Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone, and I'd like to welcome you to this lesson on Christian and Non-Religious Beliefs about Creation.

In today's lesson, you'll be able to explain scientific and Christian views on the origins of the universe and compare different interpretations of Genesis.

Some key words that we will be using today are Big Bang theory, George Lemaitre, fundamentalist, liberal, and Stephen Hawking.

The Big Bang theory is a scientific theory of the university's origin, starting from a singularity approximately 14 billion years ago.

George Lemaitre was a Belgian priest and physicist who laid the foundations for the Big Bang theory in 1927.

A fundamentalist is someone who rejects modern knowledge in favour of a literal interpretation of religious texts.

A liberal is someone who prioritises modern knowledge and interprets religious texts metaphorically.

And Stephen Hawking was a British physicist who lived from 1942 to 2018, and he supported the Big Bang theory.

Our lesson today will form three parts.

We will be looking at questions about the origins of the universe, at Christian teachings on creation, and at different views on creation and science.

So let's begin by looking at questions about the origins of the universe.

Andeep and Laura are asking some philosophical questions about the origins of the universe.

Andeep asks, "Was the universe created or has the universe always existed?" Laura responds, "Does science support or challenge the idea of creation?" So what do you think might help us answer these questions? I'd like you to pause the video, and if you're able to, turn and talk to someone nearby or you can talk to me, and come back when you are ready to continue.

Here's a photograph of George Lemaitre.

He was a Belgian Catholic priest and he was a physicist.

In the 1920s, he proposed a theory that the universe is expanding.

And he introduced the concept of the primaeval atom, which later developed into the Big Bang theory.

Lemaitre's ideas gained scientific support over time, and as a devout Catholic, Lemaitre believed that science and faith could coexist.

Here's a photograph of Stephen Hawking.

Stephen Hawking was a British theoretical physicist and cosmologist, and he was an atheist.

In the 1980s, he developed the idea that the universe began from a singularity, which is a point to our space and time meet.

Hawking introduced the concept of a no boundary condition, and this suggested that the universe could have emerged naturally without a creator.

Hawking believed that the laws of physics, not a divine intervention, could explain the universe's existence.

So before the 20th century, most scientists believed the universe had always existed in a steady unchanging state, but new discoveries such as the Big Bang theory, would challenge this.

So here, we can see a timeline from 1927 to the present day.

In 1927, George Lemaitre proposes the universe started from a primaeval atom and is expanding.

In 1929, Edwin Hubble confirms the universe's expansion.

In 1949, in a BBC radio broadcast, Fred Hoyle, a prominent physicist, mocked Lemaitre's theory and gave it the nickname the Big Bang.

In 1964, Penzias and Wilson discover cosmic microwave background radiation, which provides evidence for the Big Bang.

And in the present day, the Big Bang theory is now the leading explanation for the origins of the universe.

Let's check your understanding.

What is the Big Bang theory? I'd like you to fill in the missing words.

A theory of the universe's origin, starting from a singularity approximately 14 billion years ago.

Pause the video if you need to to jot down your answer and then come back and check when you are ready.

Well done if you put scientific theory.

But why is this answer correct? Have a little think about why it is known as a scientific theory.

Well, it's correct because it's the theory attributed to scientists such as Lemaitre, affirmed by Penzias and Wilson, and later by Stephen Hawking, and it suggests that there was a starting point to the universe, but it's scientific because it's based on evidence, on observation.

Sam and Lucas are discussing the statement: Christian teachings about the origins of the universe are compatible with the Big Bang theory.

Sam says, "Atheists believe religious teachings about creation conflict with the Big Bang theory because it explains the universe's origin without needing God." Lucas responds, "But Christians could argue that God created the universe through the Big Bang.

So science explains how the universe began, and faith explains why." Does the Big Bang theory influence your thinking on the origins of the universe? How? Pause the video to give yourself some time to think about this or to discuss it with someone nearby if you're able to, and come back when you are ready to continue with the lesson.

Let's check your understanding.

Which arguments suggest that the Big Bang theory and religious teachings are compatible? Is it A, creation stories and the Big Bang theory are both based on faith? Is it B, the Big Bang theory explains the universe began without God? Or is it C, the Big Bang theory explains how God created the universe and religious teachings explain why? Take some time to think about the correct answer.

