Good Heavens! The Human Side of Astronomy

If extraterrestrial life existed, how would it impact our faith in Christ? What would it look like? Would it be something like bacteria, plants or animals, or something more resembling intelligent agents like ourselves? Is the Earth specially designed to host biological life or are there other "Earth-like" planets in the universe today? This is part two of our special combined broadcast of Apologetics Profile and Good Heavens! with cosmologist and author Dr. Jeff Zweerink of Reasons to Believe. If you have friends or family interested in the question of extraterrestrial life, you don't want to miss this episode. Show Notes Jeff's book "Is There Life Out There?" https://www.amazon.com/There-Life-Out/dp/1886653003 Previous interview with Jeff on Is There Life Out There? https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/is-there-life-out-there-interview-with-jeff-zweerink/ Good Heavens Podcast episode (Feb. 2022): https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/chariots-of-the-gods-no/ Watchman Fellowship https://www.watchman.org Wayne's article on ancient aliens: https://creationanswers.net/reviews/ancientaliens_pseudoarch.htm Ancient Aliens Debunked (Video by Chris White. 3 hrs, 10 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9w-i5oZqaQ Website by Chris White. Has some references related to topics in the video above. https://www.ancientaliensdebunked.com Bible scholar Michael Heiser - Ancient Aliens Debunked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5dER45rkGk See also this website by Michael Heiser. http://SitchinIsWrong.com Watchman Fellowship profiles on alien cults: Heaven's Gate https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/heavensgateprofile.pdf Raelians https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/raelianprofile.pdf Previous Good Heavens! episodes with Gary Bates on UFOs Part One: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-1-with-gary-bates/ Part Two: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-2-with-gary-bates/ Daniel’s interview with Sasha Sagan A Conversation with Sasha Sagan https://youtu.be/0vQYDLeecN8 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 have been asking the question as long as we have been able to look up at the stars. Is there life out there in the cosmos? What would it be like? What are the implications for us if there is? And especially, how might extraterrestrial life impact our understanding of the Bible and of the Christian faith? What might extraterrestrial life have to do with Jesus of Nazareth? There is presently no evidence for ET. So why are we talking about it? Find out from an expert cosmologist who has asked this question himself. Dr. Jeff Zweerink of Reasons to Believe joins us to talk with us about his 2017 book Is There Life Out There? The answer may surprise you. Show Notes Jeff's book "Is There Life Out There?" https://www.amazon.com/There-Life-Out/dp/1886653003 Previous interview with Jeff on Is There Life Out There? https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/is-there-life-out-there-interview-with-jeff-zweerink/ Good Heavens Podcast episode (Feb. 2022): https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/chariots-of-the-gods-no/ Watchman Fellowship https://www.watchman.org Wayne's article on ancient aliens: https://creationanswers.net/reviews/ancientaliens_pseudoarch.htm Ancient Aliens Debunked (Video by Chris White. 3 hrs, 10 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9w-i5oZqaQ Website by Chris White. Has some references related to topics in the video above. https://www.ancientaliensdebunked.com Bible scholar Michael Heiser - Ancient Aliens Debunked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5dER45rkGk See also this website by Michael Heiser. http://SitchinIsWrong.com Watchman Fellowship profiles on alien cults: Heaven's Gate https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/heavensgateprofile.pdf Raelians https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/raelianprofile.pdf Previous Good Heavens! episodes with Gary Bates on UFOs Part One: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-1-with-gary-bates/ Part Two: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-2-with-gary-bates/ Daniel’s interview with Sasha Sagan A Conversation with Sasha Sagan https://youtu.be/0vQYDLeecN8 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.

This is part two of our two-part episode on the wondrous world of exoplanets. On this episode Wayne and Dan explore a "super Saturn" with a ring system of over 110,000,000 million miles in diameter. If this planet were where our Saturn is located, we could easily see the rings with the naked eye. They would appear four to five times larger than the full moon! We'll also be looking at the darkest, blackest exoplanet discovered to date. Just a tad larger than our own Jupiter, It has baffled astronomers ever since its discovery. No one really knows why it's so dark. How do these marvels help us to better appreciate and marvel at what God has done? Come and see as we explore these wondrous worlds on this episode of Good Heavens! Links for more information: Alien world is blacker than coal (TrES-2b) https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/08/alien-world-is-blacker-than-coal/ Super-Saturn: astronomers find a massive ring system around an exoplanet https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/184/super-saturn-astronomers-find-a-massive-ring-system-around-an-exoplanet/ 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 next two episodes of Good Heavens! Wayne and Dan will be exploring four fantastic worlds outside of our solar system. For the most part, there have been over 5,000 newly-discovered planets outside our own solar system since the 1990s, with thousands more "candidates" that need further exploration and confirmation. Astronomers call these planets outside of our solar system "exoplanets." On this episode we'll marvel at the mathematical majesty of TESS Object of Interest #178 or TOI-178 for short and we'll try to stay upright as we have a look at the wobbly but wondrous world of Kepler 413b which orbits two stars, just like Tatooine of Star Wars fame! Fascinating worlds that further show us God's glory, majesty, creativity, and many other of His invisible attributes. So come and see! Kepler Finds a Very Wobbly Planet https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2014/news-2014-12.html The TOI-178 System https://www.planetary.org/space-images/the-toi-178-system Dance of Harmony in Intriguing TOI-178 Multi-planetary System (more detailed) https://astrobites.org/2022/02/26/dance-of-harmony-in-intriguing-toi-178-multi-planetary-system/ 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.

The James Webb Space Telescope continues to make headlines with its marvelous head-scratching discoveries. On this episode, Wayne and Dan explore a recent JWST unexpected discovery of a disc and multiple rings around the star Fomalhaut. This discovery promises to challenge current theories about how stars and planets form. Wayne and Dan not only discuss the science, but also how we see the star pointing to our unique and special place in the cosmos, all for the glory of God in Christ. Dan's article on fish, faith, and the fantastic findings of Fomalhaut. Wayne's article on the mysteries of Fomalhaut. More on the science of Fomalhaut https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/webb-looks-for-fomalhaut-s-asteroid-belt-and-finds-much-more https://earthsky.org/space/fomalhaut-b-not-an-exoplanet-instead-a-dust-cloud/ Astronomer Paul Kalas explains why he still thinks there is an exoplanet at Fomalhaut. https://w.astro.berkeley.edu/~kalas/index.php/fomalhaut/ 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.

