Posted on 01/25/2005 6:15:41 PM PST by gobucks
Ken Miller is an interesting guy. He is co-author of the nation's best-selling biology textbook. It was on his book, "Biology," that schools in Cobb County, Ga., slapped a sticker casting doubt on its discussion of evolution theory. And it was this sticker that a federal judge recently ordered removed because it endorsed religion. Miller, who testified against the label, gets a lot of hate mail these days.
But Miller is also a practicing Roman Catholic. "I attend Mass every Sunday morning," he said, "and I'm tired of being called an atheist."
A professor of biology at Brown University, Miller does not believe that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution contradicts the creation passages in the Bible. And he will argue the point till dawn.
"None of the six creative verses (in Genesis) describe an out-of-nothing, puff-of-smoke creation," he says. "All of them amount to a command by the creator for the earth, the soil and the water of this planet to bring forth life. And that's exactly what natural history tells us happened." (Miller has written a book on the subject: "Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution.")
Still, today's emotional conflicts over teaching this science in public schools leave the impression that Christianity and evolution cannot be reconciled. This is not so.
In 1996, Pope John II wrote a strong letter to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences supporting the scientific understanding of evolution. That's one reason why students in Catholic parochial schools get a more clearheaded education in evolution science than do children at many public schools racked by the evolution debate.
American parents who want Darwin's name erased from the textbooks might be surprised at the father of evolution's burial spot. Darwin was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, an Anglican church and England's national shrine.
Not every illustrious Englishman gains admission to an abbey burial site. Darwin died in 1882. Two years before, friends of George Eliot wanted the famous (female) writer laid to rest at the abbey. Eliot had lived immorally, according to the church fathers, and was denied a place. (She is buried at London's Highgate Cemetery, not far from Karl Marx.)
But Darwin had been an upright man. The clergy were proud both of Darwin's accomplishments and of their own comfort with modern science.
In 1882, during the memorial service for the great evolutionist, one church leader after the other rose to praise Charles Darwin. Canon Alfred Barry, for one, had recently delivered a sermon declaring that Darwin's theory was "by no means alien to the Christian religion."
Nowadays, Catholics and old-line Protestants have largely made peace with evolution theory. Most objections come from evangelicals — and not all of them.
Francis S. Collins is head of the National Genome Project and a born-again Christian. He belongs to the American Scientific Affiliation — a self-described fellowship of scientists "who share a common fidelity to the word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science." Its Web address is www.asa3.org.
But back in Cobb County, the debate rages. The sticker taken off Miller's textbook read: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
Why should Miller care that the Cobb County School Board — having bought his book in great quantity — pastes those words on the cover?
First off, he says, "It implies that facts are things we are certain of and theories are things that are shaky." In science, theory is a higher level of understanding than facts, he notes. "Theories don't grow up to become facts. Rather, theories explain facts."
Then, he questions why, of all the material in his book, only evolution is singled out for special consideration. Miller says that if he could write the sticker, it would say, "Everything in this book should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
Clearly, many religious people regard evolution theory with sincere and heartfelt concern. But theirs is not a mainstream view — even among practicing Christians. Most theologians these days will argue that the biology book and the Good Book are reading from the same page.
Providence Journal columnist Froma Harrop's column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. Her e-mail address is fharrop@projo.com
The Bible says that Cain met his wife after leaving the realm of God. Thus she was not a descendent of Adam and Eve.
The nature of insect respiration and the fact that surface area increases as a square and volume as a cube.
You agree that Church representatives teaching in a holy building, inspired by the words of God can "make an error" in their teachings of God's word. Thank you.
How did they both evolve at the same place and the same time to the same point to be together and be the beginning of God-breathed humanity.
If you are trying to reconcile evolution with belief in Scripture, this has to be addressed, because it is the crux of the matter, IMO.
The number of years God took to create the universe is not finally the point. It is, who man is, how he came to be, if he sinned, and most importantly, Jesus' coming to earth as a human (God made flesh), and dying for Adam's sin, and for us all.
I have not seen anything to satisfactorily address that fundamental problem with theistic evolution.
It proves nothing in this debate.
Genesis 2 says the animals were created AFTER Adam. Go figure.
Yes..
According to Judaism, and Old Testament scholars, animals were Not Excluded from possessing souls..
Interesting. I was not aware of that.
All I'd like to say is that people can choose not to believe (evolution) it if they want
Not really. If you "choose" not to believe in evolution and you speak out about it, you're harassed... branded an idiot or a religious nutcase (some will even compare you to OBL).
Someone can choose not accept the theory of evolution, but if that someone tries to convince others who do accept it that they are wrong, well then they've got to expect rebuttal of their argument.
And if someone challenges scientific theories with religious beliefs and tries to get those taught in a public school they can expect resistance and being compared with others who do the same now and have done the same throughout history.
Sounds almost like an argument for ID. Was that your intent?
Can you point me to the scripture that equates human souls to animal souls?
I think this is taught basic biology class. Did you sleep through it?
and be the beginning of God-breathed humanity.
My good man, that is where the faith comes into play, doesn't it?
Of course I do. I never debated that point a bit. It proves nothing in this debate.
It proves that sometimes we have to rely on sources outside of the church for the truth.
No, I'm saying that if you reject scientific evidence simply because it contradicts your interpretation of religious scripture, that makes you a philosophical cousin of Bin Laden.
Both Modernman and ml1954 made a comparison between those of us who believe in Creation with bin Laden.......saying we were not far behind.
Make sure you read everything and put it all in context. This was a discussion of religion vs. science. And be sure to read #152.
From what I have read on evolution (in non-creationist publications, to make that clear), it doesn't even seem remotely possible that at the same place and the same time, a man and a woman evolved to the point where God could breathe His Spirit into them and make them fully human.
You still have not answered how you solve that problem.
I solve it easily. It's in Genesis. They were the first. They did not evolve from any form of animal. They were created, as they were, as fully human as you or I; as God-breathed, intellectually curious, creative, with the potential to invent and think and make music and art. Right from the start.......just like it says in Genesis.
Thanks for talking with me WildTurkey. It's been intellectually stimultating for me, and I hope for you.
"I think this is taught basic biology class. Did you sleep through it?
and be the beginning of God-breathed humanity.
My good man, that is where the faith comes into play, doesn't it?"
So what you're saying is that you reject the passage in the Bible where Eve was formed from the man? Is it just that they evolved at the same time to a certain point and God breathed into them separately? Am I taking your post correctly?
And if someone challenges scientific theories with religious beliefs and tries to get those taught in a public school they can expect resistance and being compared with others who do the same now and have done the same throughout history.
Someone can choose to accept the theory of evolution, but if that someone tries to convince others who do not accept it that they are wrong, well then they've got to expect rebuttal of their argument.
And if someone refuses to entertain any challenges to their scientific theories and won't let them even be discussed in a public school they can expect resistance and being compared with others (you've heard the Hitler comparison many times, I'm sure) who do the same now and have done the same throughout history.
We shouldn't teach kids to throw up their hands and say something is so complex that God had to have done it... especially in science classes... so ID belongs outside of school. But the Cobb county stickers belong on textbooks.
Does that still make me a cousin of bin Laden?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.