Science, Evolution, and the Age of the Universe

Maimonides (the Rambam) lived nearly 800 years ago and was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers to address science and philosophy through the lens of Torah. He authored the most comprehensive halachic work in Jewish history (Mishneh Torah) and formulated the Thirteen Principles of Faith, beliefs incumbent upon every Jew. It is therefore only natural that we turn to his writings when grappling with modern questions of science and philosophy.

Before Evolution: The Ancient Belief in an Eternal Universe

If you had asked an atheist one hundred or even one thousand years ago what he believed, you would quickly have discovered that the “evolution” of that era was the belief that the universe was eternal.

Few people realize this today, but virtually all philosophers and scientists of the ancient and medieval world believed that the universe had always existed — eternal, without beginning or origin. This belief was known as the eternity of the world and later, in scientific language, as a static universe. This was also the core belief of skeptics and heretics throughout history: if the universe had no beginning, then no Creator was needed. The world simply always existed.

This belief functioned in precisely the same way evolution often does today, in that it attempted to free humanity from belief in Divine creation. Notably, many people accepted the eternity of the universe simply because the philosophical and scientific elite believed it. Philosophers of the past were treated with the same blind reverence modern professors sometimes receive today. There is truly nothing new under the sun.

When one holds academic credentials, one need not always prove one’s claims; elegant speculation and sophisticated language are often enough for the masses to accept hypotheses as unquestionable fact — until, of course, the theory is replaced.

The Big Bang: A Very Recent Revolution

The belief in an eternal universe was only definitively overturned within the last century.

Even Albert Einstein initially believed the universe was static and eternal. Only after the cosmological discoveries of Edwin Hubble did scientists abandon this ancient theory and conclude that the universe had a beginning in time — what we now call the Big Bang. Einstein himself was forced to retract his earlier position and famously referred to it as “the greatest blunder of my life.”

Theories do not truly die; they are merely replaced. The belief in an eternal universe was swapped for other theories — evolution, primordial soup, cosmic development, and estimates of the universe’s age.

Maimonides on the Eternity of the World

Fortunately, Maimonides addressed the issue of the eternity of the universe directly and gave us a principled framework for evaluating scientific theories in every generation. His response to this question is precisely the response applicable today to evolution and the age of the universe.

Let us examine what Maimonides writes in Guide for the Perplexed (Part II, Chapter 25), paraphrased and explained: “Know that we do not reject the belief in the eternity of the universe because the Torah states that the world was created from nothing. The verses describing creation are no clearer than those describing God as having a physical body. Just as we interpret anthropomorphic verses non-literally, we could, if necessary, interpret the verses of creation differently.

We could explain ‘In the beginning God created’ to mean that God formed the world from pre-existing matter. Indeed, it might have been easier to do so, as it would have spared us debate with philosophers.

Yet we do not interpret the Torah according to personal preference. We reject the eternity of the universe for two reasons: first, reason compels us to understand that the Creator is not material, and therefore did not require pre-existing matter; second, the eternity of the universe has never been proven empirically or scientifically.

Therefore, we do not abandon the plain meaning of Scripture merely to accommodate unproven philosophical theories.”

A Crucial Principle: Torah and Proven Science

Maimonides establishes a foundational principle that illuminates all discussions of Torah and science. He was addressing an issue far more serious than evolution or the age of the universe.

After all, which claim is more problematic from a Jewish perspective: that God created life through a gradual process, or that God did not create the universe at all? Clearly, belief in an eternal universe contradicts the very first verse of the Torah: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Yet even here, Maimonides explains that if science had definitively proven the eternity of the universe, Judaism would not collapse. Interpretive possibilities would remain open. Science, therefore, can never threaten Jewish faith.

Why Didn’t Maimonides Reinterpret the Torah?

If reinterpretation was possible, why didn’t Maimonides do so? After all, philosophers and scientists believed in the eternity of the universe for over two thousand years.

His answer is decisive: Torah and science must be reconciled only when science is truly proven. Genuine science is empirical — based on observation, experimentation, and necessity of reason. Speculation, consensus, or academic fashion are not enough.

Judaism does not encourage ignorance, nor does it demand blind faith. But it firmly rejects the surrender of Torah interpretation to shifting, unproven theories.

If Maimonides Lived Today

If Maimonides were alive today, this is precisely how he would address evolution and the age of the universe. To illustrate, here is a contemporary restatement of his position, modeled on Guide for the Perplexed:

“We do not reject the claim that humans evolved from earlier species merely because the Torah states that man was formed from dust. Just as we reinterpret verses describing God’s ‘hand’ or ‘anger,’ we could reinterpret creation narratives if necessary.

We could explain the Torah as describing evolutionary development and an ancient universe. Yet we do not do so for two reasons: first, reason does not compel belief in evolution or an ancient universe; second, science has not empirically proven these claims. Scientists speculate about the origins of life and the cosmos, just as philosophers once speculated about an eternal universe.

Therefore, we do not abandon the plain meaning of Scripture without compelling reason.”

Addressing a Common Misunderstanding

Some readers mistakenly assume that Maimonides teaches that Torah must bend to science. This is a serious misunderstanding.

There cannot be a true contradiction between Torah and science, because the Author of Torah is the Creator of nature. Any apparent conflict indicates a misunderstanding, either of Torah or of science.

When science is conclusively proven, it may help us understand Torah more precisely. This does not subordinate Torah to science; it refines human understanding of Divine truth.

Does Science Always Get It Right?

Of course not. Scientific theories frequently change. The eternity of the universe, spontaneous generation, and countless other “settled facts” were eventually discarded. Even Einstein and Stephen Hawking revised their positions multiple times.

This is why Judaism refuses to reinterpret Scripture hastily. Only when empirical reality compels reinterpretation — and only under the guidance of Torah scholars, may such steps be taken.

Final Clarification

Maimonides spoke about empirical science, not speculative theories. Evolution, the age of the universe, and similar claims are often labeled “science,” but they remain largely theoretical and unproven.

The Torah is not clay in the hands of theorists. Until reason and evidence truly compel reinterpretation, the plain meaning of Scripture stands.