(Galactic image in the thumbnail - NASA - the James Webb Space Telescope Cartwheel galaxy, previously imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope). Galaxies, we might say, are kings of the cosmos. Their splendor and size has really only come to be known in the last 100 years, since Edwin Hubble finally determined that Andromeda, and many other galaxies just like it, were not just nebulae in our own universe. Hubble's telescope, the Hooker Telescope atop Mt. Wilson in California, was the largest of its day. But it's main mirror was only 100 inches. We say "only" because the collective surface area of the new James Webb Space Telescope, made up of 18 individual mirrors, is 21 feet, four inches! And what it has thus far captured is nothing short of astonishing, like being in the presence of royalty. On this episode, Wayne and Dan discuss some unsolved mysteries of star and galaxy formation and just how Webb's new galactic discoveries only serve to deepen the mystery and threaten to make scientists completely rewrite their assumptions about how stars and galaxies form! Come and see! Some stuff we talked about during the episode. Stellar streams Geraint Lewis's work on stellar streams New JWST discoveries of distant galaxies. Galaxy basics, NASA. Wayne's article on galaxies. Dan's article on galaxies and our place in the cosmos. Watchman.org 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.

Good Heavens! Dwarfs (not dwarves) have stolen Pluto's planetary status! Who are these mischievous entities? Why did they steal from Pluto? Where are they, exactly? And what do dwarfs, dancing, and astronomy have to do with each other? Join Wayne and Dan for this educational adventure in exploring these recently discovered miscreants of the solar system! Hopefully they've answered all of the perplexing questions on this episode. If not, it's still a fun chat about what's out there and how it all points to the glory of God in Christ. Easter episodes mentioned at the end of the broadcast: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/for-signs-and-for-seasons-calendars-of-the-ancient-world/ https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/the-sun-moon-and-time-calendars-part-2/ https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/the-lamb-of-god-the-passover-in-the-gospels/ 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.

Dan summarizes four fantastical new images from the James Webb Space Telescope and how he believes they reveal the glory of God. Objects discussed you can see for yourself! Pandora's Cluster VHS 1256 b (only an artist's conception) Wolf-Rayet 124 NGC 7469 A Star Wreath 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.

Did dragons ever really exist? Why is there a constellation of a dragon? Where'd it come from? On this episode of Good Heavens! Dan breaks down the myths and legends behind Draco the Dragon, the 8th largest constellation in the night sky, Find out about its brightest stars and some of the deep sky objects within and about what Scripture has to say about the dragon of old. Don't miss this fascinating episode. Sit back, close your eyes, and imagine you're in a state-of-the-art planetarium. If you have some booming home audio surround sound or good car speakers, they will certainly enhance this one-of-a-kind audio theater for the mind's eye! DISCLAIMER: In our series on the constellations, we are not condoning, endorsing, or encouraging any astrology or horoscope related practices. Stars do not determine one's future or personality. We simply provide a history and overview of the constellations and how they can remind us as Christians of God's glory in Christ. Please see our Watchman four-page profile on the spurious practices and assumptions of astrology written by a former astrologer now Christian. https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/astrologyprofile.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.

See a wondrous alignment of planets at the end of March! Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Mars, and the Moon! What does it all mean for us? Find out on this special episode! 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.

What made Alice swim in a puddle of tears? Mathematics! As long division did for Dan in 4th grade. Math can bring tears, both of frustration and joy. What exactly is math? Why does it work so well in describing our universe? How can people explain mathematics apart from mind? And what's it all have to do with a grin without a cat? Come and see (or in this case, listen)! For more grinning from the heavens, see Wayne's article! https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2023/01/27/the-grin-from-space/ Dan's full interview with Apollo 16 Astronaut Charlie Duke. 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.

A special edition of Good Heaven! A heavenly event you don't want to miss! Mark your calendars for a special sight in the heavens coming soon. And you won't need a telescope or binoculars. You'll even be able to see it from a big city if your western horizon is clear and the weather is good. Come and see!

Have you ever seen a grin without a cat? Come and see, or at least listen to the story about a fascinating object in the deepest recesses of Ursa Major, the Great Bear! Alice in Wonderland, Charlie Chaplain, Albert Einstein, invisible space-time fabric, and a grin that is kinda out of this world. For more grinning from the heavens, see Wayne's article! The Grin from Space https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2023/01/27/the-grin-from-space/ 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.

Part three of our discussion of the fascinating and inspiring life, imagination, and writing of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien includes Tolkien's concept of the eucatastrophe and the importance of friendships both in his life and in the characters of Middle Earth. Wayne's essay on Tolkien's Fantasy World https://creationanswers.net/goodies/Tolkien_FantasyWorldvsRealWorld.pdf Some titles mentioned in the broadcast https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-4-Book-Boxed-Set/dp/0345538374/ https://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-Illustrated-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0063280779/ https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-Biography-Humphrey-Carpenter-ebook/dp/B00I7JFC7C/ https://www.amazon.com/Tolkiens-Modern-Reading-Middle-earth-Beyond/dp/1943243727/ https://www.amazon.com/Leaf-Niggle-J-R-Tolkien/dp/0008205531/ 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.

Part two of our discussion of the fascinating and inspiring life, imagination, and writing of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien includes the moral nature of Tolkien's Middle Earth landscapes, true heroism, and Earendel. Wayne's essay on Tolkien's Fantasy World https://creationanswers.net/goodies/Tolkien_FantasyWorldvsRealWorld.pdf Some titles mentioned in the broadcast https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-4-Book-Boxed-Set/dp/0345538374/ https://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-Illustrated-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0063280779/ https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-Biography-Humphrey-Carpenter-ebook/dp/B00I7JFC7C/ https://www.amazon.com/Tolkiens-Modern-Reading-Middle-earth-Beyond/dp/1943243727/ https://www.amazon.com/Leaf-Niggle-J-R-Tolkien/dp/0008205531/ 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.

Part one of our discussion of the fascinating and inspiring life, imagination, and writing of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien. Part one features Leaf, By Niggle, Tolkien's idea of the sub-creator, and how his work can remind us of Jesus as the Logos. Wayne's essay on Tolkien's fantasy world vs. the real world. https://creationanswers.net/goodies/Tolkien_FantasyWorldvsRealWorld.pdf Some titles mentioned in the broadcast https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-4-Book-Boxed-Set/dp/0345538374/ https://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-Illustrated-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0063280779/ https://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-Biography-Humphrey-Carpenter-ebook/dp/B00I7JFC7C/ https://www.amazon.com/Tolkiens-Modern-Reading-Middle-earth-Beyond/dp/1943243727/ https://www.amazon.com/Leaf-Niggle-J-R-Tolkien/dp/0008205531/ 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.

