Gods Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe.

By J. Warner Wallace

A Review

J. Warner Wallace is a recently retired cold-case homicide detective, and author of Cold-Case Christianity. Wallace is a popular speaker and Christian apologist. He is also an adjunct professor of Apologetics at Biola University. Wallace has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Design and Architecture, and an MA in Theological studies. This varied background come together in the writings of both Cold-Case Christianity and now, Gods Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe.

Wallaces approach is to examine the universe in the same way he would examine the scene of a death in order to determine a cause. In the case of a death scene, where a dead body is found in a room, there can be only four possible explanations:

Natural causes

Accident

Suicide

Homicide

Wallace points out that if all the evidence related to the death of the person can be explained from within the room, then the death was one of the first three above. However, if he has to leave the room in order to explain any of the evidence, then a homicide had taken place. In other words, someone outside the room is responsible for causing the death.

After explaining his approach, Wallace examines seven features of reality that must be explained either from within the room or from outside the room. He also examines one piece that may eliminate his prime suspect. In each case, the author gives a vignette of a homicide case he has worked and how details of the case illustrate the argument. In chapter 1, he examines the origin of the universe. Why is there something rather than nothing? Did the world have a beginning? If so, what, or who caused it? Wallace points to philosophical arguments and scientific evidence supporting a beginning, and therefore, a cause to the origin of the universe. Since we are talking about how we even have a room in which to investigate, Wallace argues the cause for its origin could not come from within the room.

Before addressing specific counter arguments, Wallace explains the difference between an alternative explanation and a reasonable one. He notes that faulty arguments tend to have one or more of the following flaws:

Lack of evidential support

Critical aspects of the data are illegitimately redefined

Contain logical contradictions.

Wallace goes on to show how the most common alternative explanations for the evidence of the origin of the universe (as well as those of each of the other pieces of evidence throughout the book) fail because of one or more of the above.

In chapter 2, Wallace investigates the apparent fine-tuning of the universe for life. In this chapter, he explains how foundational, regional and locational conditions factor into an explanation for the crime scene. In this case, the foundational would be the laws of physics, the regional would be the properties of the solar system and the locational would be those on our planet. Wallace notes that the breadth and scope of these conditions are evidence that someone designed it that way.

In chapter 3, the origin of life is examined, showing how physics and chemistry eliminate causes inside the room, and information found in DNA point to an agent outside the room.

Chapter 4 revisits the question of design by examining features that are common to things that have been designed. Wallace uses the acronym DESIGNED:

Dubious probability

Echoes of familiarity

Sophistication and Intricacy

Informational Dependency

Goal Direction

Natural Inexplicability

Efficiency

Decision

Wallace then shows how this matrix can be applied to examining evidence for design in biological systems. More importantly, he notes that the argument is not for a god-of-the-gaps. This is an argument for a designer based on what is known, not what is unknown.

Chapter 5 deals with the problem of consciousness, noting that it is not something that can come from matter, and that it is an undeniable experience. Wallace notes how the law of identity supports the distinction between brain states and mental states. Since the room only provides matter, the origin of consciousness must have come from outside the room.

In chapter 6, Wallace demolishes the idea that free will does not exist; noting that to deny its existence is to affirm it. Moreover, since it is not a material thing, it is one more piece of evidence to be explained by leaving the room.

In chapter 7, Wallace argues for objective morality and notes that its origin cannot come from inside the room.

In chapter 8, Wallace addresses what is commonly thought of as the most powerful counterargument against the existence of God, who so far is our primary suspect based on the examined evidence. The Problem of Evil is thought to be exculpatory evidence in this case. However, Wallace points out that even this is evidence for the case for God, rather than against.

Based on each line of evidence, Wallace builds a suspect profile that shows the explanation for the cause of the universe to be:

External to the universe

Nonspatial, atemporal, and nonmaterial

Uncaused

Powerful enough to create everything we see in the universe

Specifically purposeful enough to produce a universe fine-tuned for life

Intelligent and communicative

Creative and resourceful

A conscious mind

Free to choose and create personally

The personal source of morality

The standard of good by which we define evil

Wallace builds a cumulative case for the existence of a being consistent with monotheism. He does not claim to prove the Christian God exists. This case can be used to support the God of Judaism or Islam as well. For more specificity, more sources need to be examined. Wallace does this in Cold-Case Christianity.

Wallaces approach is novel, creative, and understandable. His use of details of homicide cases as illustrations make his case quite accessible. He also offers expert testimony both for and against his case, and provides more information in the back of the book in a section called The Secondary Investigation for those who want to go deeper. Wallaces artistic background is put to good use with his hand-drawn illustrations as well.

