Creation and Evolution Session 1

In the beginningIn the beginning

GodGod createdcreated

the heavens and the earth

And God saidAnd God said

And there And there was light!was light!

And God And God saw that saw that the light the light was was good.good.

Let there Let there be light!be light!

And God saidAnd God saidLet there be a huge space between the watersLet there be a huge space between the waters.. And it happened!And it happened!

And that And that happened happened too!too!

God said, God said, Let the water under the sky be Let the water under the sky be gathered into oceans. Let dry land appear!gathered into oceans. Let dry land appear!

Then God said:Then God said:

And it And it happened!happened!

Let the land Let the land produce plants produce plants and trees, each and trees, each bearing fruit with bearing fruit with seeds in it.seeds in it.

And God saw And God saw that it was that it was good!good!

And And God God saw saw that it that it was was good!good!

And God And God said, said, Let Let there be there be lights in lights in the huge the huge space of space of the sky, a the sky, a sun and a sun and a moon to moon to give light give light to the to the earth.earth.

God said: God said: Let the waters be filled Let the waters be filled with living things. Let birds fly with living things. Let birds fly

above the earth.above the earth.

God said:God said: Let the land produce all Let the land produce all kinds of living creatures: cattle kinds of living creatures: cattle and snakes and tigers.and snakes and tigers.

And God saw that it was good!And God saw that it was good!

Then God said,Then God said, Let’s make human beings; Let’s make human beings; let’s make them like us. They can take care let’s make them like us. They can take care of the fish and the birds and all of the of the fish and the birds and all of the animals for us.animals for us.

God blessed them: God blessed them: Have children, fill the Have children, fill the earth and bring it under your control.earth and bring it under your control.

God saw everything that God saw everything that he made. he made.

Then God Then God rested…rested…

And it was And it was very good!very good!

It was the seventh day.It was the seventh day.

13,700,000,000 years ago…13,700,000,000 years ago…

200,000,000 years ago

Homo Homo annarborensisannarborensis

Homo Homo habilishabilis

Homo Homo instrumentalisinstrumentalis

From 2,000,000 to presentFrom 2,000,000 to present

CreationCreation and/or and/or EvolutionEvolution

How should we read Genesis 1 & 2 in light of current scientific

theory?

CreationCreation and/orand/or EvolutionEvolution

Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, & Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, & EvolutionEvolution by Deborah B. Haarsma and Loren D. Haarsma (www.faithaliveresources.org/origins)

What questions does this topic raise for you?What questions does this topic raise for you?

We will identify and analyze the different We will identify and analyze the different approaches to the topicapproaches to the topic

Perspectives on an Evolving CreationPerspectives on an Evolving Creation, Keith B. Miller ed. Eerdmans Pub.

CreationCreation and/orand/or EvolutionEvolution

Session 1:Session 1: God’s Word and God’s World

Session 2:Session 2: Interpretations of Genesis 1 & 2

Session 3:Session 3: Evidences of Evolution

Session 4:Session 4: Intelligent Design

Session 5:Session 5: Human Origins (Who were Adam and Eve anyway?)

Session 6:Session 6: Human Origins, cont. Emergent Complexities

The Two Books ofThe Two Books of RevelationRevelation

God

NatureNature ScriptureScripture

ScienceScience

Culture, Culture, Worldview, Worldview,

etc.etc.

Theology, Theology, Church tradition Church tradition

Worldview Worldview

Biblical Biblical InterpretationInterpretation

Potential Conflict

No conflict

Principles of Biblical Principles of Biblical InterpretationInterpretation

1. Each passage should be interpreted in light 1. Each passage should be interpreted in light of the rest of the Bible.of the rest of the Bible.

Progressive revelation—Progressive revelation— progressive understanding—progressive understanding—

narrative advancenarrative advance

2. Attention must be paid to the genre2. Attention must be paid to the genre of the of the text:text: poetry, proverb, narrative (history, poetry, proverb, narrative (history,

epic, legend, anecdote, fable, myth…)epic, legend, anecdote, fable, myth…)

Principles of Biblical Principles of Biblical InterpretationInterpretation

3. How did the original authororiginal author and the intended audienceintended audience understand the text?

The Holy Spirit had no intention to teach The Holy Spirit had no intention to teach astronomy; and in proposing instruction astronomy; and in proposing instruction meant to be common to the simplest and meant to be common to the simplest and most uneducated person He made use by most uneducated person He made use by Moses…of the popular language….Moses…of the popular language…. Calvin

