Reasons to Believe stands on the assertion that biblical statements about God’s creative activity can be subjected to experimental validation, just as any scientific hypothesis would be. What’s more, these statements lead to predictions about future scientific discoveries because they imply necessary physical consequences and logical outcomes. Based on this kind of testability, the study of creation can be considered a scientific endeavor, as well as a spiritually significant inquiry.
The use of this approach is what allows RTB scholars to speak about creation and Christianity to students and faculty on public (as well as private, nonsectarian) university campuses and in other secular venues. It also allows you, our friends and ministry partners, to speak about creation and its implications with people who feel inclined or compelled to keep science and Scripture in separate compartments.
The primary reason for our rerelease of the Origins of Life book is that it provides a straightforward demonstration of our “testable creation model” approach, a useful tool in conversations with both believers and not-yet-believers. Here is a brief overview of origin-of-life predictions that flow from relevant passages throughout the Bible’s 66 books:1
1. Life appeared early in Earth’s history, while the planet was still in its primordial state.
2. Life originated in and persisted through the hostile conditions of early Earth.
3. Life originated abruptly.
4. Remains of Earth’s first life, when found, will reveal its complexity.
5. Life is complex even in its minimal form.
6. Life chemistry exhibits hallmark characteristics of design.
7. First life differed qualitatively from later plant, animal, and human life.
In Origins of Life, Hugh and I provide a side-by-side comparison of our creation-model predictions with evolutionary predictions for life’s beginning. We hope you’ll enjoy seeing how the two models fare in light of scientific data.