If contemporary astrophysics and cosmology has demonstrated anything conclusively about the nature of our universe it is (1) We have a very special and unique place here on earth to observe and learn more about the universe and (2) It requires intelligent agents to create even the simplest models of our universe or other theoretical universes. In short, despite what popularizers of science tell us, we are indeed significant in the cosmos and there is an intelligent being behind and beyond the cosmos. As Christians, we know that the Creator of the cosmos Himself came down to us in the Person of His Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. All things came into being through Him, but sinful humanity did not recognize or know Him. Can man invent a universe and live in it? Can we live as though our lives are really insignificant? The simple answer to both questions is no. On this episode of Good Heavens! Wayne and Dan discuss two basic problems with modern cosmology: (1) Creating theoretical universes and (2) Declaring human beings to be cosmically insignificant. Some thoughtful resources to strengthen and encourage you on these topics. A new video by Dan called "Fine Tuning is Dangerous" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqdvgQ2mrpk Dan's interview with Steven C. Meyer, author of The Return of the God Hypothesis (Two Parts). https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/return-of-the-god-hypothesis-part-1-with-stephen-c-meyer/ https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/return-of-the-god-hypothesis-part-2-with-stephen-c-meyer/ Dan's interview with Dr. Luke Barnes, coauthor of A Fortunate Universe https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/a-conversation-with-dr-luke-barnes/ Book: Cosmology without God? https://www.amazon.com/Cosmology-Without-God-Problematic-Theology/dp/1532636849/ James Walker's interview with former high-ranking scientologist Mike Render (Two Parts) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293/episodes/2022-11-06T23_00_00-08_00 https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293/episodes/2022-11-13T23_00_00-08_00 Original presentation from Dr. Sean Carroll, "God is not a Good Theory" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew_cNONhhKI 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.

The book of Job in the Old Testament tells of a prosperous man who was very good who lost much of what he owned and had 10 children die in one day. Then he was struck with a terrible illness. The book includes lengthy discussions between Job and his friends and tells of the gnawing questions and frustration Job experienced. Job also contains the longest quoted passage of God speaking in the Bible, which ranges from high to low in creation. How does the beauty and majesty of the heavens and of creation fit in with our sorrows, doubts, and suffering? What were Behemoth and Leviathan? Wayne and Dan continue exploring the wisdom and wonders of the book of Job. May it be a blessing and encouragement to you. 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.

The book of Job in the Old Testament tells of a prosperous man who was very good who lost much of what he owned and had 10 children die in one day. Then he was struck with a terrible illness. The book includes lengthy discussions between Job and his friends and tells of the gnawing questions and frustration Job experienced. Job also contains the longest quoted passage of God speaking in the Bible, which ranges from high to low in creation. Was Job a real person? What was God's answer to Job? What did his friends think of Job in his suffering? How does the beauty and majesty of the heavens and of creation fit in with our sorrows, doubts, and suffering? While Wayne and Dan certainly don't propose to have all the answers, in this episode and in part two, they wrestle with the message of the Book of Job in hopes it can be an encouragement to you. 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.

A short episode about seeing Jupiter this Monday, September 26th and a little background about meteor showers you can see this fall and how you can enjoy these declarations of God's glory. Meteor Shower Schedule Fall 2022 Image of Jupiter is from the James Webb Space Telescope (NASA/ESA/CSA). 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.

The "science" of the universe is daunting for most of us, in fact, quite literally in not a few ways, it's "over our heads"! Recently, the new James Webb Space Telescope has revealed some pretty spectacular never-before-seen vistas of some of the deepest regions of the universe. On this episode Wayne and Dan try to break some of it down and how we think it points to the glory of God. A careful reading of Scripture leaves one with the impression that God intended that everyone not only know about the cosmos, but that He created it for His glory. Big science spends billions of dollars annually to gaze more intently upon the resplendent handiwork of God, but increasingly make little or no mention of God when discoursing about the laws, mechanics, and elements of the universe. It's something akin to going to an art museum and looking past the beauty and symmetry of the art itself and instead focus more intently on what the painting or sculpture is made of. Knowing, for example, what elements comprise the paint in Van Gogh's Starry Night or what from what sort of stone Michelangelo's David is made tells us nothing about why Starry Night or David exists in the first place. What are those things? They are the handiwork and intimate expressions of the artists. The heavens is no less an expression of God's glory. In the beginning, it was Jesus as the Master Craftsman, creating the cosmos (Gen. 1-2, John 1, Prov. 8; Col. 1; Heb. 1). . So what does Treebeard (maybe you're asking who or what is Treebeard?) have to do with the James Webb Space Telescope? You'll have to listen to find out! We here at Good Heavens! try to show you the human side of astronomy and how we as believers can revel in the wonders of the heavens and how that can encourage and strengthen our faith. We try to talk about the big science in understandable and accessible ways and offer some thoughts about how what is "above our heads" can be translated for our encouragement here on earth. We hope this special episode will encourage you. Here is a link to Wayne's accompanying article for this episode. https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2022/08/25/images-from-the-james-webb-space-telescope/ Below are links to three scientific papers about the new James Webb Telescope images: Mysterious red galaxies https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.00132.pdf 'Normal' looking galaxies less than 250 million years before the Big Bang? https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.00986.pdf "Panic! At the Disks . . ." On distant galaxy shapes https://arxiv.org/pdf/2207.09428.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.

When we see a math problem in a text book or on a chalk or dry-erase board, we assume (quite rightly) it was written there by an intelligent agent. But when physicists discover the universe to be filled with mathematical laws, the implications are not a little disquieting, especially if one does not believe God exists. If God does not exist, from where do these laws come? Why is the universe intelligible? Why do our mathematics work so efficiently and elegantly in describing the universe? Modern science has few answers. But since we have only ever observed mathematics and laws emanating from intelligent agents, it is abductively reasonable to conclude that such laws and numbers of the cosmos ultimately originate from the mind of an intelligent Creator. And this is precisely what Scripture has been telling us for millennia. God's invisible attributes are clearly seen throughout the universe, so that we are all without excuse. On our final installment of our series with Christian and astrophysicist Dr. Leslie Wickman, we delve into the wonders of the laws of physics and talk a little about how important it is for us, believer or skeptic, to get ourselves out of the way and adopt a posture of epistemic humility when talking about things that are quite literally "above our heads"! So come and see! From Leslie's page at Azusa Pacific: Leslie Wickman is a research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker. For more than a decade, Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Martin, where she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronomer Leslie's Book God of the Big Bang Leslie's original article featured on CNN. Watchman Fellowship's Atheist and Christian Book Club. Join us this coming October as we further discuss God of the Big Bang with Leslie live! 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.

