Tuesday

My Answer To A Theistic Evolutionist

Tony's question and comment were posted in response to My Answer To An Evolutionist.

Why can't you believe in God and at the same time look at natural phenomena through the lens of evolution? You can argue that, yes, indeed, there is a Creator, and He set life (and so evolution) going on earth and only he knows where else in the universe. I really don't see the dichotomy. Thanks for listening. Tony

It has been a few years now since a micro-biologist I respect published a book defending, in part, his belief in theistic evolution (the notion that God used evolution to create this modern world). After reading his book I found myself actually wishing I could accept his position... it sounded so plausible... so conciliatory. But... I cannot believe it. There are many reasons for my unbelief, but two which render my position profoundly irreconcilable with theistic evolution. I will mention them in brief here:

1. Evolution is death based while the Bible teaching of creation is life based. By “death based” I mean that death is vital to the theory of evolution. Death and natural selection are fundamentally inseparable. Death has no penal value... it is just the natural way.

By “life based” I mean that Bible based creation begins with perpetual life. Death was unknown to the original creation. Death is unnatural and has penal value (The Creator introduced death as a penalty).

As far as I can see these two positions are completely incompatible. Christians who hold the position of theistic evolution have overwhelming consistency problems with, among other things, the concept of divine justice, the position of man in divine order, and the problem of sin and the fall of man.

2. I have no authoritative foundation upon which to rest a belief in theistic evolution so I have no “lens” to use. I believe the Creator has authoritatively used human language to tell us things about Himself, creation, and us that we could not otherwise know. In all my years of studying theology I have never come across a credible text where the Creator has revealed He used evolution as a tool of creation.

Thanks, Tony, for your comment, and I hope this has answered your question.






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