Pause the video if you need to and then come back when you are ready to check.

So well done if you put C, the Big Bang theory explains how God created the universe and religious teachings explain why.

For practise task A on questions about the origins of the universe, I'd like you to consider the statement: Christian teachings about the origins of the universe are compatible with the Big Bang theory.

I'd like you to decide whether these points could be used to argue for or against the statement and explain how they could be used.

Number one, Lemaitre was a Roman Catholic priest and a physicist.

Number two, Lemaitre's idea of a primaeval atom or beginning.

Number three, scientific theories are backed up by evidence.

Number four, something had to have started the Big Bang.

And number five, Stephen Hawking argued the universe could emerge naturally.

So take your time to think about whether they could be used for or against, and make sure that you include mention of how.

Pause the video, and come back when you are ready to see how you did.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

So Lemaitre was Roman Catholic priest and a physicist.

You could have said this could be used for because Lemaitre believed in both God and the Big Bang.

For number two, Lemaitre's idea of a primaeval atom or beginning, you could have said for again because this idea fits with the belief that God started everything.

For number three, scientific theories are backed up by evidence, you could have said against, because science relies on proof while religious teachings are based on faith.

For number four, something had to have started the Big Bang, you could have said for, because some people think the Big Bang leads a cause, which could be God.

And for number five, Stephen Hawking argued the universe could emerge naturally, you could use this point against because Hawking said the universe didn't need God to begin.

So well done if you managed to pick out which could be use for and which against, and also if you managed to explain how.

For the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at Christian teachings on creation.

Christians try to answer questions such as was the universe created by consulting sources of authority, which include: Scripture or the Bible.

Tradition: teachings passed down through history, including church teachings.

Genesis 1 outlines God creating the world in six days, while Genesis 2 focuses on the creation of Adam and Eve and humanity's role in creation.

The very first verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." What might the phrase the heavens and the earth suggest about the extent of God's creation? So take some time to think about that question.

Pause and turn and talk to someone if you can, and then come back when you are ready to move on.

Perhaps you said that it suggests God is the creator of everything.

Genesis 1:3 says, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." What does this description of how God created suggest? So I'd like you to pause again and turn and talk to someone nearby if you can.

Come back when you're ready to move on.

So well done if you notice that God's power to create is in His word.

He simply says.

Genesis 1:26-27 says, "So God created mankind in His own image, in image of God He created them; male and female He created them." What does the phrase image of God suggest about humans? Pause again.

And if you're able to, turn and talk to someone nearby and then come back when you're ready to rejoin.

So well done if you notice that it seems to suggest that human beings have a special status.

Genesis 2:7 says, "Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.

He brought them to the man to see what he would name them." What does this suggest about the relationship between humans and the rest of creation? So take a moment to talk to someone if you can.

Pause the video if you need to, and then come back when you are ready to move on.

So well done if you notice it seems to say that humans have responsibility for God's creation.

Let's check your understanding.

How does Genesis 1:3 describe the creation process? A, God created light and separated it from the darkness.

B, God created through His word.

C, the Big Bang caused the creation of light.

Or D, God created the earth before light.

So pause the video, have a look at the options, and come back when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you notice that it was God created through His word.

Church teachings on creation.

The Orthodox Church generally teach that God is the creator of all things and that God's creative work could include processes like the Big Bang.

The Catholic Church sees the Big Bang theory as compatible with the belief in God as creator and encourages non-literal interpretations of Genesis 1-2.

Protestant churches such as the Church of England, Methodist, and Quakers, argue The Big Bang theory does not contradict the Christian teaching of creation.

The Evangelical Alliance UK, which includes Pentecostal churches, emphasises the belief that Genesis 1-2 describes a literal six-day creation.

So which church or churches are most likely to teach that Christians should not accept the Big Bang theory? Is it A, evangelical churches, such as Pentecostal Churches? B, the Roman Catholic Church.

C, Protestant Churches such as the Church of England.

Or D, the Greek and Eastern Orthodox Church? Pause the video to have a look at the options again and come back when you are ready to check your answer.

So well done if you remember that it is Evangelical Churches such as Pentecostal Churches.

So for our practise task B on Christian teachings on creation, Alex and Aisha are considering the statement: Religious teachings about the origins of the universe are compatible with the Big Bang theory.

