God and the Fine-Tuning of the Universe

By Christopher Reese

One of the remarkable scientific discoveries of the past several decades is that the universe and earth appear fine-tuned for life. Philosopher of science Stephen C. Meyer explains that fine-tuning “refers to the discovery that many properties of the universe fall within extremely narrow and improbable ranges that turn out to be absolutely necessary for complex forms of life . . . to exist.” It’s important to note that the term fine-tuning/tuned is a neutral description that doesn’t imply the existence of God. It’s a designation routinely used by scientists and scholars of all stripes.

Although scientific findings are always provisional, it seems difficult to avoid the conclusion that an incredibly powerful and intelligent being designed our universe to support life. In what follows we’ll look at the scientific credibility of fine-tuning, specific examples, possible explanations for it, and consider some objections. Fine-tuning is not surprising if Christianity is true, since God intended to create human and animal life (Genesis 1), but it is surprising on naturalism, where it appears to be an astounding coincidence.

An Established Belief

One will occasionally meet skeptics who believe fine-tuning is an idea invented by Christians but not taken seriously by scientists. The following quotations show this is a misconception.

• Agnostic physicist Sir Fred Hoyle: “A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature.”

• Atheist physicist Stephen Hawking: “The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.”

• Agnostic physicist P. C. W. Davies: “The entire universe is balanced on a knife-edge, and would be total chaos if any of the natural ‘constants’ were off even slightly.”

  “On the face of it, the universe does look as if it has been designed by an intelligent creator expressly for the purpose of spawning sentient beings.”

• Atheist physicist Steven Weinberg: “Life as we know it would be impossible if any one of several physical quantities had slightly different values.”

It’s notable that cosmic fine-tuning was one of the reasons the distinguished atheist thinker Antony Flew changed his mind about God’s existence, as recounted in his 2007 book There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind.

Examples of Fine-Tuning

Philosopher Robin Collins points out, “If the initial explosion of the big bang had differed in strength by as little as one part in 10⁶⁰ [i.e., 1 followed by 60 zeros], the universe would have either quickly collapsed back on itself, or expanded too rapidly for stars to form. In either case, life would be impossible.”

This is a mind-boggling number. Collins likens this improbability to “firing a bullet at a one-inch target on the other side of the observable universe, twenty billion light years away, and hitting the target.”

He also observes that “if gravity had been stronger or weaker by one part in 10⁴⁰, then life-sustaining stars like the sun could not exist.” If gravity were slightly stronger, stars would burn out in millions, rather than billions, of years (our sun is about 4.6 billion years old). If gravity were slightly weaker, most stars would never form at all—or would be too small and cold.

Oxford mathematician and philosopher John Lennox helps us understand this vast improbability as follows: “Cover America with coins in a column reaching to the moon (380,000 km or 236,000 miles away), then do the same for a billion other continents of the same size. Paint one coin red and put it somewhere in one of the billion piles. Blindfold a friend and ask her to pick it out. The odds are about 1 in 10⁴⁰ that she will.”

A little closer to home, Earth’s position in the solar system is in what scientists call the Goldilocks Zone, where it’s not too hot and not too cold, allowing for liquid water to exist on its surface. The size of Earth also ensures that it has the right gravity to retain an atmosphere suitable for life without being too strong to inhibit the mobility of organisms.

Many other examples could be cited, but these illustrate the almost inconceivable odds against a life-permitting universe and earth.

Explanations and Objections

These numbers are so surprising that they call out for an explanation, and there seem to be only three options: physical necessity, chance, or design. Regarding physical necessity—that the universe had to have the properties that it does—there are no good reasons to believe this. As far as scientists can tell, the universe could have had a vast range of different laws, constants, and qualities. To cite Davies again, “There is not a shred of evidence that the [parameters of our] universe [are] logically necessary. Indeed, as a theoretical physicist I find it rather easy to imagine alternative universes that are logically consistent, and therefore equal contenders for reality.”