"Everything that begins to exist has a cause." So begins the classical argument for God's existence known as the Kalam Cosmological Argument. Contemporary sciences of the heavens have, at least for the time being, confirmed that the universe we currently inhabit did indeed have a beginning. But what caused our universe to come into existence? The secular literature on the origin of the universe mentions God only in passing, or often merely to claim that theists are arguing about a god of the gaps. But if God did not create the cosmos, what did? When you read through the contemporary theories, they start to sound not a little like "invisible attributes" of God. Whatever created the universe in a naturalistic worldview has to be powerful beyond description, employing laws of physics heretofore unknown to man (as the current laws known by scientists 'break down' at the beginning), beyond space, beyond time, not made of anything physical or material, and either infinite or eternal. On part two of our discussion with Christian and astrophysicist Dr. Leslie Wickman, Dan explores some of these questions in more detail. Whatever you may think of the Big Bang, it certainly can be a point of discussion upon which you can build a conversation with your skeptic or atheist friends. From Leslie's website at Azusa Pacific. Leslie Wickman is a research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker. For more than a decade, Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Martin, where she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate astronomer. Leslie's Book God of the Big Bang Leslie's original article featured on CNN. Watchman Fellowship's Atheist and Christian Book Club. Join us this coming October as we further discuss God of the Big Bang with Leslie live! 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.

The Bible describes Jesus as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah." God asked Job if he can hunt the prey for the lion, suggesting that it is God Himself who does the "hunting." And in the Gospels, Jesus calls His disciples to "come" as He will teach them to be "fishers of men." Our God is a Hunter and a Fisherman. C.S. Lewis described Jesus as the "Hound of Heaven" who unrelentingly came after the skeptical literary scholar over the course of many years. And in Lewis' beloved classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis created the character of Aslan the Lion, a "suppositional" representation of Jesus in another world. In Narnia, the Beavers tell the children that Aslan isn't "safe but he's good." Indeed God does not guarantee our personal and physical safety in this world, but He is good and bids us to trust Him no matter our circumstances. Both Jesus and His creation are in many ways "not safe" but they are good; good beyond what we can finally comprehend. As Joseph says to his brothers maltreatment of him that eventually enigmatically lead to Joseph being second in command over the Egyptian empire, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." On the next three episodes of Good Heavens! Dan speaks with Christian and astrophysicist Dr. Leslie Wickman about her faith and how she sees God in the finely-tuned details of God's universe. It is our aim at Good Heavens! to find common ground among all believers in relation to our faith in Christ and what contemporary science tells us about creation. We believe there are things to learn from a wide variety of different perspectives. We try to present thoughtful and faithful believers presenting their different points of view that will hopefully encourage you to seek out these issues more deeply for yourself. From Leslie's page at Azusa Pacific: Leslie Wickman is a research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker. For more than a decade, Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Martin, where she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut Leslie's Book God of the Big Bang Leslie's original article featured on CNN. Watchman Fellowship's Atheist and Christian Book Club. Join us this coming October as we further discuss God of the Big Bang with Leslie live! 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.

While the search for extraterrestrial intelligence outside of our planet and solar system has not turned up a single bit of evidence, since the mid 20th century, there has been an increasing number of people claiming to have been abducted by aliens. Are these abduction stories just the byproduct of watching too many science fiction shows? Is there life out there in the cosmos, intelligent aliens who have figured out interstellar travel and have come to Earth to abduct people? Are alien abduction stories just fantastical tales told by individuals simply seeking attention or is there really something to them? Is the idea of alien life, especially intelligent alien life, really science or just science fiction? Whether it is Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or a terrifying encounter with alien beings in one's bedroom late at night, one thing is clear, there is an inherent opposition to God in all of it, even open doorways to the demonic realm and the occult. Here on part two Wayne and Dan discuss the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and the nature of alien abduction stories. Check out our other episodes on extraterrestrials, comet abiogenesis, UFO's, and ancient aliens. Watchman Fellowship Profiles on Alien Cults: Heaven's Gate https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/heavensgateprofile.pdf The Raelians https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/raelianprofile.pdf Articles from UFO researcher Gary Bates https://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets https://creation.com/et-needed-evolution Wayne's Review of Gary Bates' book Alien Intrusion https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2012/08/11/the-alien-deception/ Our very talented narrator (and singer) Annemarie Smuts from South Africa: https://annismuts.wixsite.com/listen2ava 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 have all probably wondered at some point if there is life in the universe outside of Earth. Our ability to land probes on distant worlds and send satellites outside our solar system, coupled with the over 5,000 exoplanets discovered since the early 2000s have inspired scientists to speculate more seriously about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. But even more fundamental than space probes, satellites and exoplanets in influencing many to consider the existence of life elsewhere in the cosmos is Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection in addition to the speculative field of abiogenesis (the study of the origin of life). If life arose and developed "naturally" here on Earth, apart from God creating life, then it is claimed, it seems reasonable to conclude, given the vastness of the cosmos itself, that life may have spontaneously arisen on many other planets. But is the idea of alien life, especially intelligent alien life, really science or just science fiction? Here on part one Wayne and Dan discuss some of the characteristics of what is known as a planetary habitable zone as well as how Darwin's evolutionary ideas have inspired science's quest to find extraterrestrial life. Check out our other episodes on extraterrestrials, comet abiogenesis, UFO's, and ancient aliens. Watchman Fellowship Profiles on Alien Cults: Heaven's Gate https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/heavensgateprofile.pdf The Raelians https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/raelianprofile.pdf Articles from UFO researcher Gary Bates https://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets https://creation.com/et-needed-evolution Wayne's Review of Gary Bates' book Alien Intrusion https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2012/08/11/the-alien-deception/ Our very talented narrator (and singer) Annemarie Smuts from South Africa: https://annismuts.wixsite.com/listen2ava 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.

In celebration of the Fourth of July and as 2022 is the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 16 moon landing, Dan sits down for a conversation with Apollo 16 astronaut, the tenth man to walk upon the lunar surface, Charlie Duke. Duke is a retired Air Force Brigadier General and the CAPCOM "voice" of Houston for the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon in July of 1969. It was such an honor and delight to speak with Charlie. It was like talking to family. His delight in telling his remarkable story is evident. We spoke for an hour and twenty minutes about his time working as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, his own trip to the moon on Apollo 16 and ultimately how the Lord Jesus Christ saved both Charlie and his family. Here on part five Charlie and John attempt Lunar Olympics only to have Houston quickly cancel them. Charlie describes a moment of fear he had when he fell backward on the moon, shares what the Saturn V rocket ride was like and the former CAPCOM voice of Mission Control for Apollo 11 gives us some life-saving guidance. To watch the video for this program go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t92uWbjtQQ4 For more about Charlie's story, you can visit his website. https://charlieduke.com/ Charlie and Dotty Duke's book Moonwalker https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalker-Astronaut-Enough-Satisfy-Success/dp/0840791062 Good Heavens! on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GoodHeavens Apologetics Profile https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293 https://www.watchman.org 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.

