WikiThe term God-of-the-gaps argument can refer to a position that assumes an act of God as the explanation for an unknown phenomenon, which is a variant of an argument from ignorance.[8][9] Commonly such an argument can be reduced to the following form:
* There is a gap in understanding of some aspect of the natural world.
* Therefore the cause must be supernatural.
One example of such an argument, which uses God as an explanation of one of the current gaps in biological science, is as follows: "Because current science can't figure out exactly how life started, it must be God who caused life to start." Critics of intelligent design, for example, have accused proponents of using this basic type of argument.[10]
God-of-the-gaps arguments have been asserted by theologians to have the effect of relegating God to the leftovers of science: as scientific knowledge increases, the dominion of God decreases.[5][6][11][12]
The term "God of the gaps" is sometimes used in describing the perceived incremental retreat of religious explanations of physical phenomena in the face of increasingly comprehensive scientific explanations for those phenomena.[citation needed] An example of the line of reasoning starts with the position that early religious descriptions of objects and events (such as the Sun, Moon, and stars; thunder and lightning) placed these in the realm of things created or controlled by a god or gods. As scientific explanations were found for observations in the realms of astronomy, meteorology, geology, cosmology and biology, the use of supernatural explanations for phenomena was progressively reduced, occupying smaller and smaller 'gaps' in knowledge.[citation needed]
Most recently on this forum we have seen it used to support some alternative to Materialism in the Indeterminacy at a quantum level. But it seems fairly pervasive and then, it occurred to me why many Theists, Xians specifically, are drawn to it.
The will ask things like: "What happened at the Big Bang? Were you there? Did you see it? So how do you know God didn't do it?"
(And other variations, some more, some less sophisticated)
But remember what their world view suggests: that Science can be overturned by the actions of some Supreme ruler that must have been the cause of the Universe and everything in it.
And where do they find their proof? In a Gap.
The Bible is a story written around this blatant Gap.
Jesus died
Was placed in a black box; a cave; unseen and undetectable.
>>>>>>God did something<<<<<<<<
Jesus was back!
The Bible is a story written around this hole in the center; this Gap. It is proof to the Xian that God works in Gaps.
(Not all Xians, mind you)
If you think about any explanation from a Theist, there is a Gap. How did God cure my Aunt Mildred? She prayed, and when she woke up, her hangover was gone!
God works in Mysterious ways (read: gaps)
So, is the God of the Gaps a valid argument for Xians to make, since their worldview includes it as a central tenet? A central theme around which their beliefs revolve?
