The big bang creation event—as taught by the Bible for centuries — now stands well established by astronomers' observations of the universe.
Origin of the UniverseA Beginner's-and Expert's-Guide to the Big Bang: Sifting Facts from Fictions
7/1/2000 Big bang cosmology is an explosive topic. Heated reactions—and bitter resistance—have arisen from opposite directions in the last century but, ironically, for the same type of reasons: religious reasons. One group of big bang opponents includes those who understand the theory’s implications, and the other, those who misunderstand them. A Dark Galaxy: Finding the "Missing" Dark Stuff
10/27/2008 Many independent sets of observations confirm that only about six percent of all the ordinary matter (neutrons and protons) in the universe is made up of stars and stellar remnants.1 The other 94 percent is dark. While astronomers have verified that enormous quantities of ordinary dark matter exist as dispersed intergalactic gas, they have yet to positively identify a totally dark structure of galactic proportions. A Dime's Worth of Difference
10/1/2006 The universe is incredibly massive. Nevertheless, its mass must be spectacularly fine-tuned for life to be possible. Exactly how massive the universe is remained unknown until astronomers focused the Hubble Space Telescope on a patch of sky no bigger than a tenth the Moon's (angular) diameter, and held it there for some 278 hours. This Ultra Deep Field (see figure) successfully imaged all the galaxies (at least those bigger than dwarfs) that exist in that region. A New Kind of Star Solves an Old Problem
7/9/2007 It is not every day that Hollywood discovers a new star that stands apart from all their other stars. The same is true for astronomers. Only rarely do they discover a new kind of star that is unlike any they have seen before. When they do make such a discovery, however, it typically reveals new insights into how the universe was exquisitely designed to provide a home for life and for humanity in particular.by Hugh Ross Another Dwarf Galaxy Test of Big Bang Cosmology
4/27/2009 Recent astronomical research has accounted for a "missing galaxies problem" and thereby buttressed the notion of a cosmic creation event according to what the Bible has taught for centuries. This big bang creation model is now well established by astronomers' observations of the universe. ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR GENERAL RELATIVITY
1/1/1999 Anyone who has read either technical or non-technical books about twentieth-century developments in physics knows the significance of general relativity. As I seek to explain in The Creator and the Cosmos and Beyond the Cosmos, general relativity establishes a cosmic beginning, hence a Beginner. General relativity affirms that the universe is a dynamic entity, not a static infinitude as several earlier generations of scientists and philosophers had come to believe it. Beginning and End of Cosmology
7/16/2007 The irony of modern-day astrophysics is that the more astronomers study the light of the universe the darker the universe appears. Study of the brightest galaxies in the universe persuaded astronomers that 99 percent of the matter in the universe was dark. And measurements of the brightest stars convinced astronomers that three times as much dark energy existed as did dark matter. Big Bang - The Bible Taught It First!
7/1/2000 Most science textbooks that address cosmology credit Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson with the discovery that the universe arose from a hot big bang creation event. While it is true that they were the first (1965) to detect the radiation left over from the creation event Big Bang Buttressed
1/1/2000 Belief that the universe was created a finite time ago by a transcendent Creator has been strengthened by evidence yet again. A new piece of astronomical research brings good news for Christians and bad news for anyone denying God’s existence or equating God with the universe itself. Big Bang Passes Big Test
4/1/2003 Atheist astrophysicist Geoffrey Burbidge once worried aloud that his peers might rush off to join "the First Church of Christ of the Big Bang."1 The rush of which he spoke was precipitated by a deluge of observational support for the big bang. Astronomers had just verified specific predictions coming from the big bang model. Today, that verification continues. The latest comes from the discovery of something called "polarized radiation" in the early universe. Big Bang Stands Firm
10/1/2002 During my school days in Vancouver, B.C., I met some really brilliant students, but none of them aced every test. I can say, though, that I have met a theory that does. The big bang has scored well on every test devised and applied by researchers over several decades, and it has just sailed through another one with flying colors. Buttressing the Distance Ladder Foundation for Cosmic Creation
7/1/2007 Not until Albert Einstein produced his theory of general relativity in 1916 did scientists even consider the possibility that the cosmos continually expands. And yet five ancient writers-Job, David, Isaiah, Jerehiah, and Zechariah-all described this expansion more than two thousand years ago. For centuries the Bible stood alone as the only text making such a claim about the universe. So today, as the body of evidence for continual expansion grows, the case for the reliability and predictive power of the Bible and of the Christian worldview also grows. A breakthrough from a team of American radio astronomers just added to it. Cepheid Variable Stars