In celebration of the Fourth of July and as 2022 is the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 16 moon landing, Dan sits down for a conversation with Apollo 16 astronaut, the tenth man to walk upon the lunar surface, Charlie Duke. Duke is a retired Air Force Brigadier General and the CAPCOM "voice" of Houston for the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon in July of 1969. It was such an honor and delight to speak with Charlie. It was like talking to family. His delight in telling his remarkable story is evident. We spoke about his time working as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, his own trip to the moon on Apollo 16 and ultimately how the Lord Jesus Christ saved both Charlie and his family. Here on part four Charlie tells the story of how he and John Young set a lunar land speed record in the Lunar Rover, shares what his space suit was like, tells the exciting and mysterious tale of "House Rock" and shares with us his wonder and awe of the views from the highest elevation man has ever been on another world. To see the video for this episode, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKcXLtXHrzk For more about Charlie's story, you can visit his website. https://charlieduke.com/ Charlie and Dotty Duke's book Moonwalker https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalker-Astronaut-Enough-Satisfy-Success/dp/0840791062 Good Heavens! A Podcast about the Universe with Wayne and Dan https://www.patreon.com/GoodHeavens Apologetics Profile https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293 https://www.watchman.org 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.

In celebration of the Fourth of July and as 2022 is the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 16 moon landing, Dan sits down for a conversation with Apollo 16 astronaut, the tenth man to walk upon the lunar surface, Charlie Duke. Duke is a retired Air Force Brigadier General and the CAPCOM "voice" of Houston for the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon in July of 1969. It was such an honor and delight to speak with Charlie. It was like talking to family. His delight in telling his remarkable story is evident. We spoke about his time working as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, his own trip to the moon on Apollo 16 and ultimately how the Lord Jesus Christ saved both Charlie and his family. Here on part three Charlie reads from some of his favorite Psalms, shares a remarkable story about a wedding ring floating in the heavens and shares the beginnings of Jesus saving him and his family. To see the video of this episode go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZerXQ-S0AU For more about Charlie's story, you can visit his website. https://charlieduke.com/ Charlie and Dotty Duke's book Moonwalker https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalker-Astronaut-Enough-Satisfy-Success/dp/0840791062 Good Heavens! A Podcast about the Universe with Wayne and Dan https://www.patreon.com/GoodHeavens Apologetics Profile https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293 https://www.watchman.org 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.

In celebration of the Fourth of July and as 2022 is the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 16 moon landing, Dan sits down for a conversation with Apollo 16 astronaut, the tenth man to walk upon the lunar surface, Charlie Duke. Duke is a retired Air Force Brigadier General and the CAPCOM "voice" of Houston for the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon in July of 1969. It was such an honor and delight to speak with Charlie. It was like talking to family. His delight in telling his remarkable story is evident. We spoke about his time working as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, his own trip to the moon on Apollo 16 and ultimately how the Lord Jesus Christ saved both Charlie and his family. Here on part two Charlie looks back on his own landing on the moon with John Young, talks a little bit about Buzz Aldrin's communion on the moon after Apollo 11 had landed, remembers James Irwin of Apollo 15 quoting from Psalm 121 from the moon, and reflects on the Apollo 8 crew on Christmas Eve of 1968 reading from the first chapter of Genesis. Watch the video of this episode! https://youtu.be/9YpNFwbKTBA For more about Charlie's story, you can visit his website. https://charlieduke.com/ Charlie and Dotty Duke's book Moonwalker https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalker-Astronaut-Enough-Satisfy-Success/dp/0840791062 Good Heavens! A Podcast about the Universe with Wayne and Dan https://www.patreon.com/GoodHeavens Apologetics Profile https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/jwalker55293 https://www.watchman.org 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.

In celebration of the Fourth of July and as 2022 is the year of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 16 moon landing, Dan sits down for a conversation with Apollo 16 astronaut, the tenth man to walk upon the lunar surface, Charlie Duke. Duke is a retired Air Force Brigadier General and the CAPCOM "voice" of Houston for the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon in July of 1969. We will be releasing this conversation in five parts in the coming week, so stay tuned! It was such an honor and delight to speak with Charlie. It was like talking to family. His delight in telling his remarkable story is evident. We spoke for an hour and twenty minutes about his time working as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, his own trip to the moon on Apollo 16 and ultimately how the Lord Jesus Christ saved both Charlie and his family. Part one of the video premiers Tuesday, July 5th. Listen all the way to the end for some hilarious bonus material! You can't hear Charlie's reaction on the audio, but he is grinning ear to ear in the video! Here on part one Charlie reflects on his experiences on the moon 50 years later and what it was like during the very tense final moments before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon during the historical Apollo 11 mission. For more about Charlie's story, you can visit his website. Charlie and Dotty Duke's book Moonwalker 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.

The best science of the universe seems strongly to suggest our universe did indeed have a beginning. Why are the best minds in astrophysics trying to create models of the universe without a beginning? Are these models anywhere close to explaining a beginningless universe? As we heard last week, there is indeed an anti-supernatural bias in the sciences today against the idea of God having anything to do with our universe. The late Stephen Hawking, Lawrence Krauss, are just a few examples of cosmologists who have openly expressed their intent to explain the cosmos without reference to God. How then does the message of the cross speak to modern cosmology? If science found a way to explain the universe without a beginning would that force us to reinterpret Genesis? By no means. Our guest again this week is astrophysicist Dr. Jeff Zweerink. On part two Jeff gives us more background into why beginningless models of the cosmos simply don't work, especially those which overtly attempt to "get rid of God." Jeff also offers how he sees our Christian faith in light of modern cosmology. Astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink is a research scholar for Reasons to Believe (RTB), an organization dedicated to demonstrating the compatibility of science and the Christian faith. Jeff’s work focuses on helping people of all backgrounds bridge the perceived gap between science and the Christian faith. Jeff has also made many media appearances, on television, radio, and in print. He earned a BS in physics and a PhD in astrophysics with a focus on gamma rays from Iowa State University. He taught and ran the planetarium at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, until postdoctoral research in gamma rays led him to the University of California, Riverside. Prior to joining RTB, Jeff spent years working on the STACEE and VERITAS gamma-ray telescopes and was involved in research projects such as the Solar Two project and the Whipple Collaboration. He continues to work as a project scientist at UCLA on GAPS, a balloon experiment seeking to detect dark matter. Jeff is also a coauthor on more than 30 academic papers published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Astrophysical Journal, Astroparticle Physics, and Astrobiology. A Christian from childhood, Jeff struggled to reconcile his love of science and his desire to serve God. While an undergrad at Iowa State University, he heard astrophysicist and RTB founder Hugh Ross speak on the constructive integration of science and faith. Hugh’s old-earth perspective introduced Jeff to a creation view that aligns with both Scripture and science. Ten years later, a professor encouraged Jeff to enroll in RTB’s volunteer apologetics program. This involvement eventually led to a scholar position in 2005. Today, Jeff writes and speaks on the compatibility of science and the Christian faith and on evidence for intentional design from a multiverse theory, dark energy and dark matter, and exoplanets. His speaking engagements take him to universities, churches, and other venues around the world, including high schools and youth groups and numerous conference proceedings. He is also the author of Is There Life Out There?, Who’s Afraid of the Multiverse?, and Escaping the Beginning?. 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.

