Thanks Ed, the point I would raise is that an eternal or steady-state universe was the default position of scientists (including Einstein) until solid evidence for a start in the Big Bang. It is still disputed but it is safe to say that a start date of 13.8 billion years is pretty well accepted. The question of course is whether or not there was any before.

This is important related to the other question you raise and that is whether the universe or a creator of it gives a hoot for creation including and especially us. It seems easier (more intuitive, natural, maybe) to see that possibility in the concept of a beginning and a Being who brought all being (except its own) into existence. If such a Being exists, then we can extrapolate from the nature of what has been created to address the questions of goodness, personalness, providence and even love. That’s why, as a believer, I keep coming back to the idea of the Good in a Platonic sense, and goodness (in a common sense) that I see in the universe, even now as I look out my window and see a glimpse of too rare Pacific Northwest sunshine. It is a created world, declared good, but corrupted. In that I can see a Being who does indeed care.