Scientific Naturalism Worldview

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Apologetics Application Paper: Scientific Naturalism

Submitted to Dr. John Knox, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the course

APOL 500 – C01
Introduction to Apologetics

by

Oliver M. Brown
April 8, 2016

Table of Contents

I. Introduction 1

II. Summary of the Scientific Naturalism Worldview 2

III. Evaluation of the Scientific Naturalism Worldview 4

IV. Christian Alternative 6

V. Defense of Christianity 8

VI. Conclusion 11

VII. Bibliography 12

Introduction
Throughout history, the church has incorporated several practices of linking modern or current theories and ideas with Christianity. In doing this, the church has inadvertently
Its level of reasoning is very cyclical and its assumptions mostly re based on science contracted without human interest in mind. On this criterion alone this worldview is false. According to Naturalism, the universe is static and does not change. Therefore, everything within the universe should be easily observable and accepted by the human mind and reality is exactly what you see before you. Once applied, these assumptions generally disqualify any other threatening worldview. Any ideals or thoughts that fall outside these walls and principles are essentially unreal and not true. This circular way of reasoning can be proven to be dangerous as it can rule science itself as being not real. It is understandable how a scientist or scholar may find themselves believing in a naturalistic worldview – they generally assume the supposition before the research has even been
Dawkins, Richard, A River Out of Eden, New York, NY: Basic Books, 1995.
Drees, Willem, Religion, Science and Naturalism, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Goetz, Stewart, Naturalism, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Press, 2008.
Griffin, David Ray, Panentheism and Scientific Naturalism: Rethinking Evil, Morality, Religious Experience, Religious Pluralism, and the Academic Study of Religion, (Volume 2), Anoke, MN: Process Century Press, 2014.
Griffin, David Ray, Two Great Truths: A New Synthesis of Scientific Naturalism and Christian Faith, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.
Groothuis, Douglas, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, Grand
Rapids, MI: IVP Academic, 2011.
Hunter, Cornelius, Science’s Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism, Ada, MI: Brazos Press, 2007.
Lewontin, Richard, “Billions and Billions of Demons” The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, January 9, 1997, New York, NY: Penguin Random House, 1997.
McLaren, Brian D, A Generous Orthodoxy, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,