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Notre Dame priest: Creationism debate unique to U.S.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle ^ | 2003-05-11 | Walt Williams

Posted on 05/11/2003 4:38:14 PM PDT by Junior

Despite movements across the nation to teach creationism in public schools, a science historian said Monday that Christians haven't always used a literal interpretation of the Bible to explain the world's origins.

"For them, the Bible is mostly to teach a religious lesson," said Ernan McMullin of the earliest Christian scholars.

McMullin spoke to a crowd of about 60 people at Montana State University on "Evolution as a Christian theme."

McMullin, a professor at the University of Notre Dame and a Catholic priest, is recognized one of the world's leading science historians and philosophers, according to MSU.

He has written about Galileo, Issac Newton, the concept of matter and, of course, evolution.

It's a subject has been hotly debated ever since Charles Darwin first published "On the Origins of Species" in 1859.

Christian fundamentalists have long pushed the nation's public schools to teach creationism as an alternative, which in its strictest form claims that the world was created in six days, as stated in the Bible's Old Testament Book of Genesis.

But McMullin said creationism largely is an American phenomenon. Other countries simply don't have major creationist movements, leading him to ask: "What makes it in the U.S. ... such an issue (over) evolution and Christian belief?"

The answer probably lies in the nation's history, with the settlement by religious groups, he said. Also, public education and religion are more intertwined here than other countries.

McMullin discussed how Christians have tried to explain their origins over the past 2,000 years, using several examples to show that many viewed Genesis as more of a religious lesson than an exact record of what happened.

It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century that Genesis started to be taken literally. Then theologians started using nature - and its many complexities - as proof of creation.

Charles Darwin spoiled that through his theory of natural selection, and the battle lines have been drawn ever since.

"It replaced an older view that had sounded like a strong argument for the existence of God," McMullin said.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: crevolist
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To: balrog666
How's that?

Par for the course.

481 posted on 05/12/2003 3:34:17 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: Aric2000
That debate would be grand, but it has NOTHING to do with evolution.

I am going to type slowly this time – maybe it will sink in.

Evolution is presented as cosmological theory (although it is not a very good one). abiogenesis is a possible way to make Evolution a cosmological theory. Basically Evolution as a cosmological theory is the theory of happenstance – the universe just happened – no design, no intelligence.

Therefore it would be a debate on cosmology and or abiogenesis.

Once again - you really don't understand cosmology. Cosmology is the study of the universe in totality (including but not limited to the origin). Abiogenesis and evolution are both part of cosmology. Cosmology theories are basically soup-to-nuts theories of the universe (from origin till now and beyond – the universe in totality). That is why when some of you screamed “evolution has nothing to do with cosmology” – you might as well have been screaming “come look at me, I am stupid”

It would be more of a theological discussion then a scientific one at this point I am afraid.

So in your mind all cosmological theories are theological. Are you saying the only possible explanation for the creation of the universe is god? (that was a strange twist)

482 posted on 05/12/2003 3:38:55 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: whattajoke
No, it's no baiting tactic. Since Jesus Christ IS God, then what He says about the matter of the origin of man and creation is the truth. That means all other truth claims which contradict His are false. That eliminates all other 'god' options (like Hinduism for example). And of course it eliminates evolution.
483 posted on 05/12/2003 3:42:28 PM PDT by music_code
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To: Last Visible Dog
(that was a strange twist)

You said it. You twist things strangely.

484 posted on 05/12/2003 3:43:21 PM PDT by Ten Megaton Solution
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To: Ten Megaton Solution
You said it. You twist things strangely.

Would you like to back that up with supporting evidence - or are you yet another weasel?

485 posted on 05/12/2003 3:47:26 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: Dimensio
Please note that theism is not Christianity. One can be a theist without being a Christian, thus "theistic evolutionist" is not a contradiction.

Name another god to whom a faith which worships him/her/it ascribes an "evolutionary" process based in the tenets of Darwinian evolution for the origins of life on this planet.

If it is within your ability to do so, you can also remind yourself that the context of this particular discussion is "theism" and "theistic evolution," being discussed as matter of Christianity, where in fact it is a matter of contradiction.

If, as a pan-theist, pagan, or possibly even an agnostic you find that the strictures of this present discussion bother you, or are simply unfamiliar to you, you are certainly welcome to start a thread on origins that involves "deities" which are not particularly germane to the discussion at hand, and see who joins in.

486 posted on 05/12/2003 3:52:38 PM PDT by Agamemnon
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To: Last Visible Dog
I think your post 482 provides sufficient evidence. In it you draw conclusions from a posters statements that are diametrically opposed to his intent.

The prosecution rests, your honor.

