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Evangelicals divided over evolution
Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 30 May 2005 | Paul Nussbaum

Posted on 05/30/2005 7:54:26 AM PDT by PatrickHenry

Can God and evolution coexist?

For many evangelical Christians, the debate over teaching evolution in public schools touches a vital spiritual nerve. Some see evolution as a path to perdition, while others see it as a crowning example of God's handiwork.

A legal battle in Dover, Pa., over the teaching of evolution and "intelligent design" has focused new attention on the issue, as have recent proposals in Kansas to change how evolution is taught there.

For David Wilcox, a biology professor at Eastern University, an evangelical college in St. Davids, the challenge is to teach students that it's possible to embrace evolution "without intellectual schizophrenia."

"Frequently, they've been taught that evolution is another way of saying atheism, and they just shut it out," said Wilcox, author of God and Evolution: A Faith-Based Understanding. "They say, 'Why do I have to learn this stuff - don't you know that God hates science?' "

"We have to make them wake up and smell the coffee. God doesn't hate science - he invented it. We try to get them to see that evolution happened and it's not so scary... that evolution is the way God did it."

"Evolutionary theists" such as Wilcox are part of a broader effort by the scientific establishment to defend evolution against advocates of creationism, "intelligent design," and other concepts that challenge all or parts of the theory of natural selection.

Evangelical Christians, sometimes portrayed as monolithic in their opposition to evolution, are as divided as much of the rest of the nation.

"No topic in the world of science and Christianity has created the intensity of discussion and disharmony with evangelicals as the source of biological diversity," says the American Scientific Affiliation, an organization of scientists who are Christians. "Today's spirited discussion often pits Christian vs. Christian and scientist vs. scientist."

The nation's leading science organizations and the vast majority of scientists accept the theory of evolution as the explanation for the origin of all living things, but Americans in general are much less convinced.

Offered three explanations for the origin of humans in a CBS News/New York Times poll six months ago, 13 percent of respondents said they believed "we evolved from less-advanced life-forms over millions of years, and God did not directly guide this process." Twenty-seven percent believed "we evolved from less-advanced life-forms over millions of years, but God guided this process." And 55 percent believed "God created us in our present form." The poll, which questioned 885 people, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Evangelicals who are "young Earth" fundamentalists dismiss evolution and subscribe to a literal interpretation of the Genesis account of creation, believing Earth is less than 10,000 years old. They often see the teaching of evolution as undermining Christianity and paving the way to immorality.

"What you believe about where you came from directly affects your worldview," said Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, a fundamental creationist organization that is building a 50,000-square-foot Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky. "If you can use man's ideas to reinterpret the book of Genesis, then why not use man's ideas to reinterpret morality?"

One of the newest wrinkles in a debate that has percolated ever since Charles Darwin published his On the Origin of Species in 1859 is "intelligent design." That is the concept at the heart of the battle in Dover, 25 miles south of Harrisburg.

Eleven parents have filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Dover school board from requiring biology teachers to present "intelligent design" as an alternative to evolution. The parents say intelligent design is a religious argument and teaching it violates a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling against teaching creationism as science. [Edwards vs Aguillard . ]

Intelligent design holds that natural selection cannot explain all of the complex developments observed in nature and that an unspecified intelligent designer must be involved. Its adherents say it is a scientific, not a religious, concept based on scientific observations, although they acknowledge its theological implications.

Michael Behe, a biochemistry professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem and the author of Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, is an intelligent-design proponent and is scheduled to be one of the expert witnesses for the Dover school board when the case goes to trial in the fall.

He says religion is "clearly why [intelligent design] evokes such emotion... . People think it will support their religious views. It's not just another issue of science. If it were, no one would care."

Christian supporters of evolution say intelligent design, while rejecting "young Earth" beliefs, seems to require periodic intervention by the designer.

