Science has disproved parts of the Bible.
The Devotional Answer
The devotional truth is that since God is the author of both the book of Scripture and the book of Nature, there can be no ultimate contradiction between them. God is entirely consistent.
Apparent conflicts usually arise when we either misinterpret the scientific data or misread the biblical text.
When confronted with a supposed conflict, your response should be one of humble inquiry and confidence. Humbly ask: "Am I misunderstanding the Bible's original intent?" and confidently assert: "If God created the universe, genuine, observable science will ultimately support His truth."
The goal is not to fear science, but to engage it with the assurance that all truth ultimately converges in the Creator.
The Simple Answer
No, science has not disproved any essential truth of the Bible, though it has often led Christians to refine their interpretation of non-essential details.
The tension usually comes from confusing two kinds of science and two kinds of Scripture:
Observable Science: This is repeatable, testable science (like chemistry or physics). This type of science consistently reveals the incredible order, complexity, and fine-tuning of the universe, which aligns with a divine Creator.
Origins Science: This deals with events that happened in the unrepeatable past (like the origin of the cosmos or life). Hypotheses about origins often rely on philosophical assumptions, which may conflict with the Bible.
The Bible is an accurate record of God's interaction with humanity, but we must read its different genres (history, poetry, prophecy) correctly to avoid conflict.
The Deeper Dive
The key to resolving the tension between science and faith is proper interpretation of the Bible's literary forms.
1. Misreading the Bible's Intent (Genre)
The most common point of friction involves the early chapters of Genesis. Some readers assume that Genesis 1 and 2 are meant to be a modern, exhaustive scientific report, while many scholars believe the text is a majestic, divinely inspired account whose primary purpose is to establish who created the world (God) and why He created it (for His glory and relationship with humanity), rather than detailing how or when He did it in scientific language. The Bible speaks truth, but often in the language of its time.
2. The Limits of Science
Science, by definition, can only study the natural world using observable, repeatable data. It is therefore limited and cannot make authoritative pronouncements on the supernatural (God, miracles, the resurrection, the spiritual realm).
Since the Bible is fundamentally a record of God's supernatural activity in the natural world, science cannot, by the rules of the scientific method, disprove a miracle. It can only state that a miracle is outside its domain of expertise.
3. The Compatibility View
Throughout history, many of the greatest scientific minds (such as Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, and Francis Bacon) were Christians who believed their scientific work was simply "thinking God's thoughts after Him."
They saw science as an act of worship—a profound tool for discovering the laws and beauty that God established. True science, therefore, acts as a helpful handmaiden to faith.
God’s Assurance
God assures you that His Word is enduring and that the evidence found in nature ultimately points back to Him.
"For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." — Colossians 1:16 (NIV)
You are assured that since Jesus Christ is the agent and purpose of all creation, every scientific discovery, every law of physics, and every biological marvel testifies to His reality, not against it.
Your Takeaway Thought
Don't panic when you hear of an alleged conflict between a scientific theory and Scripture. Instead, ask: "Is the science truly proven and repeatable, or is it a changing theory about the past?" and "Am I reading this part of the Bible literally when it might be poetic, or vice versa?"
Trust that the Creator's truth will stand, and use science as a tool to appreciate the awesome complexity of the God you serve.