Regarding chance, we saw earlier how incredibly unlikely it is that any possible universe would support life. When you combine the improbabilities of all the fine-tuned parameters together, the odds against life become overwhelming. The one remaining option is design. All our experience tells us that only rational agents design things, and thus a cosmic designer is the best explanation for the universe’s fine-tuning.

Objections

Space prohibits an extended discussion of objections to fine-tuning. I’ll briefly address two that are frequently mentioned. The first is known as the Weak Anthropic Principle, and is raised, for example, by physicist Martin Rees: “Some would argue that this fine-tuning of the universe, which seems so providential, is nothing to be surprised about, since we could not exist otherwise.” Thus, we should not be surprised that the universe is fine-tuned for life, since we are here observing that it is. But as philosopher Douglas Groothuis points out, this confuses two related but distinct ideas: 1) the truism that we couldn’t observe anything unless the universe was life-permitting and 2) an explanation of why the universe is so finely tuned. Acknowledging the first observation doesn’t negate the need to explain why, against all odds, our universe is life-permitting.

Second, some thinkers appeal to the idea of a multiverse to explain fine-tuning. If billions, or even an infinite number, of other universes exist, one of those universes will inevitably permit life. We happen to be in the lucky universe that does. There is no experimental evidence, however, that a multiverse exists, and some see it as an ad hoc proposal to avoid the theistic implications of fine-tuning. As physicist John Polkinghorne writes, “Let us recognize these speculations for what they are. They are not physics, but in the strictest sense, metaphysics. There is no purely scientific reason to believe in an ensemble of universes.”

While the multiverse hypothesis is complex, ad hoc, and lacks evidence, the design hypothesis is simple (one Creator) and, as noted earlier, draws on our universal experience that only minds design things. Thus, fine-tuning provides compelling evidence that God exists and intended to create living beings. And this sounds very much like the kind of God we find described in Genesis who creates a heavens and earth that are hospitable for life.

— Christopher L. Reese (MDiv, ThM) is the founder and editor of The Worldview Bulletin and a general editor of the Dictionary of Christianity and Science (Zondervan) and Three Views on Christianity and Science (Zondervan). He is the author of 100 Old Testament Quotes by Jesus: How Christ Used the Hebrew Scriptures (Rose/Tyndale), and his articles have appeared in Christianity Today, The Christian Post, Bible Gateway, Beliefnet, Summit Ministries, Blaze Media, the C. S. Lewis Institute, and other sites.

Image by Juergen Striewski from Pixabay

*A version of this article originally appeared at The C. S. Lewis Institute.

---

The Worldview Bulletin thrives when readers like you subscribe.

Subscribe for yourself, or consider giving a gift subscription to a family member or friend. You’ll receive exclusive content, gain access to our full archive of articles, and support our work of commending and defending the Christian faith!

---

[in partnership with]

The Final Triumph of God: Jesus, the Eyewitnesses, and the Resurrection of the Body in 1 Corinthians 15

Making a compelling case based on new evidence and fresh exposition, James Ware affirms the church’s historic reading of 1 Corinthians 15. He shows that the apostolic formula in 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 proclaims, in continuity with the Gospels, the resurrection of Jesus’s crucified body from the tomb, and that the hope of the resurrection described in 1 Corinthians 15:12–58 involves the miraculous revivification of our present bodies of flesh and bones and their transformation to imperishability.

Ware’s monumental study is unmatched for its comprehensive examination of the historical setting, literary structure, syntax, and vocabulary of 1 Corinthians 15. This in-depth verse-by-verse commentary provides new insights into the text, original solutions to hitherto seemingly irresolvable difficulties, and a convincing reading of the chapter unfolding its rich theology of the resurrection as the consummation of union with Christ.

