the universe should be assumed by both camps to be eternal.
We know that stars require fuel, lighter elements capable of fusing into heavier elements, in order to burn.
There is no new supply of lighter elements.
ergo..
Think of it in terms of the rain/evaporation cycle on earth. For rain to exist there has to be humidity in the atmosphere to condense.
Remove the evaporation of water from the cycle and the cycle stops.
There is no recycling of elements from the intermediate mass range back to the lighter mass range.
A good book to read might be "Modern theories of the Universe" from Herschel to Hubble" by Michael J. Crowe
It is not very current but is useful as an overview of the history of our understanding of the cosmos and how it developed. Once you gain an appreciation for what it took to get to where we are in our understanding you will be less inclined to dismiss it all with the wave of a hand..
WMAP- Life and Death of Stars
Future of an expanding universe - Wikipedia
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