Could it be that science is about to rediscover God? This series of three films in turn looks at new thinking in cosmology, evolution and brain science and reveals that recent scientific developments seem to converge with religious ideas that are both ancient and new.
What hope for the soul of humanity, cast adrift in a meaningless universe? For 300 years science has painted a bleak picture of our insignificance. The religious claim that the universe is a divine creation has been marginalised. Yet recent developments in science suggest that cosmic pessimism might be displaced.
In this first film Anthony Clare describes the new cosmology that is emerging from the study of the early universe, quantum theory and the anthropic principle. The cosmologist Stephen Hawking discusses the role of God in creation, the process theologian David Griffin presents a new concept of God as the soul of the universe and theoretical physicist Paul Davies sees evidence of design.
"I have been more and more impressed, the deeper I dig, at the coherence, unity and harmony of nature," says Davies. "To me, this suggests overwhelming evidence of design."
(Part 2. The Evolving Soul. Is on Tuesday at 7.40pm)
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