fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation at a variety of angular scales. When all these results are in, we will have an even clearer picture of the creation event. Consider this amazing and rapid progression: The 1990 COBE results established that the universe must have originated with a hot big bang. The April 1992 COBE results, along with five other discoveries made in 1992, established that the universe must have originated from a particular kind of hot big bang (a specific subset of the hot big bang model). The forthcoming variety of angular scale maps of the temperature fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation should get us to a subset of the subset of the hot big bang model. The much more extensive and accurate maps of the positions and distances of galaxies and galaxy clusters (the digital sky survey being conducted by the Astrophysical Research Consortium)13 should by the year 2002 lead us to a subset of the subset of the subset of the hot big bang.
We look forward to keeping you posted as these results come in.
Satellite Confirms Other Findings About Exotic Matter
In January 1993, at the 181st meeting of the American Astronomical Society, researchers reported a discovery14, 15 that confirms other recent findings about the existence and abundance of exotic matter (matter that weakly interacts with radiation). The more we discover about exotic matter, particularly the ratio of exotic matter to ordinary matter in the universe, the better we understand how galaxies form. And the more we know about how galaxies form, the closer we can come to an accurate model of the universe.
The discovery announced in January was made by three NASA astronomers using ROSAT (Roentgen Satellite), an x-ray satellite. They made the first-ever detection of a huge, hot gas cloud surrounding a group of three galaxies. From its intense x-ray emission, the cloud was determined to be ten million degrees Centigrade, on the average; its diameter, 1.3 million light years.
For such a large and energetic gas cloud to hold together and keep from disintegrating, it must have enormous gravity, thus an enormous mass. According to the team's calculations, its gravity indicates a mass that's between ten and thirty times the total visible mass of the system (essentially the mass of the three galaxies it envelopes).
Factoring in the mass of the invisible matter (matter that cannot be seen by our instruments because it does not emit light), which adds up to about 3 to 5 times the mass of the visible matter,14, 16 we are still left with considerable mass to account for, anywhere from 5 times to 27 times the mass of the visible plus invisible ordinary matter. The best explanation for this extra mass is the presence of exotic matter. And the numbers make a good fit with other recent calculations of the ratio of exotic to ordinary matter in the universe.
As you can imagine, astronomers will be working overtime to discover more clouds such as this one. With measurements from several more clouds, they will be able to nail down more accurately the ratio of invisible ordinary matter to visible ordinary matter and of exotic matter to ordinary matter. Some astronomers have expressed hope that in just two years, ROSAT measurements will yield an accurate figure for the quantity of exotic matter in the universe. This piece of information may be the next big step toward our understanding of how the universe took shape.
References
- Mather, J. C., Cheng, E. S., Eplee, R. E., Isaacman, R. B., Meyer, S. S., Shafer, R. A., Weiss, R., Wright, E. L., Bennett, C. L., Boggess, N. W., Dwek, E., Gulkis, S., Hauser, M. G., Janssen, M., Kelsall, T., Lugin, P. M., Moseley, Jr.,S. L., Murdock, T. L., Silverberg, R. F., Smoot, G. F., and Wilkinson, D. T., "A Preliminary Measurement of the Cosmic Microwave Background Spectrum by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Satellite," Astrophysical Journal Letters, 354 (1990), pp. L37-L40.
- Ross, Hugh, The Fingerprint of God, second edition (Orange, California: Promise Publishing, 1991), pp. 87-88.
- Ross, p. 124.
- Cowen, Ron, "COBE: A Match Made in Heaven," Science News, 143 (1993), p. 43.
- Ross, Hugh, "Big Bang Breakthrough: Ripples Reach Headlines," Facts & Faith, 6:2 (1992), pp. 1-5.
- Hawkes, Nigel, "Hunt on for Dark Secret of Universe," London Times, Saturday, April 25, 1992, p. 1.
- Associated Press, "U.S. Scientists Find a 'Holy Grail': Ripples at Edge of the Universe," International Herald Tribune, London, Friday, April 24, 1992, p. 1.
