Are Natural Disasters Acts of God?

Monday 20th July, 7.30 – 8.45 pm

Trinity Meeting Place, Holy Trinity Church

Essex Street, Norwich, NR2 2BJ

Professor Bob White FRS

Cambridge Geophysicist

We live in a world that God declared to be “very good”. Earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions, and the processes that drive them, help make a fertile world that is rich in life. These same processes may kill many thousands of people at a stroke. Natural disasters challenge us about the relationship between the creator, his creation and humans made “in his image”. Professor White will describe the causes of natural disasters and how they are exacerbated or even caused by human actions. He wil discuss what the Scriptures say about natural disasters specifically using the responses to disaster of three biblical figures: Joseph, Job and Jesus.

The Christian Gospel is shot through with hope not just for the present but also for the future. The Christian perspective recognises the brokenness of this world, but also God’s sovereignty over it and his ultimate plans for a new creation. Professor White will explore how the Christian hope should drive us to work for better scientific understanding of disasters, to build resilience to disaster among vulnerable communities and to strive to remove the unjust disparities in wealth and resources that mean the poor and disadvantaged often suffer the most.

Robert (Bob) White FRS is Professor of Geophysics at Cambridge University and Director of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. His research is on volcanoes, earthquakes and plate tectonics. His books relevant to this talk include ‘Who is to Blame? Disasters, Nature and Acts of God’ (Lion Hudson, 2014) and ‘Hope in an Age of Despair: the Gospel and the Future of Life on Earth’ (IVP, 2013).

All are welcome to this open lecture organised by Science Faith Norfolk (SFN), a Norwich-based group affiliated to Christians in Science. SFN meetings and lectures aim to explore the interface between science and religious belief. No booking is required. There will be a retiring collection (voluntary).