A. Why is there a controversy with evolution and creationism?

B. Where do we stand as Christians amidst this controversy?

II. Evolution

A. Traditional science and why Darwin caused an uproar.

B. Definition of evolution.

C. Delving into the religious battle.

D. Does evolution have to be related to religion?

III. Creationism

A. Definition of creationism and creation science.

B. The rise of creation science.

C. Evolution as a threat to the religious establishment.

IV. Foundation of the Debate

A. Development of origin theories

1. Accommodation

a. St. Augustine

b. John Calvin

2. Concordism and phsico-theology

3. The eighteenth and nineteenth century

a. Darwin

b. Asa Gray

c. James McCosh

4. The twentieth century popal decision

V. The role of religion and science in the Christian's life.

A. Differing Christian interpretations

1. Wright's advice about forming opinions.

2. Using education and learning to form opinions.

VI. Conclusion

A. The importance of our beliefs.

B. The importance of our faith.

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I. INTRODUCTION

The debate of evolution and creationism has extended since the beginning of time. In fact, it is not even as simple as these two opposing views. Each person seems to have formed their own theory which has a unique list of beliefs and dimensions. This makes a complex and difficult task when trying to find agreement between each of these unique theories. However, many Christians are finding it necessary to discover an alternative to the extremist views of evolution and creationism.

An article on the world wide web entitled the "Theory of evolution vs. creation," summarizes the debate between evolution and creationism. According to this article, the controversy between these theories began because of two differing beliefs on the meaning of life. It states that, "Evolutionists use the scientific method which assumes that everything happens as a result of natural forces, not by the command of a deity. They will usually trace origins back to the `big bang.' And when skeptics ask what happened before the big bang, scientists may offer some guesses, but will usually admit that they don't know." On the other side of the debate, the creation scientists believe that, "God created the universe, including the earth and its life forms. And when scientific skeptics ask who created God, creationists will usually reply that God has always existed and was not created."(OCRT,1996) A battle between the two theories erupts because evolution and creationism delve deeply into philosophical and theological conceptions. More likely than not, the evolution and creationism debate is an issue of religion. On religious grounds such as these, science is not prepared or adept to resolve the existing conflict.

Throughout history, Christians have tended to defend the theory which supports the existence of God. Because creationism is centered around God, many Christians have been persuaded to join this cause. However, there are also many Christians who believe that evolution is the mechanism which best explains how life originated. This belief does not deny the fact that God is the creator, it only states that God used evolution as a tool to create. Thus, for Christians, the question still remains, must we choose evolution or creationism?

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II.EVOLUTION

Traditionally, science was created to justify the presence of God and scientific theories were based on a supreme creator. In other words, our primary purpose for doing science was to prove God's existence and to show God's ultimate design or purpose in our world. However, in 1859, Charles Darwin's, Origin of Species, shocked many people and caused them to reevaluate their established beliefs. Roland Mushat Frye likens Darwin and his theory to a "volcanic eruption or a great earthquake which shook everything in its range and charged the contours of the land."(Frye,1983) According to the theory proposed by Charles Darwin, there are three main principles which play a role in the evolutionary process: the occurrence of random variation, the mechanism of heredity, and a struggle for existence.(Nelkin,1982) The interplay of these three principles determine the species whose characteristics will survive to be inherited by future generations. Darwin's explanation of biological change excluded the necessity of supernatural intervention. Thus, the traditional scientific perspectives and values were threatened by Darwin's theory. Because God was no longer the focal point of science, many Christians started to question and even reject new theories about origins. From this time on, we were faced with two opposing arenas; evolution and creationism.

The definition of evolution according to Webster's dictionary is, "a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state...a theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations." (1993) Most simply stated, evolution is defined as the alterations that occur through a vast time period. Note that this concise definition of evolution does not disrupt any of the basic Christian foundations.

Jesse Myers clearly addresses the religious dissension that occurred as a result of Darwin's proposal of evolution. In his paper entitled, "A Look at Scientific Creationism," he states that;

The Origin of Species created a debate that is still going today. Before Darwin, science assumed that God was the direct origin of all species on earth. God was no longer an integral part of science since Darwin's theory of evolution did not require God in order for it to work. Darwinism suggested that all living creatures evolved from a single ancestor and were not all put on earth by God in the manner described in Genesis. Darwin's theory suggested the gradual development of life over a long period of time, not six days as stated in Genesis. Darwin provided a mechanism for the development of life that, for many, seemed to leave God out of the picture.(1996)

According to Darwin, living species are related by common ancestors and they continue to change over time. This fundamental idea of evolution lead to the theory that living organisms ultimately originated from a single primeval cell through naturalistic and mechanical processes. Through variations and adaptations the species changed through genetic inheritance from generation to generation. If the changes were advantageous for the organism in their particular environment, then the mutation would serve to better equip the organism to survive and reproduce. However, if this change was not beneficial to the organism the genetic mutation would die out. This process of change and survival, termed natural selection, was the basic mechanism for Darwin's theory of evolution.(Zook,1987) Pressing further into this theory, the first primeval cell originated from inanimate matter which was present in the original atmosphere of the earth. This inanimate matter in turn was created by the big bang. The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance wrote the web article entitled, "What are evolution and creation science?" In this article, they stated that science is not prepared to answer "whether evolution was originally set in motion by a deity, or is guided by a deity..." for these are, "philosophical and religious concerns outside the realm of scientific inquiry." Thus, it seems that the theory of evolution does not necessarily deny the existence of God as some presumed it did. If evolution was viewed in this way, the religious battle might be avoided.

