A Reformed Approach to Science and Scripture by Mathison Keith A

Author:Mathison, Keith A. [Mathison, Keith A.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: science, Scripture, origins, creation, universe
ISBN: 9781567693263
Publisher: Ligonier Ministries
Published: 2013-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

We Christians must be different from the philosophers [i.e. scientists] in the way we think about the causes of these things. And if some are beyond our comprehension (like those before us concerning the waters above the heavens), we must believe them and admit our lack of knowledge rather than either wickedly deny them or presumptuously interpret them in conformity with our understanding.24

Here Luther suggests that it is wicked to deny that there are literal waters above the firmament to which the sun and stars are fastened. Why did he believe this was an undeniable fact? He believed Scripture taught it clearly in Genesis 1. The problem arose when it was discovered over time that the sun and stars are not fastened to a firmament and that there are no waters being held back by this firmament. If Scripture did actually teach the existence of such things, that would leave two options: either the new discoveries were misinterpretations of general revelation or Scripture was wrong. Since Luther believed Scripture clearly taught the existence of waters above the firmament, he believed the scientists were proposing an idea that would require him to say that the Scriptures were in error. Luther apparently believed that was the only choice, and if that was the only choice, it was one he had to reject. It did not seem to occur to him that the Scriptures might not actually teach that view. It did not occur to him that the conflict could be between a correct interpretation of God’s creation and his fallible interpretation of Scripture.

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