A Letter to My Kids about the Universe, Faith and Science

For astronomer Elizabeth Fernandez teaching our children about science and talking to them about God are some of the most beautiful gifts we can give to them.

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Loved your post and the idea to leave your kids a letterā€¦But I saw no mention of Jesus Christ. The children need to put their trust and faith in Himā€¦

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Like Runner I love your post and the idea of writing a letter to your children. Much of what you said was very helpful.

However, I would question whether we should refer to animals and plants as being, ā€˜quite literally our little brothers and sisters.ā€™

I accept evolution. I also accept that we should be good stewards of Godā€™s creation. But, to refer to plants and animals as my brothers and sisters, I believe, gives them a place that God did not intend.

Only human beings were created in Godā€™s image. The only siblings that I have are those people with whom I share at least one parent.

I am sorry if this sounds pedantic, but I think it is important that we maintain the Biblical distinction between human beings and the rest of creation.

Thanks for what you have shared with us.

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Cousins is more accurate anyway, biologically ā€“ and some are very, very distant cousins.

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I think there is an even bigger problemā€¦

Why did Christ die on the Cross? She has left the entire gospel out of her letterā€¦not addressed it even indirectly!

The reason is quite simple I thinkā€¦she actually doesnā€™t have an adequate answer to such a question and that is because she recognised that its theological suicide to make mention of Christs death on the cross because the second she does that, she must explain Salvation, Redemption, and the real biggie for Theismā€¦ Restoration!

Evolution and Restorationā€¦how does that work exactly?

(I would like to know biblically how this is explained)

I think one cannot explain heaven if one cannot explain why it is that Christ had to die on the cross so that we can be redeemed and all that was corrupted by sin, restored back unto God!

The bible talks about us being lost and then found again (parable of the prodigal son if I remember correctly)

You see, the New Testament does not end with the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christā€¦it finishes with John describing the New Heaven and New Earth to us in Revelation 21.


The author of this letter, whilst obviously having the best of intentions, avoids the difficulty she faces in trying to explain:

Rev 21: 4ā€˜He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,ā€™c

and there will be no more death

or mourning or crying or pain,

for the former things have passed away.ā€

Her children might one day recognise that pain and suffering are not heavenly and God did not create either of these two thingsā€¦he never intended for us to suffer. That is why Jesus Christ is not in this letterā€¦the Gospel is far more than the incarnationā€¦its also the ā€œwhy Christ was incarnated and died on the Crossā€

Unless one is willing to study Old Testament history leading up to the Gospel, one cannot appreciate the importance of Christs atonement in ridding this world of pain and suffering and death at the end of time.

Lovely article. Thanks for posting this for us, @CReyes-Ton!

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God says that He does when He says, ā€œI fashion well-being and create catastropheā€.

I think this is another one of those ideas you try to force scripture to fit.

Thatā€™s not true! Iā€™ve seen people come to Christ without any awareness of the Old Testament. They recognized that they were broken people and needed a Savior, and most certainly appreciated what you assert that they couldnā€™t.

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Ive seen reformed drug addicts who never attended rehabilitationā€¦you are missing the point.

Your claims about the Old Testament are nothing more than a copout because you know fullwell its easier to ignore the dilemmas TEism faces if the Old Testament can be treated like a fart in an elevator.

The point is, Gods word is a revelation about why we are here, where we came from/how we got here, and what happens in the future. We were designed with a purposeā€¦Genesis specifically says God made us [man) in His own image. There is no mention that i can recall where animals are in Gods image.

In not taking any interest in the relevance of the historical account of the Old testament, the gospel becomes a fairytaleā€¦ its leaving out the very history that gives the New Testament its credibility.

The Old Testament and its history describes and explains in great detail the why we are here, where we came from, and what Gods purpose for us is.
I challenge anyone to prove from the bible that Christs death on the cross as atonement for sin is in anyway evolutionary or even contributed to the evolution of a sinless world where there is no pain, suffering and death (which btw are also New Testament terms St Roymond).

St Roymond, i would be interested in reading your biblically referenced explaination of Redemption and Restoration.

So lets begin your explaination by first admiting that redemption and restoration are both Christian terms and one of the most famous examples of the doctrine is found in Brazilā€¦ the statue ā€œChrist the Redemerā€.

Does not the new testament tell us that we are being redemed back unto God because we are slaves to sin (which is andirect reference to the israelites in the old testament btw. They regularly went into slavery and indeed suffered because of their willingness to fall into temptation and sin.

You made a claim about the Old Testament. You were wrong, and drug addicts arenā€™t relevant.

Stop the lies ā€“ you know by now, if youā€™ve actually read posts here, that I donā€™t care about TEism, all I care about is the text of the scriptures.

This is just false. Just as an example, Campus Crusade for Christ where I attended university led dozens of people to Christ without ever mentioning the Old Testament.

I doubt that. Your record here shows you are only interested in repeating your talking points and ignoring what people have actually said.

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Too true.      

Thanks so much for reading it! And thanks to our author for writing it :smiley: Stay tuned - the author wrote another piece for us that is coming out this monday!

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