Moses knew it long before any of the best minds in physics and cosmology knew it. And what did Moses know? That "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Just a hundred years ago, the sciences of the heavens had stumbled across what appeared in the mathematical and observational data as evidence that our universe did in fact have a beginning. But like Moses, philosophers and theologians of earlier centuries understood our universe to have had a beginning. But the burgeoning skepticism of the 18th-century Enlightenment philosophy led many to believe the universe could be explained without God. Faced with what many thought was a reversion back to religion and philosophy, modern cosmological science stood face-to-face with the possibility our universe did in fact have a beginning. This was a radically new idea in the contemporary sciences of the universe. To consider the universe as not only expanding but as having a beginning was, to say the least, not a bit unsettling. How could this be? The best minds have been brought to bear on the question of the origin of our universe. And many alternative models and explanations have been offered that attempt to circumvent a beginning of the universe and thus once more eliminate God from the picture. Our special guest on the next two episodes of Good Heavens! astrophysicist and researcher at Reasons to Believe, Dr. Jeff Zweerink walks us through his exploration of these alternative models and shares why he thinks none of them succeed in "escaping the beginning." Jeff's 2019 book Escaping the Beginning? 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.

A special edition of Good Heavens! There is a video version of this that will be available Friday (6-3-2022). https://youtu.be/BIpyvSiUgZM A theist wrote a 2017 article suggesting the fine-tuning argument is not evidence for God. We take a look at the basics of the fine-tuning argument, how it began, what it is, and why it remains a good argument, despite the article's conclusions. Original article can be found here. https://nautil.us/fine-tuning-does-not-imply-a-fine-tuner-10235/ Books mentioned in the broadcast. Patrick Glynn God the Evidence David Alcalde Cosmology without God? Alex Vilenkin Many Worlds in One – The Search for Other Universes William Lane Craig and Joseph E. Gorra A Reasonable Response, Answers to Tough Questions on God, Christianity and the Bible For Watchman Fellowship go to: https://www.watchman.org Book: https://www.thestoryofthecosmos.com 1 Cor. 10:31. 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.

No one in the observatory on that increasingly foggy London evening had even imagined they were all about to be a part of an unexpected discovery of a supernova. But as students were munching away at their pizza, they decided to aim their telescope at a target near the Big Dipper Boom. That's when they saw it. You just never know. While most of us will likely never be the first to discover a supernova, if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no end to the surprises and wonders He can and will do for us. The universe is filled with His stars. He created them, for signs and for seasons, and for days and years. He knows their names, He numbers all of them, not one of them is missing. He knows their days and their place. If God cares for the stars in such detail, how much more so will He care for you? (Isaiah 40:26ff). God can and will do exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or imagine, for His glory. So in the midst of your daily routines, God can break in like a supernova and answer your prayers beyond anything you might have been expecting. Come along with Wayne and me as we talk about the numinous wonders of supernovae and how they can be a reminder to us of God's glory and His care for us. SN1987A from Hubble, NASA, and the ESA. https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2017/news-2017-08.html. 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.

God's fireworks! Stars that explode. What could be more exciting? What are supernovae? Why do stars explode? And how do such wonders point us to God's glory? Find out on the next two episodes of Good Heavens! Wayne's article on supernovae. https://creationanswers.net/answersblog/2022/05/02/stellar-fireworks/ Some spectacular supernovae What is a supernova? https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-what-is-a-supernova/ SN1987A (the views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Watchman.org or Good Heavens) https://www.sciencenews.org/article/30-year-anniversary-supernova-1987a https://earthsky.org/space/supernova-1987a-closest-brightest-supernova-star-death/ 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.

From now through the beginning of June, you can see four planets closely aligned - Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn. On this special episode, we give you some pointers about how you can see these celestial diadems just before sunrise and we offer some thoughts about how they remind us of God's glory. One may not agree with Lewis's use of medieval symbol and pagan mythology as imaginative symbols pointing to Christ. We are not suggesting it is an appropriate apologetic approach for everyone. Certainly Christianity teaches the rejection of pagan idolatry in both the Old and New Testaments. Yet it was the apostle Paul himself who took ideas from pagan Greek poetry about the gods and related it to Jesus to the philosophers and stoics gathered atop Mars Hill in Athens (see Acts 17 and an episode on our sister podcast Apologetics Profile about Paul on Mars Hill here). For any questions or concerns, drop us a line at [email protected]. Books mentioned on this episode: Planet Narnia - The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis Nightwatch Living The Sky - The Cosmos of the American Indian Our book The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God 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.

No, we aren't talking about the Internet! But about the newly launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), now roaming about the heavens a million miles from planet Earth. It was launched Christmas morning, December 25, 2021 from a European spaceport in French Guiana, in South America. A brand-new, ten-billion-dollar telescope venture, the James Webb Space Telescope is an infrared telescope and will be able to pick up some of the faintest light in the most distant regions of the cosmos. The James Webb telescope supercedes the Spitzer Space Telescope that went before it. Spitzer was also an Infrared telescope. Come and find out about where the James Webb telescope is located and why astronomers are so excited about it. Every time we build a bigger telescope, our understanding of the cosmos is radically changed. What wonders await us? Whatever Webb uncovers it is exciting to consider that no eye has ever seen the things God is about to reveal to us through the honey-combed mirrors of this new telescope. Come along with Wayne and Dan as they ponder how telescopes have changed our understanding of the universe we inhabit and how it all might point to the glory of God in Christ. 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. Image: The picture is an infrared colored image from the Spitzer Space Telescope, produced by NASA (cropped and resized for this).

As you know, we here at Good Heavens! can't stop talking about the heavens. So when a beautiful picture book comes out with the title The Heavens, how can we not talk about it! The heavens declare the glory of God. They are His creation, attesting to His invisible attributes of faithfulness, wisdom, love, power, and glory. Come and see the wonders of the heavens in a magnificent new pictorial book from astronomer Dr. Danny Faulkner of Answers in Genesis along with two backyard astrophotographers Glen Fountain and Jim Bonser (I mispronounced his name in the podcast, my apologies!). From the sun and moon to way out in deep space where beauteous nebulae and galaxies, this book not only showcases stunning, high quality images of the cosmos, all taken by Danny, Glen, or Jim, but also combines science and Scripture in a meaningful, down-to-earth, and encouraging way. The video of this program shows beautiful photography and gives a great introduction to observational astronomy. To watch the video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73iGfxGFvIc Dr. Danny Faulkner holds an MS in Physics from Clemson University and an MA and PhD in Astronomy from Indiana University and taught at the University of South Carolina Lancaster for over 26 years. He serves as editor of the Creation Research Society Quarterly and has published over 100 papers in various journals. He now works as a researcher, author, and speaker for Answers in Genesis. To get a copy of Danny's book. To get a copy of The Story of the Cosmos More on Danny Faulkner Visit our ministry's website for resources on apologetics, other religions, cults, and non-Christian worldviews. https://www.watchman.org. The views expressed by Dr. Faulkner do not necessarily represent those of Watchman Fellowship, Inc. We hope to present a balanced perspective on the questions of the age of the universe. Watchman Fellowship does not openly or publicly endorse one side or the other in the age debate. Image is from the VLT Survey Telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile. Licensed from ESO and Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Image was cropped and resized. 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.

