The Sunflower State Strikes Again (and a Recommendation)
I will admit that I hold a grudge toward Kansas because the Sunflower State has, on several occasions, been responsible for 16 hours (8 hours one way and 8 hours the other way) of tedious boredom amid otherwise pleasant family vacations and Boy Scout trips. Maybe I'm still bitter, but I must say that Kansas's decision to put evolution on trial is just silly.
The Genesis creation stories (chapters 1 and 2) are excellent examples of ancient near-eastern literature that elegantly communicate God's creative power to the ancient near-eastern peoples who originally recorded them. These stories even communicate some important truths to people today: God created earth and the entire universe and declared it good (so recycle and try to use less stuff); God created us in God's own image (so love one another); and God instructs us to take time for rest (a truth that is too often lost on us Americans). Still, I feel that most of the scientific "creation" theories I know of (granted, I'm not exactly a scientist), including the theory of evolution and the "big bang," point to a God who creates in a manner that is far more impressive than simply by calling everything into being. God sets the processes, the stories, in motion and works within those processes and stories.
More importantly, students who want to do serious biology or paleontology will need to know the theory of evolution, even if they don't like it, even if they eventually prove it wrong. Evolution has been widely accepted by top scientists. Does this mean that it is absolutely true? No; I would imagine that even scientists who embrace evolution will continue to tweak, test, and challenge the theory. But the theory does have merit and must be taken seriously by students of science. While I have always been impressed by the work of "creation scientists," I am not convinced that starting with a presumed answer that one refuses to challenge is good science (or good theology). (I have not done enough reading on "intelligent design" theory to comment on it.)
While I'm blogging about God and evolution, I should recommend Evolution from Creation to New Creation: Conflict, Conversation, and Convergence by Ted Peters (a theologian) and Martinez Hewlett (a microbiologist). It was published by Abingdon Press (my employer), so you can't really go wrong.
The Genesis creation stories (chapters 1 and 2) are excellent examples of ancient near-eastern literature that elegantly communicate God's creative power to the ancient near-eastern peoples who originally recorded them. These stories even communicate some important truths to people today: God created earth and the entire universe and declared it good (so recycle and try to use less stuff); God created us in God's own image (so love one another); and God instructs us to take time for rest (a truth that is too often lost on us Americans). Still, I feel that most of the scientific "creation" theories I know of (granted, I'm not exactly a scientist), including the theory of evolution and the "big bang," point to a God who creates in a manner that is far more impressive than simply by calling everything into being. God sets the processes, the stories, in motion and works within those processes and stories.
More importantly, students who want to do serious biology or paleontology will need to know the theory of evolution, even if they don't like it, even if they eventually prove it wrong. Evolution has been widely accepted by top scientists. Does this mean that it is absolutely true? No; I would imagine that even scientists who embrace evolution will continue to tweak, test, and challenge the theory. But the theory does have merit and must be taken seriously by students of science. While I have always been impressed by the work of "creation scientists," I am not convinced that starting with a presumed answer that one refuses to challenge is good science (or good theology). (I have not done enough reading on "intelligent design" theory to comment on it.)
While I'm blogging about God and evolution, I should recommend Evolution from Creation to New Creation: Conflict, Conversation, and Convergence by Ted Peters (a theologian) and Martinez Hewlett (a microbiologist). It was published by Abingdon Press (my employer), so you can't really go wrong.
posted by Tinley | 5:40 PM
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