- Maugh, Thomas H., II, "Relics of 'Big Bang' Seen for First Time," Los Angeles Times, Friday, April 24, 1992, A1 and A30.
- Briggs, David, "Science, Religion, Are Discovering Commonality in Big Bang Theory," Los Angeles Times, Saturday, May 2, 1992, B6-B7.
- Strauss, Stephen, "An Innocent's Guide to the Big Bang Theory: Fingerprint in Space Left by the Universe as a Baby Still Has Doubters Hurling Stones," The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Saturday, April 25, 1992, p. 1.
- Smoot, G. F., Bennett, C. L., Kogut, A., Wright, E. L., Aymon, J., Boggess, N. W., Cheng, E. S., De Amici, G., Gulkis, S., Hauser, M. G., Hinshaw, G., Jackson, P. D., Janssen, M., Kaita, E., Kelsall, T., Keegstra, P., Lineweaver, C., Loewenstein, K., Lubin, P., Mather, J., Meyer, S. S., Moseley, S. H., Murdock, T., Rokke, L., Silverberg, R. F., Tenorio, L., Weiss, R., and Wilkinson, D. T., "Structure in the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer First-Year Maps," Astrophysical Journal Letters, 396 (1992), pp. L1-L6.
- Cowen, Ron, "Balloon Survey Backs COBE Cosmos Map," Science News, 142 (1992), p. 420.
- Ross, Hugh, "New Insights to the Moment of Creation," Facts & Faith, volume 5, number 1 (1991), p. 2.
- Cowen, Ron, "ROSAT" Data Hint at a Closed Universe," Science News, 143 (1993), p. 20.
- Silk, Joseph, "Dark Matter Comes in from the Cold," Nature, 361 (1993), p. 111.
- Gott III, Richard J., Gunn, James E., Schramm, David N., and Tinsley, Beatrice M., "An Unbound Universe," Astrophysical Journal, 194 (1974), pp. 543-553.
Field Report
Reasons to Believe leaped into spring with a series of church outreaches. Three were close to home, and one was in Bellevue, Washington, at Summit View Community Church. What a joy to see some of the ways Summit View is bridging the "culture gap" between church and un- churched (see President's Desk). The leaders of this church and of Grace Church of Los Alamitos, California, have discovered that drama, both comedy and serious, can be an effective tool for preparing hearts to receive the Scripture message. At both churches, Hugh had the opportunity to speak with many guests, including several self-declared atheists. All of them indicated they had been challenged as never before to rethink their view of reality and to consider the claims of Christ--a thrilling, humbling response.
The couple with whom Hugh stayed while in Washington arranged a gathering of their friends and professional colleagues, mostly foot and ankle doctors, plus a player for the Seattle Supersonics. The Newells (Hugh's hosts) report that the evening's impact is still evident as God is drawing these people closer to Him. One big reason for the receptivity is the time and care and nurture that this couple have poured into these relationships over many years. Their investment will no doubt yield high eternal interest.
Hugh attended a Hollywood fete to accept his second Angel Award (the first came last year) for the "Reasons To Believe" television series. Angel Awards are presented by an organization called Religion in Media. The purpose of both the organization and the awards is to encourage excellence in film and television programming that promotes religion and religious values.
RTB correspondent hotliner Mark Ritter enjoyed a lively session with 70 people at the First Baptist Church in Tustin, California. He was invited to speak on the subject of his article, "A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing," that appeared in the latest issue of Facts and Faith. Mark explained there is nothing to fear from the big bang or from any other bona fide discovery about the universe, for God's words in the Bible and works in nature cannot contradict each other.
Between events, two publication projects were brought to completion. The Creator and the Cosmos is now in production at NavPress (see Resources section), and a chapter (by Hugh) summarizing the cosmological evidences for God will be part of a book assembled and edited by seminary professor, philosopher, and apologetics author J. P. Moreland. This book, entitled 20th Century Science and the Theory of Creation, is being published by InterVarsity Press and will be released some time in 1994.
