Putting Tom to bed tonight, it became apparent early on that this was another night for big questions. He was curious where negative numbers came from and how they might be used. Then he wanted to know where the universe came from. Not being one to ignore a hit out of left field, I told him that the prevailing view from scientists (massively simplified) was that a singularity occurred about 15 billion years ago in which a tiny, tiny speck expanded very quickly and has been growing ever since. Where did the speck come from, he asked?
For me, that's where theology becomes important. Did God make the speck, he asked? First causes. Straight to the nub of the matter. Well, maybe, I said. It's as reasonable an idea as any others I have heard, and a good deal less complicated.
Those interstices between the scientific and the religious always interest me. They seem to be interesting a five year old boy too.
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