Good Heavens! The Human Side of Astronomy – Details, episodes & analysis

As you certainly know by now, for the month of August, Wayne and I have taken a little break from the heavens for a very special focus on the Earth, specifically some spectacular geological evidence for the biblical flood.

Here on part three of our three-part series we are yet again grateful and honored to have as our very special guest one of the top creation geologists in the world Dr. Andrew Snelling of Answers in Genesis.

Whether you are a young or old-earth creationist, a skeptic, agnostic, atheist or whether you know next to nothing about geology, we think you'll find our three-part series fascinating and enlightening.

Our series with Dr. Snelling has been focused mainly on the many examples Dr. Snelling believes provide solid geological evidence for the flood as described in the Book of Genesis (chapters 6-9).

Here on part three we talk about the unusual folds of sedimentary layers in the Grand Canyon and about one of the greatest head-scratchers in all of geology, the great unconformity. Andrew will explain to us to what exactly this strikingly peculiar feature of the earth's rocks is not conforming!

We thank Dr. Snelling for his graciously giving us his time for this exciting and informative interview and we hope you our Good Heavens! family have enjoyed it.

Links and Resources: 

Dr. Andrew Snelling holds a PhD in geology from the University of Sydney, Australia. Dr. Snelling is active in research, writing and also speaking on topics such as the flood, fossils, the Grand Canyon, and the radioactive dating of rocks. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and papers as well as the author of The Genesis Flood Revisited (2009, 2022 Master Books).

The Genesis Flood Revisited:

https://www.masterbooks.com/the-genesis-flood-revisited

Answers Research Journal:

https://answersresearchjournal.org/geology/monument-fold-grand-canyon/

Andrew's Bio:

https://answersingenesis.org/bios/andrew-snelling/

Previous Good Heavens! Episodes on Flood Stories from Native North American Tribes

https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/flood-stories-part-1-from-native-people-of-north-south-america/

https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/flood-stories-part-2-from-native-people-of-north-south-america/

Articles by Dr. Snelling:

https://answersingenesis.org/bios/andrew-snelling/articles/

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/daniel. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

For the month of August, Wayne and I are taking a little break from the heavens for a very special focus on the Earth, specifically some spectacular geological evidence for the biblical flood.

Here on part two of our three-part series we are once again grateful and honored to have as our very special guest one of the top creation geologists in the world Dr. Andrew Snelling of Answers in Genesis.

Whether you are a young or old-earth creationist, a skeptic, agnostic, atheist or whether you know next to nothing about geology, we think you'll find our three-part series fascinating and enlightening.

Our series with Dr. Snelling will be focused mainly on the many examples Dr. Snelling believes provide solid geological evidence for the flood as described in the Book of Genesis (chapters 6-9).

Here on part two we talk about plutons, batholiths, and polonium radio halos and how Dr. Snelling believes they provide solid evidence for the biblical flood.

Was there a Global Flood?  Blog article by Waynehttps://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2019/04/15/was-there-a-global-flood/

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/daniel. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

Total eclipses are a spectacular and breathtaking wonder to behold. And a total eclipse is coming over the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex as well as parts of the eastern United States on April 8th, 2024. Totality in the DFW area will last a little over four minutes.  If you are in the vicinity of DFW, come join Wayne and Dan in Waxahachie, Texas on April 8th, 2024 for the Discovery Institute event. You can find tickets here at this link.

https://www.discovery.org/e/eclipse/

Waxahachie, Texas will be nearly in the center of the moon's shadow as it passes over. There will not be another total eclipse over the continental United States for another twenty years. So if you can, get yourself to a spot where you can see this once-in-a-lifetime wonder of the heavens on April 8th.

You can check out this comprehensive eclipse event website, complete with easy-to-read maps of where you can view it. https://nationaleclipse.com/index.html

On this episode of Good Heavens! we had the privilege of talking with Discovery Institute astronomer Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez about his experiences in seeing total eclipses and a little bit about the science behind them and how he thinks they reveal the glory of God.

Guillermo's article on Salvo. https://salvomag.com/article/salvo68/signs-in-the-sky

Guillermo and Jay W. Richard's 2004 book, The Privileged Planet. https://www.discovery.org/store/product/privileged-planet/

Four-page Profile articles on Naturalism, Scientism, and Carl Sagan's Cosmos TV series.

https://www.watchman.org/scientism/ProfileScientism.pdf

https://www.watchman.org/Naturalism/ProfileNaturalism.pdf

https://www.watchman.org/files/ProfileCosmos.pdf

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/daniel. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

We live in a fragmented world where everything seems to be classified, separated, divided and reduced to its subatomic bareness. Morality seems subjective, beauty is illusory and subjective, and we are confused about what is ultimately true about the world. 

