Since Albert Einstein rose to international fame during the first half of the 20th century, the natural sciences have only risen in prestige and cultural influence and the scientific community is now widely regarded as the ultimate authority on truth about the world. Some of its members have produced bestsellers that popularize cutting-edge scientific thought. The issue, though, is that they often step well beyond the domain of their respective specialties to make pronouncements on questions traditionally reserved for theology and philosophy, such as the existence of God, morality, free will, and life’s ultimate purpose. In an effort to champion a philosophical naturalist perspective, they imply that advancements in the natural sciences have somehow undermined the case for God and other theological doctrines, such as the existence of the human soul. According to these writers, science is well on its way to providing a comprehensive explanation of all of reality: how the universe began, how everything developed, and the eventual dissolution of it all. Thus, to be a scientifically literate person, this modern narrative suggests, is to be a materialist — to believe that the only objective reality consists of matter and energy behaving according to the laws of physics and chemistry. This podcast is a conversation with Dr. Melissa Cain Travis about how the Christian apologist counters this world view.

This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with Journal author Melissa Cain Travis about her article, “Scientific Materialist Manifesto: The Pursuit of Meaning in a Godless Universe” https://www.equip.org/article/scientific-materialist-manifesto-the-pursuit-of-meaning-in-a-godless-universe/
from the 42:2 issue of the Christian Research Journal. https://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/out-of-the-ashes-at-ground-zero/

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Other articles and Postmodern Realities podcasts featuring this author

Episode 062: How the Structure and Comprehensibility of the Universe Reveal a Mindful Maker

A Grand Cosmic Resonance: How the Structure and Comprehensibility of the Universe Reveal a Mindful Maker

Episode 138-Using NBC’s The Good Place in Conversational Apologetics

Using NBC’s The Good Place in Conversational Apologetics

Episode 132: The Artistic Pro-Life Theme in Netflix’s I Am Mother

The Artistic Pro-Life Theme in Netflix’s I Am Mother

Episode 095 Virtue, Human Nature, and the Quest for Happiness

Virtue, Human Nature and the Quest for Happiness

Episode 002: Motherhood and the Life of the Mind

Motherhood and the Life of the Mind

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