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Science, Religion and Dinosaurs

Talking to Children and Teenagers about Science, Religion and Dinosaurs

Hi there, and welcome to this space where you can explore some of the big questions young people and teens are asking about science and religion. We have prepared some age-appropriate starter ‘answers’ to help you explore these topics with them - - answers which value, and bring together, current knowledge and ideas from religion and mainstream science. 

Choose your age range from the menu on the left, then click on a question below to read some thoughts about God, dinosaurs, extinctions, and the Bible. You can also click on ‘Scientists’ to meet some scientists of faith who study this topic!


  • Why are we talking about dinosaurs?

  • Did God make the dinosaurs?

  • How did we find out about dinosaurs?

  • When were the dinosaurs alive?

  • Scientists

  • How did we find out about dinosaurs?

  • Why did the dinosaurs die out (why did God let it happen?)

  • Were humans and dinosaurs ever living on earth at the same time?

  • Why aren’t dinosaurs in the Bible?

  • More Questions?

  • Activities

  • Why are we talking about dinosaurs?

    Who isn't fascinated by dinosaurs and the other creatures that roamed our world throughout it's history?

    Since the first fossils were found, people have been asking questions about them and how they fit with the other questions we ask about the universe. 

    Take a look at some of these questions and see what you might find out about our world's amazing living history and how it relates to our thinking about religious faith. 

  • Did God make the dinosaurs?

    The Bible (the holy book that Christians read) says that God made everything. All the stars, the Earth and all the amazing plants and animals that have ever lived here. So yes, most Christians believe that God made the dinosaurs!

    The Bible also teaches that God loves it when people explore his creation, and science is a great way of doing that.

    So, for many Christians, science is one of the fun things we can use to learn all about how God made everything, including all of the dinosaurs!

  • How did we find out about dinosaurs?

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  • When were the dinosaurs alive?

    Most types of dinosaurs lived a very long time ago.

    There were lots of different types of dinosaurs.

    Some were very big, some very small. Some were fluffy and feathery, some scaly and bumpy. They came in all sorts of different colours and might have made all kinds of different noises!

    The first dinosaurs lived about 250 million years ago. But not all the dinosaurs lived on earth at the same time as each other.

    Most dinosaurs aren’t alive any more, but birds are dinosaurs which are still alive today!

  • Bob White

    Professor Bob White is a geophysicist and a Christian.

    Mary Schweitzer

    Professor Mary Schweitzer is a palaeontologist and a Christian.

    Sarah Bodbyl Roels

    Dr Sarah Bodbyl Roels is an evolutionary biologist and a Christian.

    Simon Conway Morris

    Professor Simon Conway Morris is a palaeontologist, evolutionary biologist, and Christian. 

    Mary Anning

    Mary Anning lived from 1799 – 1847. She is remembered as one of the 19th century’s greatest fossil hunters.

  • How did we find out about dinosaurs?

    We find out about dinosaurs from things called fossils.

    Fossils are made when the teeth, bones or other bits of an animal or plant get buried by sand or mud and (over a very, very long time) they are turned into rock.

    Sometimes we can find these fossils buried in the ground or washed up on the beach. They tell us about animals and plants that lived a long time before any humans were alive!

    When people first found dinosaur fossils they didn’t know what they were. Some people said they were dragons, other people thought they were giants!

    We’ve learned a lot more about dinosaurs since then, so you can find out all about them!

  • Why did the dinosaurs die out (why did God let it happen?)

    Life on Earth is always changing. Sometimes big changes happen all at once!

    A long, long time ago lots of the living things on earth were wiped out, including most dinosaurs, and other large animals which lived in the sea, or flew.

    Most scientists think this happened because a big space rock crashed into the earth. The big crash made a big mess, and some big changes. It even changed how warm the planet was, which meant lots of animals and plants had nowhere good to live anymore.

    The Bible (the holy book that Christians read) says God is good, so why didn’t he protect the Earth?

    It might seem sad to think that God would let his creation get hurt. The Bible agrees that it is hard to understand, but Christians believe it also says that the most important thing to know is that God really loves everything he has ever made, from you to the biggest dinosaur!

    It’s good to remember that dinosaurs have lived on earth for hundreds of millions of years.  And not all of the dinosaurs died out, birds are living dinosaurs which are still with us today!

    Another good thing to know is that, since the time when lots of life on earth was wiped out, lots of new types of plants and animals, including people like you, have filled up the earth again. These plants and animals might never have existed otherwise!

    The Bible claims that God created the entire universe, and encourages people to explore and find out all about how  it works. It also says that whatever happens, God always loves everything he has ever made, so Christians believe we can trust him even when we don’t understand everything yet.

  • Were humans and dinosaurs ever living on earth at the same time?

    Yes! But probably not the kind of dinosaur you’re thinking of!

    Most of the dinosaurs died out a very, very long time ago, way before humans first lived. But some of the smaller, feathery dinosaurs survived and over a long time they have evolved into the animals we call birds.

    So, from chickens and robins to penguins and ostriches, there are dinosaurs living all over our world today!

  • Why aren’t dinosaurs in the Bible?

    The Bible (the holy book that Christians read) wasn’t written to list all the animals on earth or tell us about science.

    It was written a long time before people started to use science to learn about the world.

    When the Bible was written, people didn’t even have a word for dinosaurs yet! But it’s not just dinosaurs that aren’t mentioned in the Bible, it doesn’t talk about armadillos, kangaroos, sabre-toothed cats or penguins either!

    That doesn’t mean that the Bible is out of date or wrong, or that these animals aren’t important. Rather than teaching us science, many Christians believe that the Bible was written to tell people about God, how much he loves them, and all the amazing things he has done.

    The Bible says that God made everything, and loves everything he made, so that includes dinosaurs. It also encourages people to explore and find out all about the wonderful things it says God has made.  Science is a part of this exploration.

  • More Questions?

    Do you have questions which aren't covered here?

    It's great to ask lots of questions and we want to help!

    Take a look at some of our other topics, activities and resources to see what else you can discover. 

    Or why not get in touch and we'll do our best to help you out as you explore these exciting questions!

  • Activity Biography

    Make Your Own Fossils

    Create your own fossil imprints and wonder at the clues that help us find out about animals and plants that lived long ago.

    Crafty Animal A-Z

    Get creative with your favourite crafts as you think about the amazing variety of animals in our world. Can you think of a different animal for each letter of the alphabet?

    Habitats

    Create your own different habitats and explore how different animals are all good at different things and can live in different places.
     

    Museum of Zoology Online - Cambridge University

    Experience a world of discoveries from your home

    London Natural History Museum - Try This at Home

    Experience a world of discoveries from your home

    Never Off Topic: Website

    Explore Further in Science and Faith