R
ricmat
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(3) It appears the universe will run down in an entropic heat death some tens of billions of years from now. That would be a circumstance not irrelevant to a theological discussion that has often involved speculation on the end of time.
Agreed.
Yes, it would be irrelevant to end time theological discussions. Time will end when Christ returns. Christ is not limited by “When the universe dies the heat death in billions of years.” Nobody but the Father knows when the end is. You really think the scientists have it pegged with the 10’s of billions of years number?
“Terrestrial timetable?” I think the better question to think about is God’s timetable. Which has nothing to do with our theories of cosmic expansion.** If a new “settled science” theory came to be that showed that the universe was eternal, would that put God’s plans to a halt?**
**In general, you seem to measure Catholic teaching , which comes from God, on how well it matches up with the Truth of Science, which comes from man. **Especially when it comes to this end times stuff, that seems to me that you have things back-assward.
It is quite ironic that you frequently appeal to “settled science”, but seem to think that almost anything the Catholic church teaches is fair game.
My question was " If a new “settled science” theory came to be that showed that the universe was eternal, would that put God’s plans to a halt?"
Use your imagination. And then answer yes or no.
Actually, now that I think about it, you have answered the question. You need to wait and see what Science says about the matter first. Only then, will you be able to say that God’s plans are halted or not.
You use the term yourself a lot. Things like “gravity” and “plate tectonics”, and “evolution.” Things about which there is no scientific controversy. Things which 100% of scientists, and other “educated people” agree on. But the exact definition shouldn’t even be necessary for you to answer the question. I’ll give you the answer, since you are having trouble with it.What is a “settled science” theory? I’m not familiar with “settled science.”
We don’t need to know what science says or doesn’t say, “settled” or not, to know that the end of all things is controlled by God’s timetable, not the universe’s “heat death”. Jesus says that no one knows when the end time will come except the Father. I believe him. You instead look to science for the answer. That’s a strange direction to turn for a “Catholic Theologian.”