S. J. Astronomer on 'big bang' theory

SCIENCE BACKS UP REVELATION ABOUT THOSE
`C.H.' Reporter
"IF Professor Ryle's findings are accepted, they
-Aare a vindication of the traditional point of view as opposed to the 1948 cosmology of Professor Hoyle. They are also a further scientific verification of the fact known from Revelation that the world was created in time".
This was the comment of the director of the Stonyhurst College Observatory, Fr. James Worthy, S.J.. interviewed this week by the CATHOLIC HERALD on Professor Martin Ryle's claim that he has discovered more "radio stars" towards the edge of the universe than in regions nearer to us. and that this supports the "big bang" theory of the creation of the universe.
IN TIME
Fr. Worthy added that the fact that the world was created in time is also being increasingly corroborated by evidence from scientific fields other than that of radio astronomy, and that such evidence gives the age of the universe as about 4,000 million years.
"The ' Radio Telescope ' ", Fr. Worthy continued. " receives signals emitted thousands of millions of years ago, and hence is able to probe into the past. but until now it has been unable to penetrate tar enough to provide an experimental proof as to the origins of the universe "The 'Cambridge Telescope', no less mobile than Jodrell Bank. has probed further and seems to have shown that the ' steady state theory ' cannot be true.
"The latter theory is difficult to reconcile with Revelation; scientists who do not believe in God dislike the arbitrariness of the fact of creation."
Another comment came this week from Professor H. Bruck. of Edinburgh University, and Astronomer Royal for Scotland, who told the CATHOLIC HERALD newspaper headlines claiming that the Ryle theories prove that "Genesis was right " must be regarded with reserve.
" There is nothing necessarily inconsistent with the principle of creation in either the evolutionary or the continuous creation (steady state) theory." said Professor Bruck, who is a Catholic.
He did not use terminology quite so strong as that of Professor Lovell, of Jodrell Bank,
who, some time ago, told a television audience than an act of creation was implied by either theory.
Professor Bruck warned against confusing two disciplines of knowledge. ' Science cannot and does not pretend." he said, " to answer questions which are essentially theological or philosophical."