Spoiler Alert! On this episode Wayne and Dan debunk the "ancient alien" idea! What are some modern prejudices we hold about the ancient past? Were ancient people not as smart as we are? Did their civilizations require the intervention of highly advanced alien beings? Has modern scientific knowledge fully debunked the idea of God? Is God just a myth created out of the ignorance of our ancestors? We tackle these questions and a lot more, including how belief in UFOs and aliens often does lead into the occult and cult-like practices and beliefs. Watchman Fellowship https://www.watchman.org Wayne's article on ancient aliens: https://creationanswers.net/reviews/ancientaliens_pseudoarch.htm Ancient Aliens Debunked (Video by Chris White. 3 hrs, 10 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9w-i5oZqaQ Website by Chris White. Has some references related to topics in the video above. https://www.ancientaliensdebunked.com Bible scholar Michael Heiser - Ancient Aliens Debunked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5dER45rkGk See also this website by Michael Heiser. http://SitchinIsWrong.com Watchman Fellowship profiles on alien cults: Heaven's Gate https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/heavensgateprofile.pdf Raelians https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/raelianprofile.pdf Previous episodes with Gary Bates on UFOs Part One: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-1-with-gary-bates/ Part Two: https://goodheavens.podbean.com/e/aliens-ufos-and-the-bible-part-2-with-gary-bates/ 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.

Was there a first star? If so, how did it form? Believe it or not, the secular material sciences have no real evidence to support theoretical models of how the first stars came to be or how the stars we see today came into existence. How then should we as Christians best understand naturalist models of the cosmos that take no account for God's glory? On this special episode of Good Heavens! Dan offers some reflections about the nature of scientific models and Christian theology. Book mentioned by Dr. Emma Chapman 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.

This is a special combined Christmas episode with our sister podcast Apologetics Profile. The wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in. How silently, how silently, You have likely heard or sung these very lines over the course of the last few weeks. They are a verse from Philip Brooks' 1868 Christmas hymn O Little Town of Bethlehem. Bethlehem means "house of bread." It is called the "city of David" and is the birthplace of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, prophesied as Immanuel, God with us, the star of Jacob, the sun of righteousness. Bethlehem is a fitting name for the place where the very bread of life Himself would come into the world as an infant, as a man, for man. The One who made the stars with the breath of His mouth drew his first infant breath under the starry skies of a lowly Judean province. As Charles Wesley's famous 1739 Christmas hymn proclaims: Mild He lays His glory by Born that man no more may die Hark! The herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King! On part two of our discussion about the star of Bethlehem, we discuss more of the Scripture, background and history of what the star the Magi saw in the east may have been. Though another Christmas has come and gone so quickly, let us never forget that the real star of Bethlehem was not the star itself, but the bright and morning star (Rev. 22:16, the star of Jacob (Num. 24:17), the Creator of the stars and the entire cosmos (Gen. 1:1,14; Col. 1:16-20; John 1:1-14), incarnate as a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger (Luke 2). Wayne Spencer's article on The Star of Bethlehem. Brady Blevins' profile on Zoroastrianism. If you like Good Heavens! be sure to check out our sister podcast Apologetics Profile, also produced and hosted by Dan. 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.

The ancient way of understanding creation included a harmonious relationship between man and the cosmos we inhabit. This included the wonderful notion of creation being able to “sing” and declare the glory and radiant praise of the One who created everything, the Lord Jesus Christ. Music and song are as much an integral part of creation as are the air we breathe and the food we eat. But this enchanted and sacred way of understanding the cosmos is largely lost to our culture today. How might we recapture it? On this special Christmas edition of Good Heavens! we talk with musicologist Christina George about music, song, creation and how they all point us to Christ Jesus our Lord. Dr. Christie George is a pianist and musicologist from the Pacific Northwest. Her research centers around music’s place within the academy and changing conceptions of good taste insofar as taste relates to the nature of the self and one’s apprehension and perception of beauty. She has written and presented on topics including taste and the philosophy of art, German Idealism, the role of the self in contemporary worship music, and the phenomenology of Jean-Luc Marion at conferences in the U.S. and Europe. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music at Sterling College where she teaches courses in Applied Piano, Aural Skills, Music History, and Music Theory. https://cjgeorge.com/ Antiphons mentioned in this broadcast. Ad Missam in Vigilia, Gradual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l68I7zAuhU J.A.C. Redford, "O Oriens": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5OppzQgMZI 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.

This is a special combined Christmas episode with our sister podcast Apologetics Profile. When we think of stars today, the first thing that may often come to mind are celebrities, Hollywood stars. If one evening you found yourself underneath the glowing industrial-scale light pollution of Los Angeles, you're probably more likely to see a famous celebrity than any single star in the sky. We are more likely to follow celebrities nowadays than we are stars in the sky. If you happen to be a professional or amateur astronomer, however, perhaps your interests lie in knowing what stars are made of, their colors, distance from Earth, age, radius, in what constellation they may be found, or if they have a companion. But why are there any stars in the sky to begin with? Are the uncountable multitude of celestial diadems just a freak accident of nature? Is that just the way the universe is? Is there any deeper purpose or meaning to them beyond just their quantitative, scientific aspects? Modern science cannot answer such questions. Some secular scientists even suggest asking these questions is a waste of time and a fool's errand. One interpretation of the stars suggests there is no greater meaning than their physical nature. They just exist and that's it. Modern science suggests the atoms in our bodies actually came from the stars and by studying them we can know more about our origins, existence, and future. Another interpretation is that the stars and constellations hold secrets about our births, our respective personalities and our future, our fate. Biblically, the stars are creations of Christ. They don't tell us our future. They don't tell us more about ourselves, our personalities, or about what we ought to do with our lives or who we should marry. They are not finally about us. Stars, and the heavens in which they reside, all declare the glory of God. They were created for signs and for seasons and for days and years. They were created through Christ Jesus and for Him. They are numbered and named by God Himself. They are silent messengers of divine glory. The LORD Himself told Abram that his descendants would be as the multitude of the stars in the sky. And in Revelation 22:16 Jesus identifies Himself as the "bright and morning Star." So then it is no surprise that we find reference to a star in Matthew's gospel. A single, silent, enigmatic sign that led wise men, the Magi, to Jerusalem to inquire about He who had been born King of the Jews. But what was the star? What exactly did the Magi see? Was it an actual astronomical phenomena or a miraculous manifestation of light? On this special two-part combined Christmas episode of Apologetics Profile and our sister podcast Good Heavens! we discuss the many ideas that have been proposed for what Matthew's star may have been. But more importantly, we offer a reminder of who the star is really all about. So like the Magi and the shepherds did, come and lift your eyes up on high and see what the star and the angels proclaimed long ago. Come and see wonders await you in discovering Immanuel, God with us, the Lord Jesus Christ. Wayne Spencer's article on The Star of Bethlehem. Brady Blevins'' profile on Zoroastrianism. If you like Good Heavens! be sure to check out our sister podcast Apologetics Profile, also produced and hosted by Dan. 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.

