"god of the gaps" (re: John Phipps)

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Claire O'Connor :
My question is: Why does God have to be a "god of the gaps"? If God
invented the physical laws of the universe, why can't he accomplish his
work (at least most of the time) without violating the natural laws he
created? 

STEVE CR
He could. However, a lot of theist arguments are based on the 'gaps' in our
understanding of the natural world. So for example, I have often seen
theists argue that their is no way that the first cells with
self-replicating DNA could have formed by chance - therefore there must be
a God. Also, what caused the Big Bang? Physics cannot explain it, therefore
God must have done it.

Going back a little in history there were much more unexplained phenomena
to be ascribed to God, hence the criticism of theistic arguments that God
is 'the God of the gaps in our understanding' and as these gaps are
narrowing (of course, who knows they may widen), the arguments from theists
have less and less validity.

Of course, it may be that everything in the world we observe has a
'scientific' explanation and it may be that God created the universe and
the natural laws and that he is in control of everything. However, there
would be no way of demonstrating the proof of that, and conversely no way
of disproving it.

Steve Carson-Rowland
Brisbane, Australia
(Witty or incisive quote pending)

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