Classic god of the gaps stuff, with all the problems that entails.

We all agree that it is difficult to explain consciousness. Does that mean that logically we just accept an evidence-free and untestable "explanation" from the theologians? I think not.

There are two books, both by the late Darryl Reanny, which deal with consciousness and physics. The death of forever and music of the mind.
The subject is viewed by Reanny, through the eyes of a molecular biologist , using comparative religion and physical science as the base for his conclusions

So called theology does not in any sense whatsoever provide an answer to the Mystery of Consciousness. Because like all of Western philosophy and religion (in particular) it is based on three uninspected myths about the intrinsically God-less separate and always separative ego-"I", as described here:
http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/Aletheon/three_great_myths.html

Put in another way, all so called theology is created by the much vaunted death-haunted SHAKTI or SPIRIT-KILLING left brained mind.

This reference provides a comprehensive discussion of the nature of Consciousness
http://www.adidaupclose.org/books/we_are_consciousness_itself.html

More references on Reality as Indivisible Conscious Light, and the myth of "matter". The first one provides a unique Illuminated Understanding of the various existing interpretations of Reality.
http://www.dabase.org/illusion-weather.htm
http://www.beezone.com/da_publications/broken.html

The light of knowledge is held in the hands of materialist not stone age mambo jumbo.
Man will create a mind that is self aware in time.
We will also create life one atom at a time.
We will even create elements at will in the future.

where will your god be hiding then?

Consciousness is not a phenomenon.

>>Man will create a mind that is self aware in time. <<

Conscious (or self aware) man creating a conscious (or self aware) mind out of “unconscious” physical matter sounds to me like the story about baron Münchhausen, who escaped from a swamp by pulling himself up by his own hair.

>>We will also create life one atom at a time.
We will even create elements at will in the future.<<

Plausible basic tenets of the artificial religion called scientism. Other religions are based on other beliefs, likewise plausible and unverifiable, some of them (e.g. Christianity) compatible with the two creeds quoted above.

Yuyutsu, I agree, hence the “god of the gaps” argument does not apply here.