"The Big Bang theory has nearly lost its place as the front-runner in explaining where our universe came from, or how it started."
The Big Bang theory is scientific theory, and by and large the most supportable theory there is. It's based on observable data and research not just wishful thinking. The evidence led to the theory, the scientists just named the evidence "Big Bang." They didn't pull it out of thin air. The standard model is the prevailing model of all current modern physics and it completely supports the conclusions of Big Bang theory.
We not only have evidence pointing to possibilities but have evidence disproving alternative possibilities, making the Big Bang theory every more certain with each decade. And proportionately, as Big Bang theory becomes more certain, certain personality types find it increasingly disturbing for them. Doesn't have to do with any evidence. It has to do with their comfort faith factor and how much big bang theory challenges their preconceived notions.
Physicists don't actually say that the universe came from nothing. The only time they say that is when religious people are talking for them.
The Big Bang theory says that at some moment all of space was contained in a single point, which is considered the beginning of the universe. The question is what was the nature of this "point?" Was it material, physical? Did it have any size or dimension? Or just a hypothetical point, just like geometrical point?
1) It is called as singularity, not hypothetical but theoretical. 2) No one knows about it.
