Sean Carroll’s Sleight-of-Hand Evasion of the Creator Part I

“See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy or empty deceit…” (Colossians 2:8)

Christian philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig recently went head-to-head with theoretical physicist, Dr. Sean Carroll of Cal Tech in a public debate over the question, “Is God’s Existence More Probable Given Cosmology Data?”  This data broadly pertains to the expansion of the universe from its very first moment of time.  The 2 1/2 hour contest can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-H6hdjpRRw.  Craig, of course argued the affirmative position while Carroll correspondingly challenged it.  However a more surprising and, I will argue dubious, aspect of Carroll’s presentation was his bolder contention that the “evidence” employed by Christians is worse than false or weak; it is, as he says, entirely irrelevant to the scientific data because religion uses the wrong vocabulary and naively seeks to address the wrong questions.

This posting does not challenge Carroll’s level of knowledge within his own field (though I hasten to add that the question at hand required his crossover from science into the other intellectual fields of philosophy and theology).  He posed a vigorous and thought-provoking challenge to Craig.  My atheist friend, Jim (we two, too, have dueled each other twice in a similar debate) recently goaded me over coffee by suggesting this video would be painful for me to watch because, as he cautioned, “Carroll demolishes your favorite apologist!”  The contest is anonymously labelled, “Sean Carroll Completely Dominates Billionaire William Lane Craig in Lopsided Debate.” Let us first of all dispose as garbage the poster’s ludicrous assertion that Craig is wealthy.  Now, turning to serious matters, over the course of my having watched the debate several times I have noticed that the list of related videos featured along the right hand border on my screen all parade the same propagandistic theme in their titles, as though Craig routinely gets beat up every time he debates.  Oh, to the contrary!  I wonder what lies behind such a pathetic level of insecurity that compels people to post such nonsense.  I advise every reader (on either side) who is interested in this topic to witness this exchange and critically analyze the arguments yourself.  In undertaking this assessment it is important to consider two matters:  First it is necessary to distinguish between the three fields of inquiry (referenced above) in the context of this exchange.  Second, it is crucial to ask whether each contestant’s treatment of these respective fields was managed correctly according to the rules of logic (e.g. scientific assertions supported by scientifically-valid evidence, with the expectation that philosophical and theological issues will be cogently framed).

By what authority, readers may ask, do I as a non-scientist pastor presume to challenge a Cal Tec scientist on these matters?  I do so by noting discrepancies between the scientific claims Carroll alleged against creation, and the faulty logical status of that battery of “evidence” that he offered in support of them (a philosophical matter).  I also highlight incidents where his theological objections (a religious matter) against the claim that the God of the Bible made the heavens and the earth fail to achieve their intended goal of dethroning God as the creative agent.  To cite here one example in service of that aim, Carroll spent considerable time (1:15) hypothesizing on how a truly reasonable god, if such were to actually exist, would have created a more “successful” product than what scientists find in the natural order.  His consequent pitting of the actuality of nature against the witness of the God of the Bible, in a manner similar to Charles Darwin (On the Origin of Species, 1^st ed. (Harvard, 1859), p.435)), leaves the field of scientific discourse behind by entering into realm of religious matters.  Hence the necessity of a pastor/theologian competently applying religious insight in a critique of Carroll’s anti-theological case.

My entire article can be accessed at my website: www.christianityontheoffense.com/articles