the-BA : Creation and Big Bang debate

Food for thought as Peter Coles (left) and guests discuss cosmology

Phil Brown, East Midlands Regional Officer

The Big Bang theory has been around for many years, and provides an amazingly accurate description of how elements were formed in the early Universe. So does this mean we have removed the need for a creator God?

When eminent cosmologist Professor Peter Coles talked to a group of people of many faiths and of no faith at the Multi-Faith Centre in the University of Derby on 14 February 2008, he gave a very clear and succinct description of the theory, using wit and wisdom to engage the audience in an evening of information and discussion.

Peter appears regularly in the media. His expertise includes the Big Bang theory, the expansion of the universe and whether it will continue to expand or ultimately collapse. He is based in the School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University.

Entertaining the audience with his humour, he gave a brief history of cosmology, explaining the evidence for our current understanding of the Universe and worked his way back to discuss its creation.

The conclusion of the event was that cosmology tries to explain HOW the Universe came about but cannot tell us WHY.

'If I was creating the Universe I wouldn't have done it this way,' Peter joked. 'I would have had something simpler, not all messed up like this. But it wasn't my decision.'

A fuller report of the event is available online here.

The next event in the Big Questions series will be on Wednesday 27 February at the Multi-Faith Centre, University of Derby, on the subject of 'Well Being: How does faith influence people's health?'

The speakers will be experts Professor Bernard Moss, Professor of Social Work Education and Spirituality, Director, Centre for Spirituality and Health, and Professor Peter Gilbert, Professor of Social Work and Spirituality, both from Staffordshire University.

Refreshments are served from 18:30 and the discussion will start at 19:00. Everyone, of any faith or no faith, is very welcome to attend this free event.

The Big Question series of debates on the subject 'Creation: Is this how God created the Universe?' is organised jointly with the British Association for the Advancment of Science. For further information contact Phil Brown, East Midlands Regional Officer.

	Home

	News

	News from the BA

	News Archive