Plans are in the making for a four-part television special for both secular and Christian stations based on the content of The Creator and the Cosmos. As the financial resources become available, the work on this exciting project will preceed. We will keep you posted.
Here are more details of the opportunities God has given in recent weeks, including a chance to encourage Christians in Norway:
Churches - To the events described above at Summit View, Grace Chruch, and First Baptist of Tustin, add two Sunday morning services at Rowland Heights Christian Chruch here in southern California. Some of those in attendance were so stirred by Hugh's message that they cheered at the close.
Radio - An interview by Bob Just over KOPE, in Grant's Pass and Medford, Oregon, on science, the Bible, and creation; an afternoon on "John Stewart Live," KBRT, Costa Mesa, California, discussing a recently published book attacking creation science and the Biblical account of creation.
Television - The "Reasons To Believe" series continued on Trinity Broadcasting Network. Locally it airs at 9 P.M. Wednesday evenings (except when pre-empted by special programs) on channel 40. In other parts of the nation and world, check with TBN affiliates. The mail from the TBN audience has been encouraging (see "Letters," also see photo, this page).
Business and Professional Groups - An after-work outreach at McDonnell-Douglas Corporation in Long Beach drew 150 engineers and other staff. The Q-and-A session lasted more than two hours, despite empty stomachs. Open Forum for skeptics continued its bi-monthly meeting at the University Club in Pasadena. Recent discussions have focused on the latest COBE discovery and evidence for God's design of the universe and of life.
Publications - In addition to The Creator and the Cosmos and the chapter for J. P. Moreland's book, Hugh met with a reporter from DAGEN, a Norwegian Christian newspaper, who is preparing an article on creative outreach strategies.
From Africa
David Block, RTB representative in South Africa, tells us that an article he and Hugh co-authored, "Our Universe: Chance or Design" has appeared in Die Sterne (translated The Stars), a journal to which David submitted it during his research time in Germany this past winter. Readers in Africa may contact Dr. Block at P.O. Box 60, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, Republic of South Africa. His FAX number is 011-27-339-7965.
From Australia
Bruce Ogden, RTB representative in Australia, recently stopped in at our Glendora office to pick up more materials for distribution down under and to discuss plans for next year's outreach events there. Hugh had planned to go this past February, but publication deadlines forced a postponement to 1994. For information and materials, contact Bruce at P.O. Box 110, Wahroonga, NSW 2076. Australia. The RTB phone number there is 02-484-5610.
From the President's Desk
Dear friends,
One of the highlights of my week is meeting with my Sunday school class called Paradoxes. Its members are as diverse as can be, except for one common denominator: We all enjoy digging into the Scriptures and working our way through some of the more difficult and controversial doctrines of the Christian faith.
I really miss the class on those Sundays when I'm speaking out of town. But one of the compensations is that I have an opportunity to see what other churches are doing to build bridges toward people, mostly baby boomers and younger, who have grown up with little or no involvement with or interest in the church in general, Christianity in particular.
Some congregations are beginning to see that what goes on in typical Sunday morning worship services actually widens the gap between themselves and the people they want to reach for Christ. Some obvious examples would be taking the offering, serving communion, lengthy hymn singing, unison prayer, and responsive readings. More subtle examples would be robing the pastors and choir members, certain rhetorical styles in sermons and prayers, uncomfortable pews, elaborate stained glass, and poor lighting.
Three churches in which I spoke this spring have given much attention to identifying and eliminating barriers. The church that has taken the largest steps in this direction is also experiencing large success. Summit View, in Bellevue, Wash., draws an unprecendented number of not-yet-believers on Sunday mornings.
What about the long-time members? Don't they feel upset and cheated by the elimination of so many familiar components of Sunday worship? Yes, some of them do. Summit View has responded to their need by offering a Wednesday evening service comprised of singing, praying, testimonies, and Scripture reading. A less radical option exercised by one southern California congregation has been to trim back the worship service singing to just one or two choruses or hymns (words projected on a screen) with lyrics just as appropriate for seekers of truth as for those already committed to Christ.