Alex explains how Christian teachings could oppose the statement, while Aisha argues how they might support it.

And I'd like you to complete their paragraphs by filling the gaps.

Alex says, "Some Christian teachings are not compatible with the Big Bang theory.

Genesis 1:1 says.

The Big Bang Theory, however, suggests.

." And Aisha says, "Other Christian teachings are compatible with the Big Bang theory.

George Lemaitre, a Catholic priest and a physicist.

Catholics are many Protestant denominations teach that the Big Bang theory.

." So think carefully over what you've learned today and make sure that you've got something you can use to fill in those gaps and to explain those two beliefs.

Pause the video.

Come back when you've finished your work and you're ready to check what you've done.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

So for Alex, "Some Christian teachings are not compatible with the Big Bang theory.

Genesis 1:1 says, 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth,' implying a direct act of creation.

The Big Bang theory, however, suggests the universe began from a singularity and developed over billions of years, which seems inconsistent with the biblical account." Aisha says, "Other Christian teachings are compatible with the Big Bang theory.

George Lemaitre, a Catholic priest and physicist, first proposed the idea of an expanding universe in 1927, which developed into the Big Bang theory.

Catholics and many Protestant denominations teach that the Big Bang theory does not contradict the belief in a creator as it can be seen as part of God's design." So well done if you explained how some Christian teachings might appear to go against science and others can support it.

For the third part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at different views on creation and science.

Christian beliefs about creation are varied.

They're are fundamentalist interpretations.

So these are the kind of interpretations that the Evangelical Churches such as Pentecostal Churches might well have.

There's the theory of Young Earth Creationism.

What this does is it rejects the Big Bang theory entirely and it interprets Genesis literally.

Someone who is a Young Earth Creationist might say, "God created the universe in six literal days and the Earth is only a few thousand years old." Intelligent design is also an option for someone who has a fundamentalist interpretation.

Now, this approach accepts a Big Bang theory to an extent.

So there might say, "God created the universe with purpose, and the Big Bang theory shows evidence of intelligent design." So suggesting that somehow the Big Bang theory is kind of implied in the Bible.

Now, liberal interpretations, which is what is promoted by most of the Christian denominations, view the Genesis account as metaphorical, and they prioritise the Big Bang theory in terms of providing an answer to how the universe began.

So they might say, "The Big Bang theory is God's tool for creation." Now, what all of these interpretations agree on is that God is the creator.

So when it comes down to it, all Christians would say that.

So which statement is likely to be made by a fundamentalist Christian? Is it A, the universe was made in six 24-hour days? B, God created the Big Bang.

C, the Big Bang shows that there was no creator.

Or D, the Genesis creation story is a metaphor for God's power.

So take some time to think about fundamentalist views and what that means.

Pause the video, jot down your answer, and then come back when you are ready to check.

So well done if you chose A, the universe was made in six 24-hour days.

Asher attends a Pentecostal Church and believes in intelligent design.

He's been asked whether the Big Bang theory supports or challenges the idea of God as creator.

He says, "The Big Bang theory supports the idea of God as creator because a universe with a beginning needs a cause, and that cause is God.

The universe's complexity and order reflect intelligent design.

However, I'm cautious about fully accepting the Big Bang theory because it's often linked to ideas like evolution, which don't match the Bible's account of creation." So have a think on this continuum about whether Asher's view is that the Big Bang theory challenges or supports the idea that God is creator.

Where would you place his view on the scale and why? So if you are able to, turn and talk to someone nearby.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to move on.

Rachel is a Plymouth Brethren.

Now, she's a fundamentalist and a Young Earth Creationist.

She's been asked whether the Big Bang theory supports or challenges the idea of God as creator.

Rachel says, "The Big Bang challenges the idea of God as creator because it contradicts the Bible's account of creation.

Scripture teaches that God created the universe in six days, so it's a young Earth while the Big Bang suggests an old universe." Thinking about that continuum of challenge to support, where would you place Rachel's view and why? And how close is it to Asher's? Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby if you can, and come back when you are ready to move on.

Fergus is a liberal Anglican, and he's also been asked whether the Big Bang theory supports or challenges the idea of God as creator.

Fergus says, "The Big Bang theory doesn't conflict with belief in a creator; many Christians see it as God's tool for creation.