We've lost or are barely holding on to the idea that it's not only possible, but absolutely necessary to see the world as being reconciled in Christ. Despite what appears to us to be a host of unending confusion and fragmentation, we are assured by God that He upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-20; John 1:1-9). 

From stars to sparrows to the very hairs of our head, God's truth reigns and rules supremely and sovereignly. 

On part two of our discussion with Dr. Christina George, we further examine the role of music in our lives and how it helps us to recapture a holistic view of the cosmos and our place within it. Come and see. 

For more information on Christie's work, please visit her at http://cjgeorge.com. 

The quote mentioned in the introduction comes from James E. Dolezal's book, All That is in God, available on Amazon.

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/store/donations. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

There is a music in creation for those who have the ears to ear it. From the singing stars present at the foundation of the Earth, to the song of Moses after the miraculous crossing of the Yam Suf, to the silent songs of nature, from stars to sparrows, as well as songs we make as image bearers of God, all point to a kingdom and country not of this world. 

Hearing this music helps us to understand the world more holistically, enabling us to perceive it all centered upon the risen Lord Jesus - from science, to poetry, literature, theology, & music - all things were created by Him and for Him. He upholds all things by the word of His power. 

Creation centered upon Jesus is the grandest of fairy tales and we are all characters and subjects of the King of king and Lord of lords. As followers of Christ, we live in what Tolkien and Lewis called the “true myth”, the true story to which all other myths point. Ours is a world alive with wonder, awe, and majesty, and we can know the Author Himself. 

Our very special guest on this two-part episode of Good Heavens! is professional musicologist Dr. Christina George. Through song and music, Christie strives to unites beauty, philosophy, and theology together to help people see creation more holistically. In our darkening world of fragmentation, isolation, and niche specialization, Christie’s ministry is a much needed encouraging and thoughtful light. 

For more on Christie’s work, you can visit her website, http://cjgeorge.com

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/store/donations .

Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

This is part two of our conversation with chief veteran astronomer of Answers in Genesis, Dr. Danny Faulkner. If you've not caught part one, you don't want to miss it!  On this episode Danny and Wayne answer questions we took from Twitter, we talk about the recent tragic news about the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico collapsing, and we talk about a some unusual objects that passed through our solar system in recent times. And of course, we discuss how we think all of this news about the heavens, as well as our fascination with the cosmos, all point to the glory of God in Christ. 

Dr. Danny Faulkner holds a PhD in Astronomy from Indiana University.  He taught at the University of South Carolina Lancaster for over 26 years.  He now works as a researcher, author, and speaker for Answers in Genesis (answersingenesis.org).  Check out Danny's blog.

Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/store/donations .

Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

On day two of the Creation week, the Bible tells us that God created the "expanse" (raqia in Hebrew). For centuries, many have believed the "expanse" to be made of something solid. On day four, God creates the greater and lesser lights and the stars and places them all in the expanse. The translators of the Septuagint translated raqia as the stereoma, a solid, crystal sphere. Jerome translated raqia into the Latin firmamentum. In this special two-part episode of Good Heavens! Wayne and Dan chat with veteran astronomer Dr. Danny Faulkner about what he has come to understand raqia and how he is using this concept to create a biblical cosmology. We think you'll find his insights quite fascinating! 

Dr. Danny Faulkner holds a PhD in Astronomy from Indiana University.  He taught at the University of South Carolina Lancaster for over 26 years.  He now works as a researcher, author, and speaker for Answers in Genesis (answersingenesis.org).

Check out Danny's blog.

Wayne maintains Good Heavens! on Podbean. Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms. If you would like to help Wayne defer the annual cost of maintaining Good Heavens! on Podbean, you can donate any amount at https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens. Donations to Wayne are not tax deductible. 

If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/store/donations/

Donations to Watchman are tax deductible. 

What is string theory? In the field of physics, it's a relatively novel idea that suggests at the very smallest level, subatomic particles are made up of tiny, vibrating filaments, rather than point-like particles. These filaments are known as "strings", each with particular resonances, like strings on a musical instrument comprising different notes. The vibrations of the strings produce the particles physicists understand today. 