“James Ware’s exposition of 1 Corinthians 15 is a masterpiece of careful exegesis combined with theological insight. On the one hand, Ware defends a traditional and historically rooted conception of the resurrection. On the other hand, there are numerous fresh exegetical insights that characterize his exposition. No other study on 1 Corinthians 15 surpasses Ware’s work.”
— Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

See our excerpt from The Final Triumph of God here.

Find The Final Triumph of God at Eerdmans, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, Walmart, and Books-a-Million.

---

AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep: Leading and Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Since ChatGPT burst into the public consciousness in 2022, AI has thoroughly infiltrated everyday life. Machines can now take on work once thought to be solely the domain of human beings—from writing college essays to composing worship music. How should Christians respond to this brave new technology?

In this accessible introduction to AI, Sean O’Callaghan and Paul Hoffman explore its social and ethical impacts for ministry and teaching. The authors shed light on the biblical vision for human flourishing—and on how AI can help or hinder that flourishing. Avoiding both alarmism and uncritical acceptance, O’Callaghan and Hoffman offer resources and practical tools for using AI in our classrooms and congregations.

AI can write a generic three-point sermon, but it cannot replace an authentic encounter between humans and the divine. In a time of cultural confusion, O’Callaghan and Hoffman encourage readers to embrace the clarity found in the gospel.

“In this significant work O’Callaghan and Hoffman guide Christian leaders biblically, theologically, and practically on this life-altering development called AI. While we do not know what the future holds in this digital world, we do know the One who holds the future. A well-researched and pioneering book that gives us a clear road map to begin understanding and navigating this ever-changing technological age.”

— Matthew D. Kim, Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University; author of Preaching with Cultural Intelligence

See our excerpt from AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep here.

Find AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep at Baker, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, Books-A-Million, and Walmart.

---

God has called Christians to be prepared to defend their hope in Christ, but what’s the best method for making this defense? In this book, five expert apologists set out together to determine which approach to apologetics is the most faithful to Scripture and the most useful in a secular age.

Understanding Apologetics presents in counterpoint form five popular approaches to the defense of the Christian faith that have developed throughout history―from the early days of Christianity through to our practices today. Apologetics philosophies explored here include:

• Cultural Apologetics

• Presuppositional Apologetics

• Evidential Apologetics

• Classical Apologetics

• Ecclesial Apologetics.

“Understanding Christian Apologetics is an accessible yet challenging exploration of five key approaches to defending the faith. This survey of apologetic methods—including the often overlooked cultural and ecclesial approaches—stands out as a model of charitable dialogue. The authors exemplify the kind of respectful engagement so needed in the church today. A fantastic resource for Christians beginning their study of apologetics!”

— Mikel Del Rosario, professor of Bible and theology, Moody Bible Institute

“Understanding Christian Apologetics offers a nuanced and insightful exploration of the varied approaches Christians employ to articulate and defend their faith. Instead of positioning apologetic methods as competing ideologies, the authors skillfully illuminate their unique strengths, fostering a thoughtful and integrative perspective. What particularly resonated with me was the book’s consistent emphasis on clarity and charitable engagement. It masterfully models an apologetic rooted in humility, love, and a deep sensitivity to the listener, a crucial element often overlooked.”

— Mary Jo Sharp, founder of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry and author of Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist’s Reckoning with the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God

See our excerpt from Understanding Christian Apologetics here.

Find Understanding Christian Apologetics at Hendrickson, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Christianbook.com, and Books-A-Million.

---

Advertise in The Worldview Bulletin

Do you have an educational institution, ministry, book, course, conference, or product you’d like to promote to 8,086 Worldview Bulletin readers? Click here to learn how. We’re currently booking for April-May.

---

If you’ve found The Worldview Bulletin helpful, please consider a one-time or recurring donation. Your support will help us reach millions of believers and unbelievers with the message of a good, beautiful, and rationally grounded faith.

“I believe that you are at the intersection of philosophy, theology, and culture, addressing the most important issues pertaining to all three. I am fed, challenged, and encouraged by your regular newsletter. Thanks!”
— Bill P.