Shortly after Darwin introduced his theory of evolution, the creation scientists emerged. The creation scientists established themselves from the tradition of creationism. Creationism as defined by Webster is, "a doctrine or theory holding that matter, the various forms of life, and the world were created by God out of nothing and usually in the way described in Genesis."(1993) Thus, creation science, which is an outgrowth of this theory is simply defined as the, "scientific evidence or arguments put forth in support of creationism."

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III. CREATIONISM

Most Christians consider themselves to be "creationists" because one of the major doctrines of the Christian faith is that God is the originator of the universe. However, most Christians have only the vaguest notion of how God might have performed this creative act. Since the 1960's, the definition of "creationist" has changed to mean "creation scientist." The creation scientists believe that Genesis is not a religious dogma, but instead is an alternative scientific hypothesis which is capable of evaluation by scientific procedures. Therefore, Creation Scientists not only believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, but they also believe that the Bible can be proven scientifically. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth...(Genesis 1:1), and according to the scientific creationists, creation was completed in six, twenty-four hour days. Henry M. Morris, states that creationists argue that God created everything in a perfect state. Once creation was completed, the process of conservation began. This process was, "designed by the Creator to sustain and maintain the basic systems He had created."(Zook,1987) For this reason, scientific creationists believe that God created everything according to the biblical account and that everything is more or less sustained in the same way that it was created in the beginning of time.
According to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, most creation scientists follow the "new earth" theory of creation. In the article, "What are evolution and creation science?", they write that creation scientists are typically from Fundamentalist or Evangelical backgrounds, and view evolution as denying God of His rightful role as the creator of the universe. Furthermore, they believe that if they abandoned their belief in the complete accuracy of the Bible, than many of their other "traditional beliefs might be threatened, including the story of the Garden of Eden, the fall of Adam and Eve, the concept of original sin, and ultimately, the need for a savior." (OCRT,1996) Thus, creation scientists are afraid to verify scientific evidence because they fear it would promote questioning as to the validity of the Bible.

There have been a variety of thought processes in the course of history which have lead us to believe in many things about the origin of life. However, I hope that we are beginning to realize that the core argument is not the theories themselves, but in the real meaning of human existence. Many Christians believe that we live in a relationship with God, which was established so that we might glorify and seek eternal happiness with God when our days on earth are finished. On the other hand, many atheists do not seek meaning to the question of existence. For most atheists, the question of existence is primarily related to the spiritual aspect of life. It is this spiritual aspect that they question in the first place. Because of these different world views, Christians have sought to align themselves with creationism because this supports their belief in God. And many non-Christians have aligned themselves with particular theories of evolution because a divine creator is often excluded from such theories. Because of this, an unnecessary spiritual battle has developed.

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IV. FOUNDATION OF THE DEBATE

For Christians, it is often less difficult to comprehend how God could successfully interact with an orderly universe than it is to explain how the universe could be so orderly without an organizing intelligence behind it. However, I also do not believe that the Bible should be forced into a single uniform "science" such as the creationists purpose to simply verify my inclinations. In fact, throughout history Christians have been trying to figure out a way to mesh God with the "creation" of our world. This has been done in a variety of ways. St. Augustine and John Calvin were among the first people to support the idea of accommodation. Accommodation served as an interpretive device of the Bible which allowed the interpreter to preserve the valid meaning found in the Bible without having to view it completely literally.(Frye,1983) St. Augustine was well respected in both the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions, so when he made a judgment regarding the debate of origins many people listened. Augustine felt that it was impossible to impose a specific time frame on the biblical stories of creation. In fact, he felt that the stories of the Bible served predominantly as illustrations. About this he said, "God did not intend to teach men about the inner structure of nature." Many believe that we must recognize this concept as a basic truth in order to make any responsible interpretations of Scripture.

Following Augustine, in the sixteenth century John Calvin made further statements as to the place and meaning of the Bible. Calvin said, "the purpose of the biblical account of creation was not to instruct people in astronomy or in any other science, but rather in their human nature and destiny, and in their relation to God." He summarized these thoughts by saying that, "...we can neither reject the truth itself, nor despise it wherever it shall appear, unless we wish to dishonor the spirit of God."(Frye,1983) This and similar statements like it surely encouraged the movement of modern science. For Christians, this statement also provoked many to review their basic beliefs. I believe that this statement encourages us to accept the scientific findings as a revelation from God. Instead of rejecting science, we should view science as a gift from God, and a guide for answering the what and how questions that arise.

