Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?
This chapter is one of the most intellectually rich in Confronting Christianity, and if you’re truly curious about the intersection of science and faith, I highly encourage you to read it in full. Instead of unpacking every argument here, I want to focus on a key question posed near the end of the chapter:
“Does the world around us seem coherent with the possibility of God?”
This question invites us to step away from the tension we often feel between science and faith and instead look at the world with fresh eyes. Does what we see—both through scientific discovery and personal experience—point to the existence of something more?
Our pastor at Kalos Church pulled three key principles from this chapter that can help us navigate this conversation:
1. Science and Faith Aren’t Enemies
For many of us who grew up in the church, there was an underlying message that faith and science contradict each other—that to believe in God, we must reject science, and vice versa. But is that really true?
Jesus Himself encouraged us to love God with our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:36-37). If God created the universe, then exploring it through science should lead us closer to Him, not further away. In fact, modern science exists because of Christianity. Many of the greatest scientific discoveries were made by Christian scientists—such as Francis Collins, a world-renowned geneticist who sees science as a way to understand the mind of God.
So, what if science isn’t a threat to faith, but a tool that helps us see God more clearly?
2. Science Points to God
Romans 1:20 tells us that “since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”
The more we uncover about the universe, the more we realize how fine-tuned it is for life. Scientists like Martin Rees have proposed three possible explanations for this:
The precise conditions of our universe are purely random (which seems incredibly unlikely).
There is a God who designed the universe with intention.
There are infinite parallel universes with different laws of physics, and we just happen to live in the one that works.
Interestingly, some scientists prefer to believe in infinite, unprovable parallel universes rather than consider the existence of God. But when we look at creation—from the vast complexity of DNA to the delicate balance of the cosmos—doesn’t it seem more coherent with the idea of a Creator?
3. Science Can Explain How We Exist, but Not Why
Science is an incredible tool for understanding the mechanics of the world—how things work, how life evolves, how we function biologically. But it can’t tell us why we’re here or what gives us meaning.
For example, science can explain why humans have certain impulses, like the drive to propagate our genes. But it can’t tell us why some actions are morally wrong. As Rebecca McLaughlin puts it, “To call something wrong, we need a narrative about human identity that goes beyond what science or sociology can tell us.”
That’s where faith comes in. If we believe we are simply the product of chance, then there is no ultimate meaning to our existence. But if we are created by God, then we are more than just biology—we are deeply known, deeply loved, and given a purpose that transcends what science alone can explain.
Discussion Questions:
Have you ever felt tension between faith and science? How were you taught to think about the relationship between the two?
Do you think science and faith can work together? Why or why not?
What scientific discoveries have deepened your sense of wonder about God?
How does the fact that science can explain how but not why we exist impact your understanding of faith?
💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments! Let’s wrestle with these questions together.
