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TI   : New `Big Bang' Theory Revelations Put The Science-
       Religion Debate At A Crossroads

AU   : BRYAN FARHA

TY   : OPINION (COMMENTARY)

PG   : 12

As we know from astronomy and physics, the deeper into space
we look, the further back in time we see. The Cosmic
Background Explorer (COBE) satellite launched by the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1989 is so
sophisticated that it is able to peer billions of years into
the past.

Now, with COBE findings made public in April, it seems we
have sound evidence in support of the so-called Big Bang
theory of creation--a theory suggesting that all components
of the material universe, including time, space, energy, and
matter, were once condensed by gravity into a space about
the size of a thumbnail. According to the theory, the
"thumbnail exploded about 15 billion years ago into the
colossal universe of planets, stars, and galaxies that we
know today.

The COBE satellite, which measures radio emissions and light
waves of vast distances, is being hailed as the platform
upon which our understanding of the origin of the universe
may be solidified. But where does this new understanding
leave the yet-unanswered questions surrounding the notions
of divine creation and of a personal God?

Some will argue that the COBE findings put a dagger through
the hearts of divine creation proponents. Others will
steadfastly keep their faith, claiming that if indeed there
was a Big Bang, a supreme being was its architect. In light
of COBE, will astronomers, physicists, and cosmologists
still be willing to work with religionists in a cooperative
effort to explore further the origins of man, the world, and
the universe? Or has the religion-science gulf widened?

Although pieces of the grand puzzle are beginning to fit
together and thus provide traces of answers to some of man's
deepest existential questions, the COBE findings have not
yet solved the entire puzzle. Conclusions based on these and
future investigations must be drawn with caution, for
further enigmas must be addressed: Is the Big Bang the true
origin of the universe?  Who or what was responsible for the
Big Bang? For what reason?  What is the responsibility of
science regarding how much of the universe it attempts to
explain? Should science limit itself to questions of  "what
and "how, and simply pass the baton to philosophers and
theologians to address the question of "why?

Ironically, as science moves toward answering questions of
ultimate origin, its limitations become more apparent. Each
new cosmological or astronomical achievement yields an
awareness that pure research may not be able to adequately
address the ultimate questions of man's existence, and the
origin of the universe.

Religious and scientific leaders recently attended a meeting
in Washington, D.C., called "The Joint Appeal for Religion
and Science for the Environment, cochaired by Cornell
University astronomer Carl Sagan. At the gathering,
participants urged a unified effort by science and religion
to save the ailing environment. In my view, if the effort
can be made in the name of the environment, then it can be
made in the name of man's quest for understanding his
ultimate beginning.

Humans, by nature, seek to satisfy their curiosity. Man
investigates the unknown because the inner self demands to
quench its thirst for ontological understanding. Nothing
less than the use of all available resources to indulge this
innate curiosity is acceptable. What, in light of this,
should be the responsibility of scientific and religious
leaders?

Given the recent COBE findings, it seems to me that science
and religion are in a prime position to act collectively--to
combine forces in a grand endeavor to address the greatest
existential questions on the grandest of scales: Who or what
orchestrated the birth of the universe, and for what
purpose?



Bryan Farha is an associate professor of behavioral studies
and counseling at Oklahoma City University.

(The Scientist, Vol:6, #12, June 8, 1992)
(Copyright, The Scientist, Inc.)

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