487 posted on 05/12/2003 3:54:41 PM PDT by Ten Megaton Solution
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Comment #488 Removed by Moderator

To: Stultis
It seems that you are the one, despite your voluminous comments on the subject, that doesn't really understand what "cosmology" means. The term refers to the evolution of the universe. It has not a thing to do with biology. It has to do with big bang theories and the like. Your association of "Orthodox Darwinists" with this is absurd.

Speaking of absurd. Cosmology has nothing directly to do with evolution (it is the study of the universe in totality including the course of nature). Cosmology DOES NOT mean the "evolution of the universe" - buy a dictionary. Biology is a part of cosmology. (I am guessing you do not understand the meaning of the word totality - nor do you own a dictionary because if you did you could look it up and see how wrong you are). "Orthodox Darwinist" might be a little too close to home for you ("Methinks you do protest too much")

489 posted on 05/12/2003 4:02:11 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: BMCDA
Backroom placemarker
490 posted on 05/12/2003 4:02:15 PM PDT by BMCDA ("Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here." - Jack Nicholson in "As Good as It Gets")
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To: Manitoulin
Sorry, but one has to conclude that ALL humans will not follow God's instructions.

There is no God.

Therefore, there are no instructions from God to follow.

Therefor no one can follow God's instructions.

Since no one can follow instructions that do not exist, it can be concluded that no one will follow them, or, rather All will Not follow them.

Romans had it right, this once.

491 posted on 05/12/2003 4:03:56 PM PDT by Ten Megaton Solution
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To: Manitoulin
If your faith is so tenuous that it demands an inerrant Bible, then do you have faith?

I have no faith at all. It's fun being honest.

492 posted on 05/12/2003 4:05:03 PM PDT by Ten Megaton Solution
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To: Ten Megaton Solution
I think your post 482 provides sufficient evidence. In it you draw conclusions from a posters statements that are diametrically opposed to his intent. The prosecution rests, your honor.

What statement are you refering to?

What do you claim was his intent?

How do you know that was his intent? (are you another one of those mind readers?)

What do you claim was my intent?

How do you know that was my intent? (are you another one of those mind readers?)

Again, you have presented no evidence whatsoever and we are not going to just take you word on it.

493 posted on 05/12/2003 4:06:14 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: PatrickHenry
This "evolution as cosmology" crapola must be found in a Jack Chick comic. But I can't stand to wade through that junk to find the source.

It is hard to beleive somebody this ignorant of the study of cosmology would bother going on a thread like this. Dude, look up the study of cosmology - you are making a fool out of yourself

494 posted on 05/12/2003 4:21:31 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: Last Visible Dog
more "evolution as cosmology" crapola (as PatrickHenry calls it)

Cosmology: The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Structure , Second edition

495 posted on 05/12/2003 4:29:52 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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To: Last Visible Dog
It sounds like most of the other Orthodox Darwinism arguments. Let me know if you guys ever want to have an intellectual debate related to cosmology (the origin of the universe).

I'll play. Why don't you put together something summarizing your position in a logical manner, and we'll see what we can do with it?

By the way, the commonly held theory for the birth of the universe is colloquially called the Big Bang. I hope this is what you meant by "evolution as cosmology".

496 posted on 05/12/2003 4:29:59 PM PDT by ThinkPlease (Fortune Favors the Bold!)
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To: ThinkPlease
Fortes Fortuna Juvat.

I know of a submarine with that motto...

497 posted on 05/12/2003 4:31:10 PM PDT by Ten Megaton Solution
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To: Agamemnon
, that you won't need a Pope or an encyclical to interpret them for you or to do your thinking for you either.

Of course, you know how to read Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek as well as Aramaic.

You don't need any Pope or any other man to translate the Bible for you, and you don't need any concordance, biblical commentary and lexicon to make sense of the Bible.

You are displaying the typical arrogance and ignorance of Catholic bashers.

But again, you are the Supreme Arbiter of Christian Orthodoxy, therefore unless I agree with your sectarian viewpoint, I'm following men and not the Holy Spirit.

498 posted on 05/12/2003 4:31:31 PM PDT by george wythe
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Comment #499 Removed by Moderator

To: Last Visible Dog
more "evolution as cosmology" crapola (as PatrickHenry calls it)

Treatment of Biological Evolution, Earth History, and Cosmology in State K-12 Science Standards

By Lawrence S. Lerner, Ph.D.

Evolution, the sequence of events by which the world came to be as we see it today, is the central organizing principle of the historical sciences -- biology, geology, and cosmology. Ongoing collection of evidence concerning the details of the process, and elaboration of the theoretical structure that makes the evidence comprehensible, lie at the hub of these sciences. Scientists spend much time debating the details, but there is a consensus as to the overall picture and the basic principles.

More

500 posted on 05/12/2003 4:33:54 PM PDT by Last Visible Dog
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