Like any work of this kind, those who have no interest in examining their worldview and putting it to the test will find nothing of value here. Those who are honestly seeking answers will find much to think about, and this book will at least, as Greg Koukl puts it, put a stone in their shoe. For those of us who already believe, there is evidential support, and a valuable resource for explaining and defending our view.

Wallaces book is accessible for late middle- to high school students, but rich enough for those with more advanced learning. This book is especially valuable to parents who care about their childrens faith. Whether they ever go off to college at a secular university or not, they will see things on the Internet that will challenge them. This book is a good resource for dealing with these challenges. I highly recommend this book.

Judge: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we have before us on the witness stand of this court a seasoned, cold-case detective, J. Warner Wallace. He will testify to the veracity of his claims, set forth in Gods Crime Scene, that there is, indeed, a Divine Creator. Since the only charge against you, Mr. Wallace, is faulty and illogical thinking, there are no lawyers present, and I will proceed with the questioning myself. Now, having sworn to tell the truth, surely you must confess that this outdated notion of a Creator is something you grew up with, a childhood myth that you cling to for sentimental reasons.

J. Warner Wallace (JWW): Actually, that couldnt be more incorrect. As an atheist, I was very comfortable as the captain of my own ship. My life was fulfilling and rewarding. I had been a police officer for nearly ten years and was used to being in charge in difficult situations. I didnt like intrusions, and there was no room for God in my life. I am not a theist today because I was raised by believers I wasnt. I am not a believer because I was hoping for heaven or afraid of hell I had no sense of value for either. I am not a theist because I was trying to fill a void or satisfy a need I felt none. I believe God exists because the evidence leaves me no reasonable alternative.

Judge: Strong words indeed. Your book is set up around the notion that there is evidence for Gods involvement in creation. For those on the jury who need a refresher, give us a quick summary of your main argument.

JWW: Id be happy to. There are four possible explanations at any death scene. Did the deceased die naturally? Did he suffer some kind of accident? Did he commit suicide? Was he murdered? One simple strategy, therefore, is to ask a foundational question: Can I account for all the evidence in this room by staying in the room? Thinking of the universe as a room, I didnt believer there was any evidence pointing to anyone outside. But I hadnt looked at the evidence carefully. My investigation of the natural universe required me to look at the characteristics of the room and determine if they could be explained fully by what already existed within the four walls. The book is my attempt to help you look at the nature of the universe my effort to share a personal investigation of Gods existence.

Judge: OK, thats enough. Im not ready to throw hundreds of years of science out the window based on your research and your room theory.

JWW: Thats the problem, Judge. Attempts to stay inside the room of the universe to explain its beginning are inadequate because they either lack evidential support or must redefine critical aspects of the evidence to make their case. Heres an example: The foundational laws of physics, the regional properties of our solar system, and the locational conditions of our planet resulted in our existence. But did this have to be the case? The conditions had to be just so for the outcome to be life. The just-so appearance of fine-tuning in our universe is rather uncontroversial among scientists and cosmologists. Even Paul Davies (who is agnostic when it comes to the notion of a Divine Designer) readily stipulated, Everyone agrees that he universe looks as if it was designed for life.

Judge: I call that a lucky break for your side. You know as well as I do that you Christians cant explain all the evil in the world all the bad things that happen to innocent people. If God made this world, what do you have to say about tsunamis and earthquakes and senseless killings?

JWW: Whatever explanation we consider, it must account for the existence of moral evil (like the evil cased by humans), natural evil (like the hardship we see resulting from earthquakes and tsunamis), and pain and suffering (like the anguish experienced by disease). I believe that evil can be reconciled if we have an accurate view of the universe from Gods perspective. For example, if we have been fashioned by a Divine Creator who offers us life beyond the limits of our short, material existence, this would surely change the way we look at pain and suffering on this side of the grave, wouldnt it? If the Divine Creator of the universe respects freedom as much as we do, we should expect a beautiful universe where love and reason are possible, even though hate and irrationality must also be tolerated and allowed. Freedom in all its beauty, does not come without associated dangers. We typically view evil as the antithesis of love. But our definition of love has been deeply compromised. There are times when the deepest, truest expression of love is some form of discipline or correction. Character is developed more through adversity than advantage. Sometimes our suffering is simply the result of bad choices on our part, but even with these explanations in mind, there are times when suffering seems entirely inexplicable. I guess you could say that were all still in the evidence gathering phase on this aspect of my case.

