Is the universe evidence of a Creator?

Tim Ross gave a very well researched and stimulating presentation on the problematic concept of using creation as proof that God exists. He reminded us of how the Bible links the glory of Creation with its Creator, as if this was all the proof we need. Many thinkers are unhappy with such an approach, and scientists and cosmologists are totally unconvinced. They point out that creation, amazing as it is in the way that life is ordered and balanced, could be no more than physics and chemistry following their natural rules of behaviour without any guiding maker. Certainly, when our eyes turn from the beauty of nature to the seemingly negative aspects of disease and disasters it is difficult to recognise a benevolent God. An attractive scientific idea at the moment is to consider how stringently the universe is tuned to create what now exists . Fundamental mathematical constants have only to be slightly different and nothing could exist at all.
We then thought about the three questions he posed.
1. Does the universe provide evidence of a creator ? We mostly decided it didn’t
2. Does it take the eye of faith to see the hand of God in creation? Yes it clearly must because so many admirable people appreciate the created world but don’t have a faith in God.
3.Can/should Christians continue to use creation as evidence for the existence of God? Yes, because although it’s not proof, it is evidence
The time for discussion was frustratingly limited but at least we left thinking about ideas that had been aired, armed with useful handouts.

Refugees

Claire say:

Our group began by looking at various newspaper cartoons depicting typical responses to the subject of immigration and refugees. The cartoons mainly brought up feelings of fear, misunderstanding, racism and NIMBY-ism (not in my back yard!). In the main, our group disagreed with the scare-mongering tactics and false images portrayed by these cuttings, but we could also understand where they were coming from to a point. We spoke of how the majority of us form our opinions of immigrants and refugees through what we hear in the media, yet we all agreed how biased that can be. Therefore, we talked about how we could become better informed - such as by finding out a more balanced picture from people and organisations who work alongside migrants/refugees, and by striving to reach out to individuals in christian love (as was brought up in the NOOMA DVD we had watched over breakfast).

Our discussion progressed onto talking about how we tend to tar all such people with the same brush, but that there is a difference between immigrants and refugees. Yes, there are organised groups that bring people over from other countries who are involved in crimes of various sorts, but there are also those who have been driven from their homes through tragic and heart-breaking circumstances, whom we as Christians should surely seek to help.

We ended our time with the challenge not to judge people by what they can offer to us, how much money they have (or haven't) got or how much their presence might upset our comfort zones, but by seeing individuals for who they really are, being Christ for them and so loving God by loving them.

James also distributed a hand-out at the end for further reflection.