Just as significant as the elimination of barriers is the incorporation of new features that secularists would enjoy and that would help relieve them of misconceptions and fears about Christians. I had the privilege of witnessing the positive impact of drama, especially comedy sketches showing that Christians do have a sense of humor and can poke some fun at themselves.
At Grace Church of Los Alamitos, Calif., the sketch on the Sunday I spoke made fun of me. It was really funny. Frankly, I wasn't expecting to be roasted in church, but what a difference that roasting made in relieving the tension felt by the many nonChristian guests that day. I sensed I had their full attention. Afterwards, several self-described atheists approached me to tell me what they had believed before coming, how their beliefs had changed by their coming, and what new studies into science, faith, and the Bible they would now pursue.
As you can tell, these experiences have been encouraging to me. They have done much to relieve my anguish at seeing secularists respond warmly to the gospel at our outreaches and subsequently fail to "fit in" at churches. They have also motivated my staff and me to devote more time and energy and prayer to assisting churches and pastors in ministering to secularists.
Sincerely,
Hugh Ross
The Near Side: The Gale
In Cape Cod, on a hill a mile from the bay, stands a house that was built by my great-great-great-grandfather, Captain Clark. The house has been in the family since 1799, and it has always given me a sense of security and identity.
One week in February, newscasters warned that a severe storm was expected to aweep across New England with as much destructive force as any storm in living memory. I was chilled by the thought that the house might not withstand the 120-mph winds that were predicted. I felt as if my family were being threatened; an onslaught was coming against a part of our cohesiveness.
I phoned my mother. She reminded me that the house had withstood hurricanes before. It is solidly built. The beams are joined not by ordinary nails but by huge wooden pegs eleven inches long. Still I wondered whether or not even the Captain's prudent craftsmanship nearly two hundred years ago would be enough to secure his household for the seventh generation after him.
The storm struck with a vengeance. Many homes--and lives--were smashed. I awaited word with a mixture of dread and anticipation. Finally the call came, "The house is fine. No serious damage."
Imagine how I felt when Sunday's sermon text was read: "The wise man built his house upon the rock." Christ, as we were reminded, is the only sure foundation in turbulent times.
Ours seem to be times of extraordinary turbulence, rapid social change in which we struggle to understand, struggle to cope. How can a mother who devoted the prime of her life to raising children understand a daughter who wants no children of her own? What sense can the elderly make of the bewildering rudeness--and violence--they meet on the sidewalk each day?
Age may bring an increase of wisdom, but it certainly doesn't enhance our flexibility in adjusting to change, no more than the age of our Cape Cod house helps it to weather the newest storm. In adolescence, values are fluid, ideas and opinions are readily assimilated from and altered by one's peers, teachers, and heroes. A young person is, as we say, impressionable. But before many years, people become "set in their ways." In later life, attitudes change only slowly under the influence of great pressure, the anguished plate tectonics of the soul.
Toffler tells us that it is the fate of the elderly to be crushed by change, swept aside, unable to adapt. Our unbelieving contemporaries say it is the fate of the church, too. The world tells us that our faith is worn out and brittle; our value system has become obsolete, the institutions and sacraments now quaint, archaic, or worse yet, relics of an oppressive, repressive past.
I am reminded of the pegs that hold God's house together. They have secured it through all the storms of the centuries, but what about this one? The psalmist seems to have anticipated our misgivings:
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall:
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us:
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
(Psalm 46:4-7)
--Rob Kroeger
Rob is a post-doctoral research assistant in particle physics for the University of Tennessee, currently working at the Stanford Linear Particle Center. He writes fiction for pleasure.
Pray-ers' Closet
Instructions for Lizards
Last Sunday's sermon will stick in my mind. It was skillfully prepared and delivered by our church's International Ministries Director, Jeff Bassette. Jeff used frogs and lizards to exemplify two types of ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, those who sit and wait for opportunity to come to them (frogs), and those who go out seeking opportunity (lizards).
