Scientific foreknowledge in Sacred Texts

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Scientific foreknowledge in Sacred Texts is a belief of apologetics that certain passages in various sacred texts show a more advanced awareness of the natural world than could have been discovered by the technology and science known to humans in those times. Certain Orthodox Jews maintain similar beliefs, though only about the Hebrew Bible (Tanach).^{[citation needed]} In addition, such views are shared by Muslims regarding the Qu'ran.^[1]

Like many books, parts of the Bible contain admonitions or observations regarding different aspects of the natural world, and some of these appear to be supportable by scientific and medical research.^{[citation needed]} However, supporters of biblical scientific foreknowledge believe that in the Bible's case, this knowledge could not have been discovered with the technology of the times, and therefore it is evidence of Biblical inspiration and of Biblical inerrancy. ^[2]

Critics contend the evidence presented is generally specious and that, assuming that the interpretations are accurate, it may represent common knowledge of the time, or even no real knowledge of the scientific reasons behind the phenomena described. (see Criticism section)

1 History and Advocacy
2 Criticism
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History and Advocacy

An early example of proposed Biblical scientific foresight is the interpretation of passages of the Bible as showing Copernican motion, suggested by Spanish Theologian Diego de Zuñiga in his Commentary on Job where he states:

"Therefore the present passage [Job 9:6]^[3], which we have been discussing, is easily reconciled with Copernicus' opinion. And in order to show the marvelous power and wisdom of God, who initiates and maintains the motion of the whole earth, which is enormous by nature, the text adds, 'and its pillars are shaken.' This teaching means that it is moved from its foundations."^[4]

David Macht, a pharmacologist and doctor of Hebrew Literature is a notable advocate of biblical health practices. ^[5] ^[6] In Dr. Macht's study entitled An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of Leviticus XI and Deuteronomy XIV, which stated that the Levitical clean animals were less toxic than the Levitical unclean animals and was published by Johns Hopkins' Bulletin of the History of Medicine, Dr. Macht wrote:

Every word of the Hebrew Scriptures is well chosen and carries valuable knowledge and deep significance^[7]

The Old Earth Creationist and astronomer, Hugh Ross, Ph.D., is a notable advocate of Bible scientific foreknowledge.

"Some of the latest discoveries about the universe, specifically about the hot big bang model, speak volumes about the predictive power of a Bible-based, science-affirming perspective on the cosmos."^[8]

William Harvey, the medical doctor who in the 1600s discovered the circulation of blood, believed that this discovery was proof of Biblical foreknowledge. In his 1628 work De motu cordis, he wrote: "the life, therefore, resides in the blood (as we are informed in our sacred writing)," referring to Leviticus 17:11 and 14.^{[citation needed]}

In the first half of the 20th century George McCready Price, a Canadian schoolteacher and creationist writer, published several books and papers supporting Biblical inerrancy in science (particularly geology and evolution).^{[citation needed]}

George Frederick Wright, a geologist, (b 1838) held a specially created professorship of the harmony of science and revelation at Oberlin College (founded in 1833 by progressive Christians).^{[citation needed]} He traveled the world in search of scientific evidence that would "reestablish confidence in the historical statements of the Old Testament". He published "Scientific Confirmations of Old Testament History" in 1906. This was mostly focused on the scientific basis for historical events, such as the parting of the red sea.^{[citation needed]}

Henry M. Morris, a hydraulics engineer, in 1951 published Science and the Bible which based on the work of George McCready Price. The first chapter of Science and the Bible dealt with Biblical scientific foreknowledge and set forth many of the arguments that are still in use by proponents today.^{[citation needed]}

Harry Rimmer (1890 - 1952) was president of the "Science Research bureau"^{[citation needed]} and published "Harmony of Science and Scripture" (1936)^{[citation needed]}, which attributed much scientific foresight to the Bible, including the wave nature and spectographic analysis of light, stating "either Job knew this, or supernatural wisdom is revealed here!" ^[9]. Rimmer had no earned college degree, although he was awarded an honorary "Doctor of Science" degree from Wheaton College (Illinois), an evangelical religious institution. ^[10]

[edit] Criticism

Scientific and engineering knowledge have been documented in early cultures that claimed no divine guidance ^[11]. For example, scientists of Ancient Egypt documented knowledge of engineering and anatomy that were unknown to medieval Europe thousands of years later, such as the existence of cerebrospinal fluid: see Ancient Egyptian medicine.

Farrell Till asserts that biblical passages with supposed foresight can be interpreted in a number of ways, and that believers "see prophecies and their fulfillments in passages so obscurely written that no one can really determine what the writers originally intended in the statements."^[12] Till is an author with master's degree in English (and a former pastor and missionary of the Church of Christ ) who has had public debates with well-known Bible inerrantists such as Dr. Norman Geisler ^[13] and Kent Hovind. ^[14]

Anthropologist Mary Douglas who wrote in her book "Purity and Danger" that the biblical cleanliness passages merely represent cultural concepts of symbolic boundary integrity ^[15].