Genesis can be interpreted metaphorically to show God's power.

Science and faith complement each other in understanding creation.

Both offer insights into the world and our place in it." So thinking about that scale again, does Fergus come near to Asher or Rachel on the scale? Where would you put his view and why? Pause the video again, and if you're able to turn and talk to someone, please do, or you can talk to me and come back when you are ready to rejoin.

Diane is a humanist.

She's also been asked whether the Big Bang theory supports or challenges the idea of God as creator.

Diane says, "The Big Bang theory is a scientific explanation that doesn't require a creator.

Science, not religion, helps us understand the universe's origins.

Humanists rely on reason and evidence.

We don't need a divine creator to make sense of existence." So think about that scale again.

Where would you place Diane's view and why? So does she think the Big Bang theory is supporting the idea of God as creator or challenging it? How close is she to Asher, to Rachel, and to Fergus? Take some time, have a talk about your answer, and come back when you are ready to move on.

Let's check your understanding.

Is this statement true or false? Liberal Christians agree with humanists that science helps us understand the origins of the universe.

Pause the video, have a think about whether it's true or false, but also have a think about why.

Come back when you are ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put true, but why is it true? Well, it's true because both of them value evidence and reason.

Liberal Christians are interpreting the Bible metaphorically, and so they can accept the findings of science, and humanists rely on science alone.

The contrast is fundamentalist Christians who interpret the Bible literally.

Alex has written an extended paragraph, using Christianity as part of the answer, to address the question: Explain from either two religions or two religious traditions, beliefs about the origins of the world.

Alex writes, "Some fundamentalist Christians believe God created the world in six 24-hour days.

They believe the creation story in the Bible is a literal account and contains the whole truth about how the universe originated.

Genesis says, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light, showing God's word was powerful enough to create the universe in six days.

The importance of this belief is that many fundamentalist Christians reject scientific explanations like the Big Bang theory and they support Young Earth Creationism." I would like you to complete his answer by writing the second extended paragraph using Christianity as one of the two religions or two religious traditions.

So he's explained one Christian view and you are going to explain a different Christian view.

You could use the guidance below.

Point.

So this is another group of Christians.

You could name that group.

Develop.

This means.

Source.

It is supported by.

So name the source and state what it says, which shows, link to the belief.

And importance.

So mention the importance of this belief.

So these are really useful skills for GCSE questions because you're always expected to know a belief and be able to explain that belief point develop.

But also it's really important to be able to link in a source.

You have to name it.

It doesn't have to be an exact quotation.

You don't have to say the exact reference, but for example, saying in the Bible or Jesus teaches or something like that.

But then link it to the belief and reflect on its importance.

So take the time to think about how you could develop a different point from new one Alex has already made.

Pause the video, and come back when you're ready to move on.

Let's have a look at what you may have included.

Liberal Christians believe that the creation story in Genesis is metaphorical, teaching that God created the world, but not in a literal sense.

This means they interpret the Genesis creation account metaphorically believing that it highlights God's role as the creator rather than a factual historical event.

This belief is supported by the phrase, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," from Genesis 1:1, which can be understood to mean that God is the ultimate origin of everything rather than providing a literal step-by-step creation process.

The importance of this belief is that liberal Christian view science and religion as compatible, encouraging them to embrace scientific theories like the Big Bang.

So well done if you mentioned that this is a liberal Christian view, and that you have also talked about what that means, so taking the accounts metaphorically.

If you've managed to link in a teaching, so here, we've got the very first verse of the Bible, showing that God is the origin, and we've talked about the importance as well being able to accept the scientific theories.

In today's lesson, we have looked at how George Lamaitre proposed the primaeval atom theory in 1927, and Stephen Hawking expanded on this with the idea of a singularity as the universe's starting point; that Genesis 1 outlined creation over six days, while Genesis 2 focuses on humanity and their role in creation; that fundamentalist Christians see Genesis as a literal account, believing in a six-day creation; that liberal Christians interpret Genesis metaphorically, viewing it as compatible with scientific theories like the Big Bang theory; and that some Christians, including Catholics and certain Protestant groups, see the Big Bang as part of God's design, while humanists argue it explains the universe without a creator.

Thank you so much for working with me today on this lesson.

Well done for all of your efforts.