The Scripture text for the morning, Colossians 4:2-6, offered a succinct, practical exhortation to lizards. It also showed the lizard-like qualities of someone who could easily have been a frog, the apostle Paul. Here's a look at the passage with my comments tossed in:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful [NASB says "alert"] and thankful. And pray for us [Paul referred to himself and his co-workers; I ask you to apply this request to Hugh and his co-workers], too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ...Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders [J. B. Phillips says "non-Christians"]; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace [as opposed to "works"], seasoned with salt [not syrupy sweet, but zesty and interest-whetting], so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Notice that the first imperative, devotion to prayer, must include at least some of the eyes-open, heads-up kind of communication with the Lord as we move through our day, for we are reminded to be watchful, alert. This kind of prayer, as well as the eyes-closed, heads-bowed kind, and a thankful attitude, will be a vital part of our preparation to follow through with the directives to act wisely, capitalize on opportunities, and converse in a way that provokes spiritual hunger and thirst.
One word in this Colossians text caught me by surprise: that last word, everyone. Verse 6 actually says that I can know how to respond to all kinds of people, not just a limited range of personality types, cultural and religious backgrounds, education levels, etc. Are you sure about this, God? Do you know the everyones in my world?
As I pondered what seemed an impossibility, James 1:5 and 3:17 came to my attention. In any conversation anywhere, anytime, I can ask for wisdom and receive it. The Spirit of God need not be hindered by my limitations. An honest answer, offered thoughtfully, humbly, and compassionately, crosses all boundaries and meets the need of any person's heart. That I can give, as He empowers me. So can you.
--Kathy Ross
As I See It - The Changing Fronts Between Science, Pop Culture, and Faith
There is bad news and good news from the front lines of the culture war, the war for America's soul. Our battling has escalated from a defense of religious liberty to a fight for rationality and civilization. One glitch that is hampering the side for moral responsibility is the information lag, the slow-motion penetration of scientific conclusions (true or false) into the popular culture, into the beliefs that shape our way of life.
Science research has moved beyond mineteenth-century "modern" materialism and has entered a post-modern materialism and has entered a post-modern era of rediscovery, of breakthroughs in cosmology, among many other fields, that verify Biblical revelation. At the same time, the leaders and shapers of Western culture are moving in the opposite direction, toward relativism, subjectivism, naturalism, mysticism, and other destructive -isms, propelled by the old untruth of "modern" (nineteenth-century) science.
How bad are our recent defeats? Far worse than most of us can imagine. The Constitution and the will of the voters can no longer be counted on to defend against irrational, immoral change; they have been effectively neutralized by a process called "judicial review." The court system now uses separation of church and state not just as a wall but as a weapon to blast God and religious values out of every aspect of public life, including health and education.
The New View of Sin
The one great "sin" our popular culture acknowledges is disapproval of almost anything--abortion, homosexual relations or any sexual relations outside of marriage, euthanasia, pornography, etc.--except religious faith, expecially Christian faith, and of such life-essential concepts as objective truth and moral absolutes.
In fact, disapproval of religious faith is moving into a new phase: active hostility. The media are stirring up fear of the supposed theocratic goals of the religious right. Christians, expecially pastors and evangelists, are repeatedly depicted as fools or villains, and every scandal makes headlines.
A less visible, perhaps more insidious hostility is expressed in the nation's classrooms starting with college and trickling all the way down to kindergarten. The emerging philosophy is called "deconstruction," and it is exemplified in the latest "whole language primary reading instruction" for tomorrow's elementary schools. Teachers in training are taught that since there is no such thing as Truth, and since original meanings are impossible to determine due to cultural change, children should invent their own meanings from any given text and develop their ideas from there.
The Other Battle Front
Few people realize that science is under siege also. The mother earth goddess of environmentalism has targeted scientific "exploitation" of nature.
The culture war is driving together an unlikely coalition: Christians and scientists. Both groups are under attack, for they both are heavily invested in truth and reason. Neither can abide relativism and chaos. Their alliance can and will be strengthened by mutual appreciation. Science and engineering (not to mention the former Soviets) recognize and acknowledge the excellence of Christian recruits from private and home schools, where less money seems to produce better results--keen minds, sound judgment, and reliable character.
