The "Big Bang" is misunderstood

This is a shorter blog than usual, but it's on an interesting topic. We hear a lot about the Big Bang in cosmology. It was a term applied sarcastically when it was initially brought out as an explanation for the beginning of the universe. But now scientists are satisfied that it is the true description of what happened at the very beginning--the universe expanded from a single point into the vast array of stars, planets, dust, and dark matter that we encounter today. This concept is widely misunderstood, and Hugh Ross (head of Reasons to Believe) wrote a short piece that clarifies what the Big Bang really means.

When we think of an explosion, we picture an uncontrolled event with pieces being driven in random directions out to random distances. Think of a grenade going off or a stick of dynamite exploding. But this isn't the case with the start of the universe. Its expansion is neither random nor chaotic.

In fact, the Big Bang was precise and fine-tuned in such a way as to bring life into existence. As an example, the rate of expansion had to be exactly right. If it had been slightly slower, all matter would have collapsed back together so that no stars or planets would have formed. If the explosion had been any faster, all would have flown apart, resulting in no stars or planets sticking together.

Ross says there are two physical factors that control this cosmic expansion, and they illustrate the precision of the initial explosion. These two factors are the mass density and dark energy density. If you want more info on this part of his explanation, take a look at his books or go to his web site (reasons.org).

Ross claims that the Bible has described all the key principles of big bang cosmology in its pages. He can show you various passages that refer to the beginning of matter/energy/space/time, ongoing cosmic expansion, and the constancy of physical laws. Again, you can check these points for yourself by reading some of his provocative books or looking at items on his web site.

The Big Bang is not a threat to our faith in an intelligent designer as some would suggest. It acts as confirmation of the existence of a creator God who fashioned a universe in which humans could exist and ponder how they got there. I highly recommend Ross and his organization. Let me know if you'd like some good books to start with in this area.