Let us take a small look at Genesis--and see how it compares
with the Big Bang and modern astrophysical cosmology.
"In the beginning of Creation, when God made heaven and
earth, the earth was without form and void, with darkness over
the face of the abyss, and a mighty wind that swept over the
surface of the waters, God said, 'Let there be light,' and there
was light..." [Genesis 1: 1-4]
Out of Mystery came a glowing ball of energy, compact and
heavy beyond comprehension. This ball held within itself all
the enfolded information that would forever fuel the unfolding
Cosmos. This little ball, virtually a particle spatially small
enough to be held in one's hand, contained the enfolded
information of all the world that would bloom forth into cosmic
reality.
"...and God saw that the light was good, and he separated
light from darkness..." [Genesis 1: 4-5]
This primordial ball exploded, unfolded simultaneously
everywhere. Every particle rushed away from every other
particle. The explosion filled all space.
Eventually the frenzied particles calmed dissolving into a
great scattering, and the Cosmos began to transfigure itself.
It fashioned the galaxies. These gigantic, self- organizing
systems pinwheeled and clustered across the outer mantle
of the Universe.
Feeding on helium and hydrogen, brillant stars and planets
were born. The early planets bubbled forth as moltening
gaseous soups that cooled into planetary crusts. Chemical
creativity began to churn away. And on one of the planets,
the Earth, the first living cell arose.
"God said, 'Let the waters teem with countless living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of heaven.'"
[Genesis 1: 20]
Gathering hydrogen from the oceans, releasing oxygen, these
primal cells built the land and the atmosphere of the Earth. In
time multicellular organisms arose. They began as corals,
became worms and insects and fish. They wiggled and flashed
about in the sea and on the land. They multiplied into many
life forms. Experimenting, they discarded some forms and built
upon others. And about two hundred million years ago mammals
entered into the life of the Earth.
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image and likeness...'"
[Genesis 1: 26]
From these mammals came the first glimmers of consciousness,
a sense of emotional sensitivity and self-awareness. In due
time the human brain unfolded.
"So it was; and God saw all that he had made, and it was very good..."
[Genesis 1: 31]