Christians are beginning to notice that scientists are allies, not enemies, in their pursuit of knowledge about the universe. Wherever scientists explore, the macrocosm and the microcosm, the inorganic realm and the organic, they are discovering the encoding of an intelligent designer.
This alliance will be important to the outcome of the war in so far as it strengthens our courage and confidence in the One who calls us to face the battle. Some say the suicide of the West is underway, that it's already too late to stop the plunge, but whether it is or isn't, this is no time for God's people to shrink back. Remember that Christian faith and godly character overcame the mass cruelty, infanticide, and slavery of the mighty Roman empire. Corruption of the kind we now see eventually toppled it.
It's time for post-moderns to abandon failed "human progress" and circle back to dependence on God. The good news of God's love is news again, expecially in the half of the world newly liberated from official atheism. Imagine what could happen in that part of the world and ours if Christians were united and genuine in demonstrating repentance, obedience, reghteousness, and love.
Say it Loud, Say it Clear
What can you and I do? For one, we can be good stewards of our resources, including our political resources. We would do well to take all the opportunities yet available for expressing our views and exerting our influence for good. The more united we are, the greater our impact will be.
Individually, more than doing, the first thing for us is being. What should we be that Christ can use us? 1) His, for without Him we can accomplish nothing, and 2) passionate, loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We have a blessed hope, a reason for joy. Our Father owns the place, even if His enemies seem to be ruining it. Let's be prepared to answer anyone who asks us why we smile, what is the source of our peace and joy.
For the long haul, let's take personally and urgently the famous armor of God passage: "For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against...evil rulers of the unseen world..." (Ephesians 6:12-18, Living Bible). We know that our God is sovereign, even over them.
--Ernest F. Young
Mr. Young is an anthropologist, artist, and educator in Seattle. The essay above was adapted for use in Facts & Faith from a tract entitled "Pop Culture and the Art of Fruit Inspection." To obtain copies of the tract you may write to Mr. Young at 2302 NE 145th Street, Seattle, WA 9815.
Meet Our Board
Mick Ukleja (pronounced you-clay'-uh), pastor of the 1,600-member Grace Church in Los Alamitos, Calif., has recently joined the Reasons To Believe board of directors. With his gift for relating to people, his sensitivity to people with little or no church background, his theological training, and his pastor's perspective, Mick fills an important place in the leadership of RTB.
Born and raised in southern California, Mick attended California State University at Long Beach, where he earned bachelors degrees in philosophy and math, in addition to playing football. Mick grew up without church involvement, but when introduced to Christ in his college years, he responded with a "yes."
After graduation he stayed on campus for two years as the director of the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry there. Then he came to a crossroads, the choice between UCLA law school and Dallas Theological Seminary.
"I tried on both suits, and both felt good, but the seminary suit felt better," says Mick.
He eventually went on to complete a Th.D. at Dallas. That's where he also met and married the love of his life, Louise.
Mick was asked to lead in the planting of Grace Church in 1981. The congregation has grown steadily since then and recently celebrated the completion of a new building in front of the Los Alamitos race track. Anticipating the need to be flexible, Ukleja had the building designed for easy conversion to a gym should his congregation someday outgrow it. The church also runs a 450-student primary school on the grounds.
Mick's appreciation for the perspective of non-believers drew him to Hugh's ministry when he first heard Hugh speak five years ago, linking scientific findings with the God of the Bible and the creation account.
"Hugh gave me a sudden glimpse of the obvious as he integrated Scripture and science. When I was a new Christian, I struggled to reconcile the two, especially on the subject of evolution. My desire was to defend the credibility of Christianity. I wanted to decrease my ignorance and my intellectual insecurity. I didn't have good answers to the science issues, but I studied many religions so that I could see and express the distinctives of my faith. What began as weakness turned into strength as I learned enough to speak at forums and debates. Today in my sermons, I like to address people's doubts and questions, and with Hugh's help I can do so more adequately."
