Frequent Objections to Theistic Evolution

This objection is generally stated incorrectly, implying that theistic evolutionists simply ignore the Genesis story of creation. To be more precise, theistic evolution does not deny Genesis. Rather, it denies a specific interpretation of Genesis.

Let me be clear that the response "that's just your interpretation" is not an adequate response to this objection. Rather, I mean that the issue is not whether one person or another cares what the Bible has to say, but what each person thinks the Bible means.

See the links below for a discussion of interpretation and how it applies to evolution and origins.

Related Links:

• Scale from Literal to Figurative
  Discusses the use of literal and figurative and how we determine just how literally to take Bible passages.
• Just Your Interpretation
  Dealing with the statement that some view is just your interpretation. Are all interpreations equal?
• Creation, Evolution, and Genesis 1-11
  Overview of the different ways of understanding the material in these chapters on origins.
• The Bible and Theistic Evolution
  Just what do theistic evolutions think the Bible says?
• Genesis Creation Stories - Form, Structure, and Relationship
  A discussion of Genesis 1 & 2 with their theological meaning.

The theory of evolution is simply a scientific theory explaining how life on earth has diversified. It does not comment on whether or not God exists. Certain advocates of this theory in popular literature connect it with atheism, oddly enough from both the atheistic and fundamentalist Christian sides of the debate, claim that theism and evoluiontary theory are incompatible. It is, in fact, incompatible with certain subsets of Christian belief, such as a reading of Genesis as narrative history, but there are many forms of theism, including Christian theism, that are compatible.

Related Links:

• Francis S. Collins on Religion and Evolution
  Comments on and by one theistic evolutionist.

Young earth creationism is the belief that the universe was created in six literal days (with the seventh set aside for rest) 6,000 (or so) years ago. (Some adherents to the young earth position will allow up to 10,000 years.) In general, YECs also accept a literal, worldwide flood based on Genesis 6-9.

Though many claim a scientific basis for this belief, in fact it is primarily the result of a particular style of Biblical interpretation. In particular, adherents take the first 11 chapters of Genesis both literally and as narrative history.

Opponents tend to depart from either the literal meaning or the genre of the literature claimed by YECs.

Related Links:

• Young Earth Creationism and the Bible

Old earth creationists accept the scientifically determined age of the earth and of the universe, but believe that God created over periods of time. They hold that even though the creation happened over periods of time, God nonetheless specially created invidual "types" of creature.

Often old earth creationists will also hold that the flood was a localized event, more of a civilization destroying flood than one that spanned the entire globe.

Related Links:

• The Bible and Old Earth
  How does the old earth creationist movement relate to the Bible?

Unlike young earth creationism, the ruin and restoration theory holds that the earth and the universe are old, but unlike the old earth creationists they believe that the Genesis creation did occur in 6 literal days. They believe that previous creations have existed, and were destroyed by God's judgment before the Genesis 1 creation.

They believe that Genesis 1:1 describes that earlier creation, then Genesis 1:2 should be translated "the earth became formless and empty" while the movment of the Spirit of God in Genesis 1:2 is the beginning of this new creation.

Related Links:

• Ruin and Restoration Creationism

The intelligent design movement says that the intelligent designer need not be God. This is one element of their argument that ID is not religious in nature. Nonetheless, while any particular case of intelligent design might be explained by a variety of intelligent agents, ultimately, much like the "uncaused cause" we must come to a designer who is not part of the natural world, otherwise nothing has been explained.

Related Links:

• Good Theology, Bad Theology, and Demons

The Bible discusses creation in a number of contexts, and from these we can get some essentials of a Biblical doctrine. I believe that the key is the belief that God is the ultimate creator. There are several other elements:

• God is the creator of everything (Genesis 1:1-2:4a, Psalm 104:24, Hebrews 1:2, Romans 11:33-36)
• God creates by simple command so His word is certain (Psalm 33:6-9)
• God put personal care into creation (Genesis 2:4b-25)
• Human beings were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), they were good (Genesis 1:31), and later they fell from that state (Genesis 3)
• God created wisely (Psalm 104:24, Proverbs 8:22-31)
• God continuously cares for His creation (Psalm 104, Acts 17:26-29)

Related Links:

• Biblical Doctrine of Creation

I do recommend certain books on each of the major views. You should be aware as you read any of my lists that I have my own position, and may not select the same books as an advocate of each position would.

See the first link for my short list.

Related Links:

• Some Creation-Evolution Reading
  My short list, from a blog entry.

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