The Bible and Science: Why Scientific Accuracy Misses the Point

The Bible and Science: Why Scientific Accuracy Misses the Point

One of the most common criticisms atheists level at the Bible is its apparent conflict with modern science. In response, many Christians insist the Bible is consistent with scientific discovery, pointing to organizations like Answers in Genesis that promote creationism. But this debate often misses a fundamental question: Should we even expect the Bible to be scientifically accurate?

The Bible's Ancient Worldview

The simple answer is no—the Bible is not a scientifically accurate text by modern standards. Take its cosmology, for example. Biblical passages describe a flat, disk-shaped Earth covered by a solid dome, or firmament, that holds back the "waters above the heavens." This three-tiered universe consists of the heavens above, Earth in the middle, and the underworld (Sheol) below, with the firmament acting as a protective roof over creation.

This wasn't unique to the Bible. It perfectly reflected the ancient Near Eastern understanding of the cosmos—the way people in that time and place made sense of their world.

The Wrong Question

But here's the crucial point: Why should the Bible be scientifically accurate? It's not a science textbook—it's a theological document. The Bible wasn't written to teach physics, biology, or cosmology. It was written to convey the gospel message. Everything else is peripheral to that central purpose.

Some might object: "If the biblical writers were inspired by God, why would God allow them to write inaccurate things?" This question deserves serious consideration.

The Lightning Thought Experiment

Imagine if the Bible were scientifically accurate about something as common as lightning. To properly explain lightning to a first-century audience, the text would need to introduce concepts like electrons, electrical charge, voltage, and atmospheric physics—building an entire framework of knowledge from scratch. Explaining just the physics of lightning to someone in 0 AD would consume half the Bible and contribute absolutely nothing to its core message about God's relationship with humanity.

Even today, we don't fully understand lightning. Recent theories about "dark lightning" demonstrate that our scientific knowledge continues to evolve. Should the Bible have anticipated 21st-century physics? Should it anticipate 25th-century discoveries we haven't made yet?

Written for Its Time, Timeless in Its Message

The Bible was never meant to contain modern science because science has nothing to do with its purpose. Instead, it was written in a way that made sense to its original audience—using their language, their cosmology, their cultural framework—while conveying a timeless message that transcends those ancient forms.

When we demand scientific accuracy from the Bible, we're fundamentally misunderstanding what kind of book it is. The question isn't whether the Bible describes the universe the way a modern textbook would. The question is whether it accomplishes what it set out to do: communicate the gospel message in terms people could understand.

The writers weren't trying to produce a science manual that would remain accurate for millennia. They were trying to tell people about God. And for that purpose, speaking in the language and concepts of their time was exactly the right approach.