Mick made the contacts and provided the finances for Hugh's first trip to the former Soviet Union in 1989. Still active in international affairs, Mick has just returned from Israel where he led an academy for the (secular) Young Presidents Organization, whose members are presidents of large corporations by age forty.
In addition to ministry experience, Mick and Louise also bring a strong business background to RTB. Mick comes from a family of developers, and Louise's father is the founder of the 1,100-store GNC (General Nutrition Center) chain.
The Uklejas have two children, Mark, a high school sophomore, and Michelle, a sixth-grader. Mick likes golf and working out to stay in shape, and he also likes staying close to his kids.
"When publishers have asked me to write books, I tell them I'm already writing two, one called Mark and the other called Michelle, and I'm not finished yet."
--Daphne Trager
Letters
"I really enjoy the flavor of the RTB ministry. The main concept that keeps coming across is that Christians don't have to check in their brains at the door, and that the Christian faith, the Bible account, and modern acience are in perfect agreement, except that modern science is still playing a little 'catch up' football with the Bible...."
--Dale, Visalia, California
"Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Ken. I am 31 years old. I am on death row in Oklahoma. But I have been a sincere believer for the last five years. I have been studying Greek and word studies in the New Testament....
"Tell Hugh that I enjoy the 'RTB' show on TBN. My former cell partner who was a Taoist couldn't watch 'Christian' shows, but he would watch 'RTB'....By watching it he began asking me questions about the Bible and the God I serve....I believe that he will become a believer soon, and part of the thanks goes to RTB, but mostly to the Holy Spirit, and Jesus, and our Father...."
--Ken, McAlester, Oklahoma
"...To be honest, I couldn't watch your show for a long time. As soon as I heard your voice I turned to secular TV. My feeling was that you were so far over my head I'd never learn anything. But I have kept praying for the renewing of my mind (I had some damage from years of alcohol abuse), and kept standing on God's promises (benefits) Jesus has provided for me in Psalm 103, Ephesians 1:16-23 and 3:14-20, and Colossians 1:9-11. To make a long story short, I listened to your show on Monday a few weeks ago and couldn't turn it off. Not only that, I tried to take notes, told my husband about it, and told many friends (unbelievers). Two nights later you were on the 'PTL' show. You were so relaxed and talked about different dimensions and the trinity and a cicle and a triangle--I know I'm not explaining it well, and that's why I'm sending away for the tape of the show.
"You said that the trinity can now be explained to the Moslems so they can understand it. I have many friends who are beginning to follow that faith....They believe that the Moslem book is really a practical 'how-to' or 'owner's manual' and that the Bible is just too confusing.
"Most of the people I work with are former drug and alcohol abusers, young kids and street kids that have become fed up with 'religion.' I try to explain that what I've found is a relationship with Jesus, not a religion, but being a Christian for only 3 years, I have soooo much to learn.
"Anyway, I try very hard not to miss your show any more and I ask your forgiveness for being judgmental."
--Jordine, Apple Valley, California
"Thanks to Dr. Ross among others (such as the late Bernard Ramm), I am able to appreciate things I used to fear or condemn through ignorance, e.g., the big bang. It is very satisfying to be led in the harmonization of science with Scripture. For years I clung to the so-called gap theory or re-creation acount of Genesis 1. Graduate work in geology, as well as Dr. Ramm's writings, caused me to reexamine formerly held beliefs, including the gap theory.
"I find that Dr. Ross's explanation of extended periods for creation events seems compatible with observed data. Moreover, it would seem to remove many objections accompanying the six literal 24-hour creation days...."
--Barry, South Point, Ohio
"....I come in contact with hundreds of people through my hospital-agency work as a nurse, through travel, Bible studies, my husband's business, etc. The most important witnessing tools I use are videotapes and literature of Dr. Ross and RTB. It is proven to be the most effective to reach lost souls. Please excuse my English because it is my second language, but I want to express my honest, sincere enthusiasm...."