6/22/2009 Not until Albert Einstein produced his theory of general relativity in 1916 did scientists even consider the possibility of continual cosmic expansion. Yet six different Bible authors wrote extensively and explicitly about this continual expansion, “the stretching out of the heavens” under fixed physical laws. Cosmic Brane Scans
7/1/2002 As physicians use scanning devices to view the hidden structures and activities of the brain, astronomers can now use distant supernovae and high-resolution cosmic background radiation maps to scan the structures and properties of “branes.” Cosmic Creation Model and the First Stars
3/10/2008 In attempting to achieve a comprehensive validation of the biblically predicted big bang creation model1 the greatest challenge for astronomers has been assembling a detailed history for the formation of the universe’s first stars. One problem is that such stars are extremely difficult to observe. A second problem is that theoretical models for explaining the physics of star formation during the universe’s early history are notoriously difficult to formulate. Creation Ex Nihilo
by Kenneth Richard Samples Historic Christianity has always maintained a belief in Creation ex nihilo (CEN) as expressed in the ancient Nicene Creed: "We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible." Scripture teaches that there was nothing but God, and that God by means of his incalculable wisdom and infinite power alone brought the universe (all matter, energy, time, and space) into existence from nothing. Creation: From, Through, and By the Triune God
by Kenneth Richard Samples A member of my Sunday school class asked me a question after hearing my talk on the Trinity—the biblically derived doctrine of historic Christianity that the one God subsists as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.1 He asked: “Which specific person in the Godhead created the world?” I have been asked thousands of questions over the last 20 years of teaching and lecturing in both churches and colleges, but that was the first time anyone ever asked me that particular question. I appreciated the specificity of the query and how it related to the unique Triune nature of God. Distance to Double Pulsar Tests Cosmic Creation Models
5/18/2009 Space-time theorems prove a supernatural Agent must've created the universe of space, time, matter, and energy. These theorems are true, however, only if general relativity reliably describes the dynamics of bodies within the universe. Einstein Exonerated in Breakthrough Discovery
7/1/1999 An international team of 31 astronomers, cooperating in what is called The Supernova Cosmology Project (SCP), has just produced the first positive identification of Einstein’s infamous cosmological constant. This discovery yields what may be the most profound evidence to date for divine design of the cosmos.1 Extending the Reach of Cosmic Creation Measures
6/25/2007 Continual cosmic expansion under fixed physical laws from an actual beginning of matter, energy, space, and time is the heart and soul of the biblical cosmic creation model. Moreover, the physical constants that govern cosmic expansion, namely dark energy and the cosmic mass density, provide the most spectacular confirmed scientific evidence for the supernatural design of the universe for the benefit of humanity. Facing Up to Big Bang Challenges
1/1/2001 What danger lurks in associating big bang cosmology with biblical cosmology? Most Christian physicists, astronomers, and other scientists would say, “None.” Many Christian philosophers, theologians, pastors, and other nonscientists would say, “A big one.” Geometric Distance to M81 Buttresses the Distance Ladder Foundation for Cosmic Creation
12/17/2007 Not until Albert Einstein produced his theory of general relativity in 1916 did scientists even consider the possibility of continual cosmic expansion. Yet, six Bible authors described this expansion in great detail over two thousand years ago.1 For centuries, the Bible stood alone as the only text making such claims about the universe. Consequently, any additional evidence in favor of continual expansion supports the reliability and predictive power of the Bible and of the Christian world view. Gravitational Lens Measurements Yield New Cosmic Creation Test
6/18/2007 The heart and soul of the biblical cosmic creation model calls for continual cosmic expansion under fixed physical laws from an actual beginning of matter, energy, space, and time. For over two thousand years the Bible stood alone as the only text making such claims about the universe. Not until Albert Einstein produced his theory of general relativity in 1916 did scientists even consider the possibility of continual cosmic expansion. Gravitational Lens Test for Creation
10/1/2008 How Far Tells How Old
7/1/2000 The strength of cosmologists’ model for the origin and development of the universe rests in part on the certainty of astronomers’ distance measurements to stars and galaxies. The only direct measurements researchers have had for stellar distances are those based on trigonometry (specifically, a method called “trigonometric parallaxes”). Milky Way Galaxy’s Tiny Black Hole
9/1/2008 Through a variety of means astronomers have determined that a black hole exists at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. The latest and most definitive measurement puts the mass of that black hole at 3,6000,000 times the mass of the Sun. More Evidence for Supernatural Creation and Design of the Universe
1/5/2009 Important decisions in life, like whom to marry, are best made in the context of multiple independent confirmations along with efforts to improve their reliability. When all possible confirming efforts say she or he is the right one, one can be confident that the right decision has been made.
