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Apologia Report 16:31 (1,081)
September 1, 2011
Subject: 'New Proofs for the Existence of God'
In this issue:
ATHEISM - book proposes New Proofs for the Existence of God
CHRISTOLOGY - Society of Christian Philosophers journal accepts paper which argues against the existence of Jesus
WORLDVIEW - unique study approach lauded as "thought-provoking, current, and enjoyable"
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ATHEISM
New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy, by Jesuit scholar Robert J. Spitzer [1] -- in the review by Andrew Pinsent (Research Director, Ian Ramsey Centre for Religion and Science at Oxford) we read that "In recent years ... the perception has been growing that the Big Bang theory has ceased to be offensive to atheist sensibilities. ...
"The part of Robert J. Spitzer's New Proofs for the Existence of God that responds to these developments is timely and excellent. Spitzer collates research that shows not only that the mysteries of the Big Bang have *not* been solved but that certain problems related to 'fine-tuning' have become even more intractable.... To picture what is meant by a fine-tuning problem, one can imagine that all the parameters of the universe, such as the speed of light in a vacuum, the gravitational constant, electromagnetic coupling, and the masses of the elementary particles, are the settings of the dials of a 'cosmic control panel.' Contemporary physics implies that if the settings of these dials were to be nudged very slightly, then we would not be here to ponder the mysteries of creation. ... Most dramatically, calculations by [mathematical physicist Sir] Roger Penrose of the entropy of the universe have suggested that our universe is in an absurdly precise state, compared to the available range of possible values. Indeed, as Spitzer points out, simply to write down the odds for this arrangement happening by chance, using ten-point type without exponents, would itself fill up a large portion of the observable universe.
"Two major lines of research have developed in recent decades to try to account for these numbers without recourse to divine intervention or unbelievable good luck. The first attempt, covered briefly in Spitzer's book in a postscript by Bruce Gordon [Research Director, Discovery Institute Center for Science and Culture], has been to try to reduce the range of alternative possiblilities for the parameters of the cosmic control panel by developing a grand unified theory of everything. ...
"The second major attempt, often combined with some grand unified theory, has been to propose that the observable universe is embedded within an unseen larger reality, often called the 'multiverse.' The aim of this approach is to use certain features of the hypothetical multiverse to constrain the range of possible parameters on the cosmic control panel of the observable universe or else to increase indefinitely the number of attempts that can be made at spinning the dials to obtain these parameters by chance. Spitzer pints out, however, that there are several subtle problems with the physical implications for the multiverse hypothesis. ...
"[W]hile Spitzer's treatment of these issues shows a grasp of contemporary cosmology that is remarkable in a work of theology, the philosophical aspects of the book are considerably weaker. ... The most problematic aspects ... are Spitzer's claims in chapter five regarding the nature of time and their theistic implications." Pinsent discusses this at length.
"Chapters three and four present two further metaphysical proofs for God's existence, following for the most part, ideas adapted from the Catholic philosopher Bernard Lonergan. My principal concerns with these chapters are twofold. First, they tend to mix concepts drawn from medieval and classical sources with those of contemporary physics, sometimes with insufficient attention to metaphysical differences. ... My second concern is that there is surprisingly little reference to secondary literature, making Spitzer's definitions rather *sui generis* [one of a kind]. ...
"The final section of the book, on the five transcendentals and five human yearnings for the ultimate, is perhaps the weakest part. Spitzer probably tries to cover too many topics, without sufficient reference to the history of scholarship, and glosses over a number of important issues." Harvard Theological Review, 104:2 - 2011, pp255-262.
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CHRISTOLOGY
"Evidence, Miracles, and the Existence of Jesus" by Stephen Law -- if ever there were an example of someone submitting a paper for publication that defies convention and makes an "in your face" challenge, this article is a memorable example. The abstract reads: "The vast majority of Biblical historians believe there is evidence sufficient to place Jesus' existence beyond reasonable doubt. Many believe the New Testament documents alone suffice firmly to establish Jesus as an actual, historical figure. I question these views. In particular, I argue (i) that the three most popular criteria by which various non-miraculous New Testament claims made about Jesus are supposedly corroborated are *not* sufficient, either singly or jointly, to place his existence beyond reasonable doubt, and (ii) that a *prima facie* plausible principle concerning how evidence should be assessed - a principle I call the contamination principle - entails that, given the large proportion of uncorroborated miracle claims made about Jesus in the New Testament documents, we should, in the absence of good independent evidence for an historical Jesus, remain sceptical about his existence." Faith and Philosophy, 28:2 - 2011, pp129-143.
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WORLDVIEW
Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford [2] -- Ray Lubeck (Bible and Theology, Multnomah University) begins his review by classifying worldview books into two categories: those which are adversarial and those which focus on worldview formation. The authors "have taken a different tack. While they do enumerate and explain eight worldview competitors to biblical theism, the ones that they have chosen are not merely the standard categories of the scholars and philosophers but the popular-level versions that are far more pervasive and subtle. ... Wilkens and Sanford prefer the term 'cultural story' to 'worldview,' since people normally understand and come to experience these not so much as a series of propositions or questions-and-answers or philosophical systems, but as broad narratives of life stories in which they see themselves. ...
"Our authors, both of whom teach at Azusa Pacific University (Wilkens in theology and ethics, Sanford in practical theology), begin each chapter with an explanation and description of the cultural story. Following that, they point out some of the strengths and positive aspects that the cultural story might offer to Christian theists. ... This is followed by a section of 'potential problems,' a delicately named treatment of the weaknesses of that story at either the levels of its conceptual coherence and/or its practical livability. Each chapter ends with a conclusion that draws out implications from the overall discussion."
The "worldviews" considered are: individualism, consumerism, moral relativism, scientific naturalism, New Age, Postmodern Tribalism (which "may be the strongest chapter in the book. ... Truth here is seen as socially constructed, dependent neither upon the autonomous, objectively rational individual [neither possible nor desirable] nor upon the grand totalizing schemes that lay claim to universality [which have given rise to oppression and war], but upon the values embraced by one's own like-minded tribe"), salvation by therapy (in which the authors "reject the oft-encountered wholesale rejection of psychology"), and Christian theism.
"This kind of 'cultural exegesis' is a skill that Christians will need to gain if they wish to enter into actual conversation with those outside our circles rather than merely lobbing critiques in the general direction of the 'enemy.' Kudos to Wilkens and Sanford for a thought-provoking, current, and enjoyable text!" Cultural Encounters, 7:1 - 2011, pp137-140.
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SOURCES: Monographs
1 - New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy, by Robert J. Spitzer (Eerdmans, 2010, paperback, 320 pages) <www.tinyurl.com/3wnobdp>
2 - Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives, by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford (IVP, 2009, paperback, 218 pages) <www.tinyurl.com/44snsyb>
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