But string theory is still theoretical and somewhat counterintuitive to common sense, as the mathematics proposes that there are extra dimensions in our universe. But neither the strings or the extra dimensions have been detected and our technology is not powerful or sophisticated enough to detect them. 

So is string theory really science or just philosophical and mathematical speculation? And what does such a unique theory of the physical world have to do with the Christian faith? 

Come and see! Our guest this week is Dr. Tom Rudelius, a theoretical physicist whose field of expertise is in string theory and early cosmology (the study of the very early universe). Tom is also a follower of Christ. Come and hear his remarkable testimony and how he sees & understands the intersection of science and faith. 

For more about Tom, you can check out some work he has done with the Veritas Forum below. Some of the scientific and theological views expressed in our guests work do not necessarily reflect the views of Watchman.org, but we do strive to find common ground with our guests in the wonders of creation, in the glory of God and the person of the Lord Jesus. 

https://youtu.be/8R_TTp5c4iI

http://www.veritas.org/multiverse-podcast/ 

https://veritaschristoetecclesiae.wordpress.com/author/rudelius/

The blog by Aron Wall Tom mentioned, Undivided Looking. 

Brian Greene's work on string theory. (He is not a Christian, so far as we know, but he is a leading expert on string theory.)  Part 1 of a NOVA video on string theory here:  https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/the-elegant-universe-part-1/

This podcast is provided through Good Heavens on Podbean.com.  To support this program go to https://goodheavens.podbean.com/  (or the Podbean App) and look for the Become a patron link in the upper right.

A special Good Heavens!/Apologetics Profile presentation of Dr. Sarah Salviander's chapter on God and black holes from The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God.   TheStoryoftheCosmos.com

What is a black hole? Where are they? How were they discovered? How does the majesty, mystery, and enigma of black holes point to the glory of God? Come along on this special episode and find out!  Dr. Sarah Salviander received her PhD in astrophysics from the University of Texas at Austin. She was a researcher at UT for sixteen years, where she specialized in the study of quasars, supermassive black holes, and galaxies. She is the author of several peer-reviewed journal papers and a comprehensive Astronomy & Astrophysics homeschool curriculum. She is currently writing books about the remarkable confluence between Christianity and modern science. 

Author Website: https://sarahsalviander.com.   

You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @SarahSalviander.  

Sarah presented her talk at LifePoint Church in League City, Texas (South Houston) on October 21st, 2020, as part of their Wednesday Night “Unfiltered. Conversations that Matter” apologetics ministry. Thanks to Trevor Shakiba and Pastor Josh Sharpe for coordinating the event and for the assistance in the production of the video. You can visit the church’s website at https://golifepointchurch.org.   LifePoint provided the audio and video. Daniel Ray of Watchman Fellowship edited and produced the final video.

For more information on the ministry of Watchman Fellowship, visit our website at https://Watchman.org

You can also see the video of this presentation here. https://youtu.be/xi0CwpY5ICg

This prodcast is provided through Good Heavens on Podbean.com.  To support this program go to https://goodheavens.podbean.com/  (or the Podbean App) and look for the Become a patron link in the upper right.

C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe turned 70 this month (October 2020). In the midst of a difficult year of pandemics and politics, now is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with C.S. Lewis's timeless classic. What's in your "spare oom" that can lead to adventures undreamt and unsought? 

Come along with us on this special combined episode of Good Heavens! and Apologetics Profile as we celebrate the imaginative, cosmological, literary, and apologetic wonders of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with C.S. Lewis scholar Dr. Michael Ward. 

Dr. Ward served as Daniel Ray's master's thesis advisor at Houston Baptist University in 2016. Daniel is the first to have written a master's thesis on Dr. Ward's 2008 book (Amazon), Planet Narnia - The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis.  

Michael is the author of several published works and scholarly articles about Lewis, the imagination, and theology. He has lectured in 30 of the 50 states, holds a doctorate of divinity from St. Andrews, and has made numerous radio, podcast, and television appearances. More on Michael's work can be found at https://michaelward.net/. 

Michael Ward with Eric Metaxas in conversation about Planet Narnia.  

Michael and others from around the world reading from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  (on narniaweb.com)

Laura Miller's book mentioned in the broadcast (Amazon). The Magician's Book -  A Skeptic's Adventure in Narnia  

Image credit:  Refuge31 Films