The sun is blinding and deadly (if we got too close to it) yet it is also life-giving and sustains the planets in their orbits. How can something so lethal to our existence also be so necessary for our existence? The sun reminds us of God's attributes in this regard. God is holy and dwells in unapproachable light. No human being can look upon or be in the presence of God's unmitigated holiness and not perish. But God is also absolutely necessary for the existence of the universe, our solar system, our sun, and our very lives. We cannot look upon His face and live and yet He upholds the universe by the word of His power, sending rain and sunshine on the just and unjust alike. In the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we can come into His presence. Our God is both a sun and shield. At once holy and lethal but also our protector and advocate in Jesus. On part two of our episodes on the sun, we discuss some of the fascinating and God-glorifying aspects of the sun, everything from coronal mass ejections, helium, hydrogen, Fraunhofer lines, to how it will one day be no more. From it's creation to its darkening at the cross to the end of its days when the Lord Jesus returns and recreates the heavens and the earth, the sun, like a good and faithful servant, has declared the glory of God. So come and see (but wear eye protection and don't look at the sun directly!) We hope these episodes will edify and encourage you in your walk with Christ. And if you're not a believer, we hope they give you some light into the nature of who Jesus is. 1 Cor. 10:31. 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.

How does our sun point us to the glory of God? It's massive! It would take 109 planet Earths to cover the 864,000-mile diameter of the sun. It's blinding, powerful, and according to modern science, the sun sits on an invisible, fireproof canvass of space-time fabric! It is truly a wonder to behold. As long as man has lived and moved upon the Earth, humans have studied our nearest star, worshiped it, sweated underneath its heat, performed rituals by it, kept time with it, raised crops with it, and sent satellites and telescopes up into the heavens to observe it more closely. And for everything we do know about it, there remains much mystery. So come along with Wayne and Dan and see the sun as a marvelous creation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible describes God as a "sun and shield" in Psalm 84:11. The sun and all stars give Him praise (Ps. 148:1-3). 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.

You may have mistaken them for the Little Dipper - a small little bluish-white cluster of stars that look like a cart, a plough, or to some even a question mark. It is the asterism (stars that are not a constellation but a smaller group of stars within a larger constellation) of Taurus the Bull, visible in the early fall mornings and clear wintry nights. Poems, stories, songs and myths surround this beauteous gem of the night skies. A Japanese auto manufacturer even features them as their main logo. The nineteenth-century English poet Alfred Lloyd Tennyson penned these famous lines about them: Many a night I saw the Pleiades rising thro’ the mellow shade, Glittering like a swarm of fireflies, tangled in a silver braid. They have been useful to many cultures for keeping time, knowing directions, and as an aid in knowing when to plant and harvest crops. They are recorded in the Old Testament, and in the ancient Greek poetry of Homer, Hesiod, and Aratus. They are M-45 in the famous catalogue of 18th-century astronomer Charles Messier. Just as Jesus intended them to be. And, by the way, all of that is just a sampling of how the heavens do indeed declare the glory of God! So come along with Wayne and Dan as they explore the wonder, stories, and science behind an ancient and wondrous little cluster of stars we call the Pleiades. To see a great picture of the Pleiades and read more see Wayne's Blog article below: https://creationanswers.net/answersblog 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. Photo credit: NASA, ESA, AURA/Caltech, Palomar Observatory

If God does not exist, then why does the universe exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? Any naturalistic theory about the existence of our universe inevitably finds itself addressing the concepts of infinity and eternity. It's unavoidable. You cannot explain the existence of the cosmos without invoking eternality. This is precisely the meaning of Romans 1:18-20. Through what God has made, all mankind has clearly seen God's invisible attributes, which would include His timeless and eternal nature. Discovered in the late 1970s and early 80s, the mathematical universe of fractals known as the Mandelbrot Set remind us of God's infinite nature - His infinite wisdom, beauty, creativity, intelligence, power, and glory. No one had anticipated that such a small equation, Z squared plus C, run through computers, would yield such a dazzling array of shapes and patters known as fractals. An infinite universe of complexity, wonder, and amazing design await you! So come and see what more the fractals of the Mandelbrot Set have to tell us about the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ. YouTube link for Part 1 https://youtu.be/_dACmhvSsTo YouTube link for Part 2 https://youtu.be/ztXawHYORzI For more on Dr. Lisle's work: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/dr-lisle/ Fractals - The Secret Code of Creation: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/product/fractals/ 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.

In the late 1970s and early 80s, mathematicians and computer engineers made a remarkable discovery. An entirely new universe of pure mathematics. Not a computer glitch. Not human design. Not a fluke of nature. Not anything that could be explained by chance. But an infinite series of stunning fractal patterns and designs that came from computer calculations of a very simple equation. Z squared plus C. Plugging in different variables for Z, then substituting each answer back into the equation, the computers plotted out each answer on a graph. The results? Never-before scenes of breathtaking, complex designs, running on infinitely on different scales. And as our guest on this episode of Good Heavens! argues, these patterns and designs ultimately come from the mind of God, reflecting His infinite glory. There can be no mathematics without God. "Great are the works of the Lord, they are studied by all who delight in them" the psalmist proclaims (Psalm 111:2). An infinite universe of complexity, wonder, and amazing design await you! So come and see what the fractals of the Mandelbrot Set have to tell us about the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ. For more on Dr. Lisle's work: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/dr-lisle/ Fractals - The Secret Code of Creation: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/product/fractals/ See also this Good Heavens! program on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_dACmhvSsTo 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.

This is a special extended broadcast of Good Heavens! featuring our very own Wayne Spencer (a BLAST from the past!). This is an excerpt from a message by Wayne about meteors from 1991. Wayne discusses the Arizona meteor crater and the Tunguska meteor explosion over Russia in 1908. A little something special for you, an extended bonus episode about our meteor series! Enjoy! 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.