Question
Hi Gramps,
I’m wondering if God works by “natural means”, such as using natural processes and scientific principles rather than “poofing” it into existence? When it comes to the physical world, because he put the guiding principles into place (physics, chemistry, biology, etc), wouldn’t he just manipulate those rather than “creating something from nothing”?
Lizz
Answer
Lizz,
The idea of “poofing” it into existence is known as “Ex Nihilo Creation” a term the Catholics coined. This is a false doctrine. We do not believe it. We believe God took existing materials and built them up from a disorganized condition to an organized condition.
So, can we provide a naturalistic explanation (natural means) for the process? Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, I would ask the following:
If we could explain it, would it be a miracle?
What exactly do you mean by “natural means”? I’ve heard all too often that this means that man needs to be able to explain the process through the scientific knowledge that man currently understands. This, too, is a false doctrine.
Man does not know all that God knows. And man cannot comprehend all that God comprehends. The very definition of a miracle is “something that is beyond man’s current knowledge and understanding.” If we could explain it, would it be a miracle?
Can you tell me the difference between the bombs used in WWII vs the bombs in most nuclear arsenals today? They use two different technologies (Critical mass vs Implosion, respectively). Do you know what those labels mean and what they do? Do you know why energy is released from the nucleus of these atoms as they split? The average person doesn’t spend 5 seconds considering it. All they know is that nukes are really dangerous and powerful weapons. And that’s really all we need to know.
But when it comes to the mysteries and powers of God, we want to have everything explained right now, TODAY! If we could explain it, would it be a miracle?
Ironically, you are asking for a “natural means” of explaining the creation instead of Ex Nihilo creation. Yet, the current naturalistic explanation is specifically a “poofing into existence” known as the Big Bang theory. But then we have to ask where did that primeval atom come from? What caused it to explode? Was it God? How did He cause it to explode? If we could explain it, would it be a miracle?
The atom was always there as a singularity which means “everything and nothing at the same time”. And it exploded due to fusion reactions between that atom and itself.
Does this sound weird to you? It sounds an awful lot like a description of the Trinity. Yes, I specifically chose words and framing to make it sound that way. But it isn’t wrong. The “Father of the Big Bang Theory” was a Catholic Priest.
Instead, we (as Latter-day Saints) believe matter and energy always existed. They are eternal just as God and we are. They cannot be created or destroyed.
We know a great many universal constants: The speed of light, the gravitational constant, the Cosmological Constant, etc. Of the hundreds of constants throughout the universe, they all seem to balance perfectly. How was that set up? Did God declare them so? Or were they simply eternal facts that God understood? If they could be changed, we would certainly live in a very different universe than the one we live in now.
For a more complete explanation of creation, see the following article: Do I believe scientists or doctrine? Can matter be created?
The biggest danger I see from the desire for naturalistic explanations is that it often starts with an assumption that “it wasn’t a miracle.” If you want a naturalistic explanation of multiplying the loaves and the fishes, you’ll end up talking yourself out of miracles. I’ve heard people say that Jesus didn’t multiply the loaves and fishes. He just inspired people to share what they had. The inspiration was the miracle.
If we could explain it, would it be a miracle?
NO!!!
Miracles are real. They happen. The very reason that miracles don’t happen as often today as in ancient times is that we refuse to believe in them. We are limiting God’s help by saying, “I know you can’t do *this* because it is not scientifically possible. But you can at least do *this*.” And that is a sad place to be.
Don’t be one of the sad ones. Believe in miracles.
Gramps