Kenneth R. Miller, a professor of biology at Brown University, is a Catholic and an ardent proponent of evolution and opponent of intelligent design. The author of Finding Darwin's God, he is to be an expert witness for the parents in the Dover case. [The Flagellum Unspun: The Collapse of "Irreducible Complexity," Kenneth R. Miller. Critique of Behe.]

"I think there is a God, and he is the creator of the universe," Miller said. "But the God of the intelligent-design movement is way too small... . In their view, he designed everything in the world and yet he repeatedly intervenes and violates the laws of his own creation.

"Their God is like a kid who is not a very good mechanic and has to keep lifting the hood and tinkering with the engine."

In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as in most states, school districts are required to teach evolution as part of the science curriculum.

In Pennsylvania, "school districts may inform students of the existence of particular religious viewpoints when the information in conveyed for a secular and educational purpose and is presented objectively," according to Bethany Yenner, an Education Department spokeswoman. "Under no circumstance may an educator or a school district offer opinions on religious viewpoints."

In New Jersey, students "could look at how a variety of religions view a scientific theory," noted Jon Zlock, an Education Department spokesman. "Obviously, more than one religious viewpoint should be explored. It should be done objectively. One religious point of view should not be stressed above others."

Many evangelical Protestants, like many Catholics and other Christians, argue that faith and science complement each other and need not collide over evolution.

The scientific establishment is stepping up its efforts to present evolution as something apart from, not a threat to, religion.

"It's not science vs. religion - that misses the point entirely," said Jay Labov, senior adviser for education and communication for the National Academy of Sciences. "Science cannot begin to look into the supernatural. That's beyond the realm of science."

The president of the National Academy, Bruce Alberts, sent a letter in March to all members of the academy, urging them "to confront the increasing challenges to the teaching of evolution in public schools; your help may be needed in your state soon." [Letter from Bruce Alberts on March 4, 2005. ]

The academy has gathered the signatures of more than 4,000 Christian clergy, including evangelicals, supporting evolution as "a foundational scientific truth." The clergy, in the letter, "ask that science remain science and that religion remain religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth."

But more collisions between the two seem certain.

"If you think there are issues with school boards now, there are going to be a lot more," said Ham, of Answers in Genesis. "Wait till we get the museum finished - you haven't seen anything yet."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: christianbashing; christians; creation; crevolist; evangelicals; evolution; freeperseattheirown; religiousintolerance
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I added the bolding, and the three links [in brackets.]

This is the 300th thread I've posted, not counting those pulled during the Luddite War. Everyone be nice.

1 posted on 05/30/2005 7:54:26 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
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To: VadeRetro; Junior; longshadow; RadioAstronomer; Doctor Stochastic; js1138; Shryke; RightWhale; ...
EvolutionPing
A pro-evolution science list with over 280 names.
See the list's description at my freeper homepage.
Then FReepmail to be added or dropped.

2 posted on 05/30/2005 7:55:38 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: All
I see, after posting, that the link to the article takes you to a subscription page. You can access the article by searching on the title in Google.
3 posted on 05/30/2005 7:57:22 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: PatrickHenry
Can God and evolution coexist?

Sure! God created evolution. Case solved!

4 posted on 05/30/2005 7:57:24 AM PDT by Leo Carpathian (FReeeePeee!)
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To: PatrickHenry

Mainstream media will push any story that can possibly start with "Evangelicals divided". At least they aren't saying "Religious Right" anymore.


5 posted on 05/30/2005 7:58:31 AM PDT by Betaille (Capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries)
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To: Betaille

Ping--"evolution theist" here.


6 posted on 05/30/2005 8:05:00 AM PDT by ktvaughn
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To: ktvaughn

Yes, likewise here.


7 posted on 05/30/2005 8:12:18 AM PDT by Betaille (Capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries)
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To: PatrickHenry
This is the 300th thread I've posted, not counting those pulled during the Luddite War.

Sir, you're a gentleman and a scholar.