At the time of Darwin, the ideas of concordism and physico-theology replaced many of the previous ideas of accommodation. These newer concepts sought ways to combine the scientific and biblical accounts into a single system. Further defined, concordism is the "effort to read the Bible as though its apparently literal expressions were teaching the facts of science."(Frye,1983) Along with this, physico-theology, "suggests a mechanical reading of Scripture for scientific and religious messages." The combination of these two ideas opened the way for the eighteenth and nineteenth century views of mechanics. At this time, nature and the world were viewed solely as mechanical entities. It was also in this era that Darwin made his first debut. Although, many people were shocked by the theories he introduced, there were also many who were willing to accept them at this time. From this brief unfolding of history, we can see that the world view seemed to change drastically from one which was focused around the Bible and God to one which was centered around science.

After Darwin's introduction of evolution through the Origin of Species, two influential men of the nineteenth century joined the evolutionist bandwagon and encouraged other Christians to do the same. Harvard's Asa Gray was one of these men. In 1880, he delivered a speech to the Yale Divinity School, in which he affirmed his acceptance of both the classical ideas of Christianity and the theory of evolution.(Frye,1983) Then in 1888, James McCosh who was the president of Princeton in 1868 published an influential book which advocated the evolutionary theory. Like Gray, he declared that, "no difficulty arises on the theory of (evolutionary) development which does not meet us on the theory of the immediate creation of every new individual and species," he also affirmed that Christians should, "look on evolution simply as the method by which God works."

A further religious stance took place in the 1950's when the Roman Catholic church voiced their opinion on the issue. Pope Pius XII established that the Genesis story should not be taken literally, but symbolically. In fact, others hold a similar view that the passage in Genesis is about the nature of God. Some even say that if we were to make this passage into something scientific (as do the Creation Scientists) then we would narrow God in terms of scientific world view. Science at its best can only strengthen faith, not verify it. The article, "History of the conflict of evolution vs. creation science," reports that in 1996, the Pope sent a formal statement to the Pontifical Academy of Science which stated that, "fresh knowledge leads to recognition of the theory of evolution as more than just a hypothesis."(OCRT,1996)

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V. THE ROLE OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE.

So what then should we as Christians make of the ongoing arguments concerning our origins? In my opinion, we need to avoid the restrictive use of biblical interpretation. Such limitation may cause us to reject the legitimate evidence which is available to us. At the same time that we are avoiding literal interpretations of the Bible, we must be careful not to reject the fundamental teachings and nature of God. Like Ivan L. Zabilka states in his book entitled, Scientific Malpractice: The Creation/Evolution Debate, "The Christian further affirms that science and religion need not be at war, are not totally separated from each other in influence upon one another, and are not mutually exclusive just because science tends to deal with the how and when, theology with the why. Christians believe in an orderly creation that provides a meaningful basis for scientific study--creation by a dependable God who is not arbitrary, capricious, whimsical or deceptive."(1992) In this, we can conclude that God can use natural means by which to create all that we know today.

For me, it is an individual's privilege to believe in the biblical story or in the evolutionary pathway. As Richard T. Wright states in, Biology:Through the eyes of faith, there are many differences in the Christian interpretations of our origins. "We must recognize that these differences between believers--people who are sincerely trying to be obedient to biblical teaching. However strongly we support a given view, we must not be tempted to judge opposing viewpoints as being non-Christian. These matters have been debated for many decades, and still the differences persist. So we must accept as a starting premise that the issues surrounding Genesis 1 are sufficiently cloudy that no one view can be considered `the Christian view.'"(1989)

V. CONCLUSION

Although Christians develop many interpretations, there are two things that we need to remember when dealing with these differences. The first thing we need to remember is how to best form an opinion. Wright gives three principles that are helpful in this discernment process. He suggests that we should take into account: our best judgment, the ability to change our opinion, and a slowness to condemn others who hold differing beliefs than ourselves.(1989) The second aspect we need to remember when dealing with differences is a continual emphasis on education. As we broaden the scope of our understanding, we are able to form a clearer picture of what we know to be fact and that which we know to simply be a belief. By defining more clearly the facts from the theories, we open ourselves to the various means which God might have used to create this world. This concept is captivated by Blackmore and Page when they state, "let no man think or maintain that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let man endeavor an endless progress or proficience in both."(1989)

For Christians then, the means by which the universe was created may vary. If for instance the mechanism for creation which we choose is evolutionary, this does not diminish the spiritual importance of the human race or question the existence of God. It in fact only displays the method by which God was able to work that we as humans could understand this remarkable invention. The importance of our faith is the most important link between these theories. A faith which supports the belief that God sent Jesus to earth to be crucified on the cross for us. And because of this tremendous act of grace we are able to spend eternity with our Lord in Heaven. Therefore, it does not matter how God created us, for we now know that God cares for all of creation and has established a unique relationship with us. This relationship allows us to address the more important issues of the world, so that one day the entire human race may know of God's love and mercy.

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