Is there a "Big Bang" Beginning in the Bible?

I realize that this book has been around for a while (Zondervan, 2004), but with all the required reading to do in seminary, and with a new language to learn in South Asia, I was just finally able to tackle The Case for a Creator.

This book is beneficial for several reasons. First, Lee Strobel thoroughly investigates the scientific data related to creation. Second, he objectively looks at the data he has gathered. Third, he comes to the rational conclusion that a creator made the world, and that evolution is a faulty theory. The best part of this book is that we see that true science supports the belief that God created the world.

My primary disagreement with Strobel is that even though he believes that God created the world, he also assumes that God began things with a "Big Bang." From the very outset of the book, Strobel seems to assume that the Big Bang theory is correct. As far as I can tell, he bases this solely on data that shows that the universe is expanding. While this may be the case, does this automatically mean that a Big Bang occurred?

It appears to me that the scientific data used to support the Big Bang theory is shaky at best. We must keep in mind that Strobel's purpose in writing this book was not to see what scripture says about creation, but rather to look at the scientific data. However, when discussing the possibility of a Big Bang, we certainly need to clearly look at what God's word says about how He created the world.

In looking at Genesis chapter 1, creation seems to be very orderly. In verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and 26 we read the statement, "And God said..." Immediately after God spoke, something was created. We read that these orderly creating acts took place over a six day period. We read that as God was creating, he pronounced His creation to be "good." However, after He made man and woman, He called His creation "very good."

Throughout the entire creation account of Genesis 1 & 2, we see a beautiful creation that God made through His word. He spoke and it happened. The text implies an orderly, step-by-step process that led to a "very good" creation.

Could God have used a Big Bang to begin this process? It is possible. However, by its very definition, a "bang" is an uncontrolled explosion. It seems odd that God would begin His creating acts with something so out of control.

If the Biblical text indicates an orderly creation, and the scientific data for the Big Bang is weak, then it seems that the best conclusion is that there was, in fact, no Big Bang, and that God created in an orderly manner right from the very beginning with His word.