More Rigorous Test of General Relativity
8/24/2009 Prior to twentieth century developments in physics, scientists and philosophers had come to believe that the universe had been static for infinite time. Then the theory of general relativity affirmed that the universe is actually a dynamic entity. Most Accurate Distances Shore Up Creation History
3/3/2008 Opponents of big bang cosmology, both atheists and young-earth creationists, frequently attempt to push aside very compelling and overwhelming physical evidence in favor of this biblically predicted model1 by picking apart the limiting factor in determining the details of the cosmic creation story. This limiting factor is the ability of astronomers to determine accurate distances to other galaxies. Most Detailed Map of Cosmic Background Radiation Confirms Biblical Creation Model
7/1/2006 A team of American and Canadian astronomers dramatically strengthened the case for a big bang creation (thoroughly biblical1) when they released the latest map of radiation left over from the cosmic origin event.2 The team made public their analysis based on three years' continuous observations of that cosmic background radiation via satellite-the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). This analysis, by far the most thorough and detailed to date, yields five independent confirmations of the hot big bang creation model.3 Multifaceted Design of the Strong Nuclear Force
By Hugh Ross Protons and neutrons are like people. There is a just-right separation distance between them to foster the best possible chemistry. Put them either too close or too far apart and their capacity to interact with one another will sharply diminish. To get the just-right interactions between protons and neutrons so that stable atoms, molecules, and chemistry are possible, it is critical that the strong nuclear force be exquisitely fine-tuned in several different ways. New Lower Limit for Gravitational Wave Energy Density
9/14/2009 For lay people, gravity is the most familiar of the fundamental forces of physics. Not a moment goes by where one does not feel the strong pull of gravity toward the center of the earth. Polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background
7/13/2009 Today the scientific evidence for the biblically predicted big bang creation model1 is both overwhelming and compelling. In fact, so much evidence has accumulated that astronomers have been able to identify a very specific cosmic creation model that simultaneously explains the origin, history, and design of the universe. Predictive Power: Confirming Cosmic Creation
4/1/2002 Scientists focus enormous effort on turning detections (observations and measurements) into predictions. Meteorologists use data to predict temperatures, wind, and precipitation. Astronomers use data to predict meteor showers and eclipses. Primordial Helium Abundance Test of Big Bang Cosmology
Hugh Ross, Ph.D. It is hard to exaggerate the theological significance of big bang cosmology. Until the twentieth century the Bible was the only “text” explicitly describing the fundamentals of big bang cosmology—a Causal Agent beyond space and time, a beginning of space and time, a beginning of matter and energy, continuous cosmic expansion, and constant laws of physics—as well as implying other features, such as continuous cosmic cooling and the confinement of matter . . . . . . . Proving Cosmic Expansion Using Direct Measurements Only
6/8/2009 Opponents of the anthropic principle and of big bang cosmology (whether atheists or young-earth creationists) frequently attempt to push aside compelling physical evidence for these biblically predicted cosmological features1 by picking apart the limiting factor in determining the details of the cosmic creation story. This limitation is the inability of astronomers to determine accurate distances to galaxies, both nearby and far away, through direct measurements. Pulsars in Ultracompact Binaries
4/6/2009 Two of the strongest and most compelling scientific evidences for the biblically predicted big bang creation model1 include the continuous expansion of the universe and the reliability of Einstein's theory of general relativity in describing the dynamics of bodies within the universe. Both pieces of evidence establish a cosmic singularity beginning; that is, an actual origin of matter and energy and of the space-time dimensions along which matter and energy are distributed. Putting the Big Bang to the Test
3/14/2003 In 1989 John Maddox, the physics editor for the prestigious journal, Nature, wrote an editorial entitled, “Down With the Big Bang,” in which he (a self-declared atheist) predicted that the big bang theory would not survive even the initial observations coming from the Hubble Space Telescope. Reigning In Weird Cosmic Models
10/1/2002 The supposed rebirth of the oscillating universe model made Internet headlines in recent months1 and the lead slot in Science.2 This model posits that the universe oscillates between successive expansions and contractions, each contraction followed by a new big bang. Readers of The Fingerprint of God and The Creator and the Cosmos may recall that science has declared the oscillating universe model (and thus the cosmological underpinnings of Hinduism, Buddhism, and many new age philosophies) as a dead issue.3 Relativity Reaffirms Creation Doctrine
7/1/1999 Though Christians sometimes mistake relativity (a physics term) for relativism (a philosophical term), relativity powerfully testifies of divine creation.1 How? Einstein’s theory of general relativity tells us that space, time, matter and energy all have a finite beginning, a statement uniquely consistent with the biblical doctrine of creation.2 Speed of Gravity Measured, Scripture Validated
4/1/2003 General relativity and the biblical creation model received yet another boost on January 8, 2003, at the 201st meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The boost came from an announcement of the first-ever measurement of the speed of gravity.1 Einstein’s theory says that gravity travels at roughly the same velocity as light. Physicist Sergei Kopeikin and astronomer Ed Fomalont verified (within 20 percent precision) that gravity moves through space at close to light’s speed.2 In other words, it’s in the range current big bang models predict. Star Formation in Dwarf Galaxies As a Test of Big Bang Cosmology
