--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God is not an alternative to science as…" description: "\"“God is not an alternative to science as an explanation, he is not to be understood merely as a God of the gaps, he is the ground of all explanation: i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/john-lennox-19396_alternative_god-is-not-an-alternative-to-science-as_2249818.jpg" --- # God is not an alternative to science as an explanation, he… ![“God is not an alternative to science as an explanation, he is not to be understood merely as a God of the gaps, he is the ground of all explanation: it is his existence which gives rise to the very possibility of explanation, scientific or otherwise. It is important to stress this because…” quote by John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/john-lennox-19396_alternative_god-is-not-an-alternative-to-science-as_2249818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/john-lennox-19396_alternative_god-is-not-an-alternative-to-science-as_2249818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/john-lennox-19396_alternative_god-is-not-an-alternative-to-science-as_2249818.jpg) > ““God is not an alternative to science as an explanation, he is not to be understood merely as a God of the gaps, he is the ground of all explanation: it is his existence which gives rise to the very possibility of explanation, scientific or otherwise. It is important to stress this because influential authors such as Richard Dawkins will insist on conceiving of God as an explanatory alternative to science – an idea that is nowhere to be found in theological reflection of any depth. Dawkins is therefore tilting at a windmill - dismissing a concept of God that no serious thinker believes in anyway. Such activity is not necessarily to be regarded as a mark of intellectual sophistication.”” [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God is presented as the foundational basis that makes any explanation possible, not a placeholder for unknown phenomena. **In simple terms:** God underlies all explanations, not just gaps. Key Takeaway Recognize the deeper role of foundational assumptions. Themes theology science philosophy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - academic debate - public discourse - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts metaphysics epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging a foundational basis change scientific inquiry? - Can explanations exist without any underlying assumptions? A Different Perspective Some argue that invoking God can still be a placeholder for ignorance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawkins/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific/) ## Related quotes > [“Richard Dawkins regards faith as an evil to be eliminated; he takes all religious faith to be blind faith. (Dawkins says) ‘Scientific belief is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/richard-dawkins-regards-faith-as-an-evil-to-be-eliminated-he-takes/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/conceiving-god-to-be-the-fountain-of-wisdom-i-thought-it-right-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Yet the most pervasive error one encounters in contemporary arguments about belief in God-especially, but not exclusively, on the atheist side-is the habit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/yet-the-most-pervasive-error-one-encounters-in-contemporary-arguments/) [David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/) > [“God of the gaps” Christianity seeks to present Christianity as playing a strong savior role whereby it fills the gaps and provides the missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-louis-metzger/god-of-the-gaps-christianity-seeks-to-present-christianity-as-playing/) [Paul Louis Metzger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-louis-metzger/) > [Scientists rightly resist invoking the supernatural in scientific explanations for fear of committing a god-of-the-gaps fallacy (the fallacy of using God as a stop-gap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/scientists-rightly-resist-invoking-the-supernatural-in-scientific/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [Today secular philosophers call that kind of divine invocation God of the gaps-which comes in handy, because there has never been a shortage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/today-secular-philosophers-call-that-kind-of-divine-invocation-god-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“I am not postulating a “God of the gaps”, a god merely to explain the things that science has not yet explained. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-lennox/i-am-not-postulating-a-god-of-the-gaps-a-god-merely-to-explain-the/) [John C. Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-lennox/) > [“IDers argue that such traits, involving many parts that must cooperate for that trait to function at all, defy Darwinian explanation. Therefore, by default,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/iders-argue-that-such-traits-involving-many-parts-that-must-cooperate/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [My view is that science only has something to say about a very particular notion of God, which goes by the name of 'god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/my-view-is-that-science-only-has-something-to-say-about-a-very/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“As science advances, there seems to be less and less for God to do. It's a big universe, of course, so He, She, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/as-science-advances-there-seems-to-be-less-and-less-for-god-to-do-it/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In considering God's power, we must not look for a God of the Gaps, a god who is called in for those phenomena for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevill-francis-mott/in-considering-god-s-power-we-must-not-look-for-a-god-of-the-gaps-a/) [Nevill Francis Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevill-francis-mott/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Intelligent Design has been hijacked by a narrow group of creationist fundamentalists in America to mean something it didn't originally mean at all. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-consolmagno/intelligent-design-has-been-hijacked-by-a-narrow-group-of-creationist/) [Guy Consolmagno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-consolmagno/) > [“The funny thing is if in England, you ask a man in the street who the greatest living Darwinian is, he will say Richard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mayr/the-funny-thing-is-if-in-england-you-ask-a-man-in-the-street-who-the/) [Ernst Mayr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mayr/) ## More by John Lennox > [“Richard Dawkins regards faith as an evil to be eliminated; he takes all religious faith to be blind faith. (Dawkins says) ‘Scientific belief is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/richard-dawkins-regards-faith-as-an-evil-to-be-eliminated-he-takes/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [“Indeed, faith is a response to evidence, not a rejoicing in the absence of evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/indeed-faith-is-a-response-to-evidence-not-a-rejoicing-in-the-absence/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/atheism-is-a-fairy-story-for-people-afraid-of-the-light/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Christianity, sharing the Christian faith, in common, gives you instant friendship, and that is the remarkable thing, because it transcends culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/christianity-sharing-the-christian-faith-in-common-gives-you-instant/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [The idea of separating church and state by the Founding Fathers of America was freedom from the domination of one form of religion, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/the-idea-of-separating-church-and-state-by-the-founding-fathers-of/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [The Founding Fathers of America never intended to stop people expressing their faith in the public square. But unfortunately that is the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/the-founding-fathers-of-america-never-intended-to-stop-people/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Faith is not a leap in the dark; it’s the exact opposite. It’s a commitment based on evidence… It is irrational to reduce all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/faith-is-not-a-leap-in-the-dark-it-s-the-exact-opposite-it-s-a/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Nonsense is nonsense even when spoken by when said by world-famous scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/nonsense-is-nonsense-even-when-spoken-by-when-said-by-world-famous/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [The new atheism as an old atheism, except it's much more aggressive. The new atheism wants to destroy religion. That's a very different thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/the-new-atheism-as-an-old-atheism-except-it-s-much-more-aggressive/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Either human intelligence ultimately owes its origin to mindless matter; or there is a Creator. It is strange that some people claim that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/either-human-intelligence-ultimately-owes-its-origin-to-mindless/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [We have only to see a few letters of the alphabet spelling our name in the sand to recognize at once the work of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/we-have-only-to-see-a-few-letters-of-the-alphabet-spelling-our-name/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [I usually have a very clear idea of where I want a song to go, sometimes very specific notes, but I'm generally open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/i-usually-have-a-very-clear-idea-of-where-i-want-a-song-to-go/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [It seems to me that a Christian like myself is presented with major problems, but they're nothing like the problems of the atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/it-seems-to-me-that-a-christian-like-myself-is-presented-with-major/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Humans alone are created as rational beings in the image of God, capable of a relationship with God and given by him the capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/humans-alone-are-created-as-rational-beings-in-the-image-of-god/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Not every statement by a scientist is a statement of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/not-every-statement-by-a-scientist-is-a-statement-of-science/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) [Explore all 32 John Lennox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) ## More Alternative quotes > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [In my book I specifically discussed the structural nature of injustice and offered Nine Touchstones of Goddess ethics as an alternative to the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/in-my-book-i-specifically-discussed-the-structural-nature-of/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) Don Chipp > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [There are some fantastic, brilliant alternative doctors out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mills/there-are-some-fantastic-brilliant-alternative-doctors-out-there/) [Hayley Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-mills/) > [The alternative to the market process is government control, and we know where that principle leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/the-alternative-to-the-market-process-is-government-control-and-we/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [Alternative services would mean that there would be services available to compete with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Skype, etc., and they would be run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/alternative-services-would-mean-that-there-would-be-services/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [I liked a lot of alternative and I like punk stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/i-liked-a-lot-of-alternative-and-i-like-punk-stuff/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I've thought about what is an alternative word to feminism. There isn't one. It's a perfectly good word. And it can't be changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-ve-thought-about-what-is-an-alternative-word-to-feminism-there-isn/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [The Voice has always been an alternative paper. They have always understood that that was part of their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-schanberg/the-voice-has-always-been-an-alternative-paper-they-have-always/) [Sydney Schanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-schanberg/) > [Please don't eat less, eat right, don't hold it in, its okay to cry, do not hurt yourself there is always an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/please-don-t-eat-less-eat-right-don-t-hold-it-in-its-okay-to-cry-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Gospel is not an alternative, it’s an ultimatum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/the-gospel-is-not-an-alternative-it-s-an-ultimatum/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) Browse all 400 Alternative quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God is not an alternative to science as an explanation, he is not to be understood merely as a God of the gaps, he is the ground of all explanation: it is his existence which gives rise to the very possibility of explanation, scientific or otherwise. 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