8 posted on 05/30/2005 8:12:36 AM PDT by Right Wing Professor
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To: Right Wing Professor
Sir, you're a gentleman and a scholar.

I am neither, but sometimes I can fake it.

9 posted on 05/30/2005 8:14:03 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: PatrickHenry
This is the 300th thread I've posted, not counting those pulled during the Luddite War.

I missed that war but I can imagine it.

10 posted on 05/30/2005 8:19:20 AM PDT by aculeus (Ceci n'est pas une tag line.)
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To: PatrickHenry
This is the 300th thread I've posted, not counting those pulled during the Luddite War. Everyone be nice.

May you post 30 more!

11 posted on 05/30/2005 8:22:59 AM PDT by VadeRetro ( Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
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To: PatrickHenry

Can God and evolution coexist?

No.

Either the Bible is true or it is not.

The Hebrew CLEARLY translated is seven LITERAL days.

So those that do not believe in Creation, I dare say, aren't Christians. Christians follow Christ and that means what is written in the Bible.


Matt.7:15

[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Col.2:6

[8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Yes, those "wise" evolutionists ... LOL!

Their initial premise is there is NO God.

1Cor.3:18

[18] Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.


12 posted on 05/30/2005 8:25:02 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: PatrickHenry
News Headline:

FLASH! THOSE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE BIBLE WHEN THEY READ IT BELIEVE IN CREATION!

Some Bible readers admit that the Bible says "CREATION" but just don't believe it!

Story on A1

13 posted on 05/30/2005 8:27:46 AM PDT by RaceBannon ((Prov 28:1 KJV) The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.)
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To: PatrickHenry

for later


14 posted on 05/30/2005 8:31:19 AM PDT by Jaded (Hell sometimes has flourescent lighting and a trumpet.)
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To: nmh

Well then you're left with the problem that God really went out of his way to deceptively make it look like evolution occured.


15 posted on 05/30/2005 8:33:56 AM PDT by Strategerist
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To: PatrickHenry
"I am all in favor of a dialogue between science and religion, but not a constructive dialogue. One of the great achievements of science has been, if not to make it impossible for an intelligent person to be religious, then at least to make it possible for them not to be religious. We should not retreat from this accomplishment."

- Physicist Steven Weinberg (Washington D.C. 1999)

16 posted on 05/30/2005 8:39:11 AM PDT by patriot_wes (papal infallibility - a proud tradition since 1869)
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To: VadeRetro
May you post 30 more!

I suppose 330 has some significance for you?

17 posted on 05/30/2005 8:39:26 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: PatrickHenry
Evolutionist Catholic Miller: "Their God is like a kid who is not a very good mechanic and has to keep lifting the hood and tinkering with the engine."

Not so. Not even very polite. Hard to believe it's Christian thinking. "Their God" (my God) created organic "engines" with minds of their own; and He keeps intervening, for their own good, whenever they screw up, because He loves them. We refer to it as supernatural, because it is; and we evangelicals believe that it's personal, not some cosmic force.

18 posted on 05/30/2005 8:44:11 AM PDT by Migraine
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To: Leo Carpathian
it's possible to embrace evolution "without intellectual schizophrenia."

Yes, only if you 1)are an atheist or 2)downgrade God to a weak egomaniac. Regardless of the God question, evolution has many, many holes. And it has philisophical implications that prove we are NOT equal. If we have common ancestors with monkeys then we are the common ancestor of future higher and lower life forms ourselves. We are not all equal in that case. Those who are more intelligent or more physically capable are more valuable, etc. The implications are not only religious. They're political too. But regardless, the "science" of evolution is a heap of wishful thinking.

19 posted on 05/30/2005 8:48:40 AM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real political victory, take your issue to court.)
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Is330prime? plce mark


20 posted on 05/30/2005 8:50:42 AM PDT by dread78645 (Sorry Mr. Franklin, We couldn't keep it.)
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