--Ingrid, Southfield, Michigan
"Living in a rural area, our satellite dish brings in TBN, among others. I must confess much of what is presented on TBN is sort of an embarrassment, but we do thank God for it because it allowed us to become acquainted with your ministry.
"My purpose in writing is this: I know a ministry such as yours takes a lot of hits from the world and, I'm afraid, from the Christian community also. These do hurt and can become very discouraging. But please be assured that many of us do pray and support (like Aaron holding up the arms of Moses, etc.)...."
--Larry, Salem, Oregon
"...Your program has been a help to my 15-year-old son, who is interested in computers, MIT, physics, chemistry, etc., and wants to go into aeronautical engineering.
"In a turbulent time of his life (as well as of our society), your program has helped him see that his early years of training in Bible stories, etc., wasn't wasted on fables, but that the Bible still has answers for today, 'even' for those in the scientific field...."
--Mrs. H., Clinton, Washington
"...All my life I have believed that I did not have the comprehension skill to understand science, but listening to you explain some things, I was overwhelmed with joy because I truly understood what you were explaining....Our Lord has used earth, wind, water, and an array of insects, animals, and stars to give me insight to His character, while making it known that He is who He says in the Bible. Your ability to communicate with such clarity and simplicity blessed me with more answers and information....
"I am a single parent, and I am on a limited budget, but I know my family would be greatly blessed by your ministry. My children are as fascinated and curious as I am, and I do not always know how to answer their multitude of questions in relation to our Lord and His creative ways. So any help I can ask for I do.
--Debra, Eugene, Oregon
"Your ministry has helped me through some tough times. I struggled with the issue of creation and evolution for a while. I read young earth and gap teorists, but I wasn't satisfied until I heard 'Science and Genesis." I also had a big problem with predestination. I thought you were strictly free will, so I listened to your tape on man's will and God's will. I was so fascinated with the paradoxes and extra-dimensionality that I bought the whole set! Once again my mind is at ease. Praise God!..."
--Craig, Arvada, Colorado
"Greetings from London where spring is now in full bloom.
"I am writing to express my appreciation for your newsletter, Facts & Faith. It is well written. I especially value the way you consistently give helpful perspective on what we read and watch in the media.
"The enclosed clipping [a newspaper article claiming that the discovery of the structure of DNA was the final vindication of Darwinism] is a good example of the sort of thing we are constantly exposed to here in Britain...."
--Don, Hampton, Middlesex, U.K.
"...I disagree with Dr. Ross that the ark was probably dismantled; God commanded many of the Old Testament patriarchs to leave monuments for subsequent generations, and I think this is probable in regard to Noah's ark. I also think he could have chosen less hostile words than, 'I cannot say I am thrilled with the material presented.'..."
--Fritzi, Tucson, Ariz.
"I am using your evidence for the Lord on the toughest mindsets I know--and, hallelujah! It's working!..."
--Karen, Northridge, Calif.
Puzzles & Paradoxes
Michael Swenson of Goodyear, Ariz., sent a well-reasoned response to the puzzle presented in our last newsletter. Michael observes that if A is a constant and O is a constant, and if A does not equal O, then A will never = O. Therefore, he concludes, either A is a variable, or O is a variable, or both are variables.
This line of argument gives a general description of the more specific answer I had in mind. Here it is: In the two dimensions of length and width, triangles are not equal to circles. One has three corners and straight sides, the other has no corners and no straight sides.
However, if we add the dimension of height to the context, the triangle can then be flipped up on its base and rotated. As it spins, it transcribes the shape of a cone. A cone is simultaneously a circle (viewed from the top or bottom) and a triangle (viewed from the side). With reference to Michael's conclusion, the triangle is the variable. In three dimensions it can be simultaneously equal to and not equal to a circle.
The method for solving the triangle-circle puzzle is helpful in solving many Biblical paradoxes, including the following one: Isaiah 9:6 tells us that one of names of the virgin's child (a reference to Jesus) will be Evelasting Father. How can Jesus be both the Son and the Father?
--Kathy Ross
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