Judge: Youve made some good points, but its the jury you have to convince. Do you have any closing remarks?

JWW: For some who read my book, the evidence couldnt be clearer. For others, the case for a Divine Intruder is still lacking. Who, after all, wants to be intruded upon? If you feel this way, you might want to rethink any resistance you still have to the evidence for such an intruder in our universe. Is your resistance a matter of evidential insufficiency or simply a matter of intruder discomfort?

Notes from the Court Clerk: All of the authors responses in this drama were taken directly from his book, Gods Crime Scene, with the exception of transitional phrases inserted to facilitate a conversational style. These have been recorded in italics. Each chapter of the book has an additional section of supplementary material for those who are interested in further information along a more academic line of thinking. The author also provides access to a panel of expert witnesses through a bibliography that includes testimonies from inside the room as well as outside the room. Well-researched and presented in an accessible and logical manner, Gods Crime Scene is an excellent addition to a homeschool curriculum and a stimulating read that lifts a heated and emotional topic above the rant and rhetoric and calls God Himself to take the witness stand.

This book was provided by David C. Cook in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

"God's Crime Scene" is an apologetic book that looks at evidence about the origins of the universe from the point of view of a cold case detective. Does the universe (including the earth, humans, and even their minds) show evidence of outside tampering or can the evidence be explained in purely naturalistic terms?

The author looked at many "lines of evidence" (cosmology, biology, etc.) as he examined the case. I felt he did an excellent job of distilling the arguments down to explanations that non-scientists can understand. He quoted people from all sides of the debate, and he presented a wide range of possible explanations in the process of finding which one best fit the evidence.

He used examples of various cases he's worked on to show how a detective examines evidence to determine if it's from an outside source and who is responsible. He then applied these methods to the evidence found in the universe. This helped to illustrate his points so I could more easily understand his reasoning.

He only examined whether there was a Divine Intruder or not and, if so, what the evidence can tell us about this intruder. He did not attempt to argue who the Divine Intruder might be. He has another book that examines the Christian Bible to see if it's trustworthy evidence, and it's a good companion book with this one. I wouldn't hesitate to give this book to anyone who is uncertain if there is a god or not. It's also a good resource for people who like to debate this sort of thing with atheists and agnostics. This book will especially appeal to those who are interested in detective work.

I received this ebook as a review copy from the publisher through netGalley.

Did God create the universe and intelligent life, or did everything evolve without divine intervention? That's the question Wallace, a retired homicide investigator, investigates in this book using the same techniques he did solving cold cases.

I like the way he uses police cases as a spring board for discussing the origin of the universe. Reading how techniques are used in a criminal investigation really help us understand how those same techniques are used in drawing conclusions about our existence.

His writing on evidence is great. It really helped clarify in my mind what good evidence is and how it is evaluated. He also explains the various kinds of evidence, such as circumstantial. I was impressed with his comments on nonmaterial influence, something materialists reject. Mental states, such as motive or the ability to reason, are important to criminal investigations. I liked his discussion on determinism and free will, a good explanation. He helped me understand causation and the difference between event and agent explanations.

I was also introduced to abductive reasoning, inferring to the most reasonable explanation. I like that he keeps coming back to examining the explanatory strength of each explanation to see which one best accounts for the evidence. His investigation into evil and God is great.

Wallace explains the scientific method in terms of police work. First there is information gathering, then evaluating. Next is drawing reasonable inferences and then making sure the evidence supports the conclusion. I really like his relating the process to criminal investigation.

Another aspect of the book I really liked is comparing this study of the origin of the universe to that of a case tried in court. The defense attorney and the prosecutor each ask the jury to believe different explanations. The defense attorney will say his or her client was not involved (naturalists). The prosecutor will claim the individual was involved and committed the crime (outside influence intelligent design). The jury has to make a decision based on the evidence presented. And that is what Wallace wants us to do.

I really like the way Wallace has crafted this book. The illustrations of his own criminal investigations are really interesting reading. How he relates them to the investigation of the origin of the universe is superb. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in whether an external being caused the creation of the universe or not. The cumulative evidence is well presented in this book.

There is added material for further investigation into each chapter subject at the end of the book. It is great material for those who would like to go a little deeper into each subject.

I highly recommend this book. I think Wallace is the best and clearest apologist for Christianity I have read.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

J. Warner Wallace is fantastic. His logic is airtight, easy to follow, and never boring. His first book, "Cold Case Christianity" is another weapon in the apologist's arsenal. Awesome.