NW Valley Times

Astrophysicist and evangelical minister Dr. Hugh Ross recently addressed the Grand Canyon University (GCU) community during the One Foundation Speaker Series held at Sunset Auditorium. In his talk titled "Are We Alone in the Universe?" Ross discussed the intersection of science and Christianity, advocating for their compatibility rather than contradiction.

During his two-hour presentation, Ross elaborated on his beliefs, shared insights from his books like "Designed to the Core" and "Improbable Planet," and responded to questions from attendees about Earth's future. The event was hosted by GCU's colleges of Natural Sciences and Theology, with a panel discussion moderated by College of Theology Dean Dr. Jason Hiles, including professors Dr. Daisy Savarirajan, Dr. Alan Tai, and Dr. Randall D. Ordovich Clarkson.

Ross is the founder of Reasons to Believe, a think tank focused on communicating the alignment between science and Christian faith. He emphasized that while human interpretation can lead to contradictions between theology and science due to incomplete knowledge, there cannot be a contradiction between what he refers to as "the book of scripture" (the Bible) and "the book of nature."

In discussing Genesis 3:17, Ross argued that God cursed the ground not by altering physics but because humans sinned against divine instructions. He also referenced Revelation 21's promise of a new heaven and Earth free from sin or decay.

The conversation also touched upon whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. According to Ross, NASA reports over 40 billion habitable planets within the Milky Way Galaxy; however, none resemble Earth closely enough to support life as we know it. He stated that for a planet to be truly habitable, it must reside in all known habitable zones simultaneously—a condition met only by Earth.

Dr. Hugh Ross concluded by acknowledging ongoing debates among theologians regarding extraterrestrial life but affirmed that any such existence would still be God's creation.