Principles of Scientific Principles of Scientific InterpretationInterpretation

ObservationObservation

HypothesisHypothesis

PredictionPrediction

TestingTesting

Theory:Theory: a comprehensive explanation of some a comprehensive explanation of some aspect of nature that is supported by a aspect of nature that is supported by a vast body of evidence (e.g. vast body of evidence (e.g. heliocentric heliocentric theory, theory of relativity)theory, theory of relativity)

Criteria for Good Scientific Criteria for Good Scientific Theory:Theory:

Explanatory powerExplanatory power of large amounts of data

Predictive powerPredictive power (testable expectations) (testable expectations)

FruitfulnessFruitfulness (ability to generate new questions and new directions of

research)Aesthetics (beauty, simplicity, symmetry)

The reason evolutionary theory is a powerful The reason evolutionary theory is a powerful theory is that it makes sense of an incredible theory is that it makes sense of an incredible variety of observations and continues to variety of observations and continues to generate fruitful and testable hypotheses.generate fruitful and testable hypotheses.

When ScienceScience and Biblical Biblical InterpretationInterpretation Clash

Science -Science -aa handmaidenhandmaiden to theology to theology

Science -Science -anan equal equal partnerpartner with theology with theology

CopernicusCopernicus: from geo- to heliocentrism: from geo- to heliocentrism

He set the earth on its foundations; it can He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. …The sun knows never be moved. …The sun knows

when to go down.when to go down. -Psalm 104: 5, 19 -Psalm 104: 5, 19

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky…The sun stopped in the middle of the sky… -Joshua 10:13 -Joshua 10:13

When ScienceScience and Biblical Biblical InterpretationInterpretation Clash

Science Science --superiorsuperior to theology to theology

Materialism is absolute, we cannot allow a Materialism is absolute, we cannot allow a divine foot in the door.divine foot in the door. -Richard Lewontin -Richard Lewontin

The universe that we observe has precisely The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.indifference. –Richard Dawkins –Richard Dawkins

WorldviewsWorldviews

Needed for scienceNeeded for science Christian BeliefsChristian BeliefsHumans have the ability to study nature and to understand, at least in part, how it functions.

Events in the natural world work by natural cause and effect

Humans are God’s image-bearers in this world. Thanks to the abilities God has given us, we can understand, at least in part, how the world works.

There are no nature spirits, no capricious gods, no fate. There is only one God who rules the world in a faithful, consistent manner.

WorldviewsWorldviews

Needed for science Needed for science Christian BeliefsChristian BeliefsNatural phenomena are repeatable; they are regular across space and time.

Observations and experi-ments are necessary to build and test scientific models that correctly describe natural phenomena.

God has established natural laws and faithful covenants with the physical universe.

Humans are limited and sinful. Our scientific models based on logic and deduction must be tested by careful experimen-tation & observation.

WorldviewsWorldviews

Needed for scienceNeeded for science Christian BeliefsChristian BeliefsScience is a worthwhile use of human time and resources.

Studying nature is worth doing because we are studying the very handiwork of God.

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagree Christians in agreement:Christians in agreement:

• God created, sustains, and governs this universe.

• The God who created this world also reveals himself to humanity.

• The God who created this world is also our Redeemer.

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagree Christians in agreement:Christians in agreement:

• The Bible is authoritative and sufficient for salvation.

• God is sovereign over all realms of human endeavor and God has given human beings special abilities and responsibilities.

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagree Christians in disagreement:Christians in disagreement:

• As we study God’s wordword, what is the best way to understand passages that talk

about God’s acts of creation?

• As we study God’s worldworld, what can we reliably conclude that it tells us about its history?

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagreeChristians today are

• young earth creationists

• old earth creationists

• evolutionary creationists

• progressive creationists

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagree

The (CRCNA) wishes to honor its commitment to the freedom of exegesis by not imposing upon its members an authorized interpretation of specific passages in Scripture, insisting only that such exegetical freedom be carried on within the limits of the analogy of Scripture and the confessional guidelines of the creeds.

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagree

The (CRCNA) wishes also to respect the freedom of science by not canonizing certain hypotheses, models, or paradigms proposed by the sciences while rejecting others, insisting only that all such theorizing be subject to the teaching of Scripture and the confessions.

-Acts of Synod, CRCNA, 1991

Christians AgreeAgree and DisagreeDisagreeIf the Lord has willed that we (Christians) be

helped in physics, dialectic, mathematics, and other like disciplines, by the work and ministry of the ungodly, let us use this assistance. For if we neglect God’s gift freely offered in these arts, we ought to suffer just punishment for our sloth. -John Calvin, Institutes.. 2.2.16