12/15/2008 Astronomers’ observations1 of the universe continue to support big bang cosmology–which the Bible has taught for centuries.2 The evidence shows, among other things, that the universe is predominantly comprised of dark energy (energy embedded in the space surface of the universe that causes the cosmic surface to expand faster and faster as the universe ages) and cold exotic dark matter (slow moving particles that weakly interact with photons). Star Formation Tests Big Bang
12/14/2008 Astronomers’ observations1 of the universe continue to support big bang cosmology–which the Bible has taught for centuries.2 The evidence shows, among other things, that the universe is predominantly comprised of dark energy (energy embedded in the space surface of the universe that causes the cosmic surface to expand faster and faster as the universe ages) and cold exotic dark matter (slow moving particles that weakly interact with photons). Testing Cosmic Creation Models, Part 1
4/21/2008 At two different outreach events this past month I met both atheists and young-earth creationists who expressed skepticism concerning the evidence I presented for the biblically predicted big bang creation model.1 While admitting that the evidence I presented was compelling, they claimed the fact that astronomers cannot agree on exactly what kind of big bang describes the origin and history of the universe proves that the big bang creation model resides on a shaky foundation. Testing Creation Using the Proton to Electron Mass Ratio
11/2/2009 For thousands of years the Bible has been on record stating that he laws governing the heavens and earth do not vary. If the constancy of the laws of physics is proven, it would not only establish the Bible's reliable descriptions of nature and predictions of future scientific discoveries, it would also refute young-earth creationism and significantly constrain speculations about string theories and the possibility that scalar fields alter the character of dark energy. The most effective and unambiguous way to test the biblical claim about the physical laws' constancy is to take advantage of the lookback times in astronomy. The Least Luminous Known Galaxy
7/6/2009 Astronomers' observations of the universe1 provide substantial support for the cosmic creation event taught in the Bible.2 Evidence shows that the universe is comprised predominantly of dark energy (energy embedded in the space surface of the universe that causes the cosmic surface to expand faster and faster as the universe ages) and cold exotic dark matter (slow moving particles that weakly interact with photons). The Right Temperature
As scientists build their case for big bang cosmology, they rely on increasing knowledge of the universe’s formation. One component, the expansion of the universe, is revealed by the Tolman's Elegant Test
1/1/2002 The cosmic characteristic most extensively described in the Bible is the ongoing expansion of the universe. No other holy book of the world's religions describes this feature, nor was it anticipated by secular scholars before the development of Einstein's theory of general relativity. Vexing Implications
10/1/2002 “Disturbing Implications of a Cosmological Constant,” announced the title of a recent paper on the Los Alamos National Laboratory Web site.1 So “disturbing” were the paper’s findings that within a few days the British journal Nature ran an online commentary on them as well. Was evidence mounting against a naturalistic model for the beginning of the universe? Without daring to hint at the possibility of supernatural design, commentators suggested, “Our universe is so unlikely that we must be missing something.”2 Watching the Universe Grow Up
4/1/2006 Among the vast expanses of the cosmos, humanity resides on an amazing planet with remarkable conditions for observing the birth and expansion of the universe. It seems as though a purposeful Designer has allowed human civilization and technology to develop so that the Designer's work can be studied in exquisite detail. Where Is the Cosmic Density Fine-Tuning?
7/23/2007 In addressing audiences about the fine-tuning of the cosmic expansion rate, I have used the illustration that adding or subtracting a single dime to the mass of the observable universe would be enough of a change to make physical life impossible. This word picture helps to demonstrate a number used to quantify that fine-tuning, namely 1 part in 1060. Compared to the total mass of the observable universe, 1 part in 1060 works out to about a tenth part of a dime. Why the Universe Is the Way It Is
1/1/2006 In the best-selling science book of all time, author Stephen Hawking explains that no human is content until he or she has complete answers to the following questions: "What is the nature of the universe? What is our place in it and where did it and we come from? Why is it the way it is?" Why We Need to Return to the Moon
5/28/2007 I vividly recall sitting up all night with a dozen other astronomy students as we watched live on television the first men walk on the moon. The Apollo missions were more than just television spectaculars, however. The Apollo program helped us solve the mystery of the moon’s origin and helped establish how amazingly designed the moon is for the support of advanced life on Earth. Our books The Creator and the Cosmos and Origins of Life tell the story. WMAP Offers Spectacular Proof of Creation Events
4/1/2003 Preliminary results from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) have stirred great excitement among physicists.1 Radiometers on board the satellite are sending NASA researchers by far the most detailed maps to date of the radiation left over from the cosmic creation event—specifically of the temperature fluctuations in that radiation. Origin of the UniverseOrigin of the Universe |