What do all these situations have in common? What does someone need to do to them?

ORDER !!

God as DesignerTo describe God as a designer as

well as a creator

To explore if the existence of Natural Laws means there is a a

designer God

To explore if the existence of complex biological things mean

there is a designer God

1. Think of 3 things in the natural world that show complex and highly structured ORDER/ ORGANISATION.

2. Write out the following and name what scientific theory it is: Big Bang or Evolution?

• atoms and energy create complex objects eg rocks, stars, water

• simple living cells gradually become larger and more complex organisms that are different from each other

3. Do you think chaos and molecules can organise themselves into complex substances and life-forms through the laws of physics and evolution? Or is there an “intelligent designer” (God) organising it?

“In the beginning… the earth was a formless void.” Gen 1:1

THE LAWS OF THE UNIVERSEGravity: keeps the earth in just the right orbit round the sun….it keeps us in a even temperature. It is strong enough to keep oxygen around us. It is not so strong that we break every time we fall over.

The electric charge on the electron: if it was a bit different, then life would not develop. Stars & planets would burn out too fast, no time for evolution. There would be no “heavy” atoms at all, so no world, only gas. If protons and neutrons were slightly different in size, there would be no stars, sun, light or warmth. Just chaos.

The earth is the right distance from the sun, and at the right tilt. If it was closer or further away, there would be no water, as it would be too hot or cold. If the tilt was greater or less, there would be darkness over large parts of the earth, and it would be too cold.

If Big Bang had been less powerful, the whole thing would have crunched back in after exploding. If the Big Bang explosion was more powerful, it would have exploded so much and so fast that nothing would have had time to form.

1. Explain what Fine Tuning is2. Give 2 examples of fine tuning in

the universe3. Do you think fine tuning proves

that there is a designer God, making the universe “just right” for life? Or did it happen by accident ? Explain why.

God as designer:Fine Tuning in the Universe

How does Fine Tuning suggest there must be a designer God?

This universe is perfectly designed for life.

Are creatures also “designed” ? Does their design prove that there is a designer God?

If you went for a walk in the woods, and saw a watch, you would not think it had just made itself. You would think someone had made it (and that someone else had bought it and lost it).

William Paley thought that natural objects, like eyes, are so complex and well put together, that they must have been designed. They couldn’t just have happened by chance.

Paley thought that natural objects must have a designer – God.

This is PALEY’s Argument for the existence of God: God must exist, because things in the world look like they are designed by a designer.

Watch the video.Do you think the designs in nature need to have a designer, like Paley’s watch ?

Can cells “just happen from dirt and warm oceans”? By chance?

Stop 2:12

1. Tell the story of Paley’s Watch. 2. Explain what Paley’s argument is.

What does he say to try and prove that God exists?

3. Do you agree with Paley and with the video that complex designs in nature, like the eye, must have a designer? And can’t “just happen from dirt and warm oceans”?

Evolution’s answer...

From 2:00 -4:00

1. What is another way of explaining how the eye “got there”? How did it know how to become as complex as it is today?

2. Which account do you think is better? God designed it, or it evolved over time?

**Is Paley right? Are things in the world “designed” by a Designer God? Can you tell?

Does fine-tuning and design in the Universe prove there is a Designer God ?

YES – both fine tuning and design in nature prove it

YES & NO – either fine tuning or design in nature proves it

NO – neither fine tuning nor design in nature prove it

HW

Is the world designed by a Designer God?

Discuss the Arguments from Fine Tuning, and Paley’ Watch argument,

and say which one is better at proving that God designed our world.