Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 8:36 am
(This post was last modified: July 21, 2013 at 8:46 am by Whateverist.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-d...76345.html
Zen shared this with me on fb and I thought it would be of interest here. This is an example of mature Christian thought I'm always extolling but only rarely encountering anywhere. So Frodo, I think, is already on board. Chad I guess might be too. How about you Drich, Cat, GC, Ronadee, Consilius? Do you see any problem with this line of reasoning?
Quote:As someone raised evangelical, I realize anti-evolutionists believe they are defending the Christian tradition. But as a seminary graduate now training to be a medical scientist, I can say that, in reality, they've abandoned it.
...
In theory, if not always in practice, past Christian theologians valued science out of the belief that God created the world scientists study. Augustine castigated those who made the Bible teach bad science, John Calvin argued that Genesis reflects a commoner's view of the physical world, and the Belgic confession likened scripture and nature to two books written by the same author.
These beliefs encouraged past Christians to accept the best science of their day, and these beliefs persisted even into the evangelical tradition. As Princeton Seminary's Charles Hodge, widely considered the father of modern evangelical theology, put it in 1859: "Nature is as truly a revelation of God as the Bible; and we only interpret the Word of God by the Word of God when we interpret the Bible by science."
In this analysis, Christians must accept sound science, not because they don't believe God created the world, but precisely because they do.
...
.. no amount of talk about "worldviews" and "presuppositions" can change a simple fact: creationism has failed to provide an alternative explanation for the vast majority of evidence explained by evolution.
Posts: 1817
Threads: 18
Joined: April 22, 2011
Reputation:
17
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 9:07 am
Problem with that is that they would have to accept all of science because "god" built it into the Universe. If that is true then they have to consider that "god" waited 14,000,000,000 years before humans came along. So why the wait?
Bottom line, you can't reconcile Christianity and reality.
Posts: 14259
Threads: 48
Joined: March 1, 2009
Reputation:
80
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 10:06 am
I don't know when the modern revolution started, but John H Walton's book certainly sealed it. I've always had the view that evolution is correct, but reconciling the biblical view as I misunderstood it wasn't perfect. I had trouble confronting what I thought then were literalists. I've learnt now that that isn't literalism at all, but mistranslation. Seriously misguided translation beautifully put out to grass by Walton's humble bombshell.
Atheists confronting the flawed interpretation waste their time on that dinosaur. Godzilla is right... you can't reconcile that Christianity and reality. In my opinion.
Posts: 13392
Threads: 187
Joined: March 18, 2012
Reputation:
48
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 10:58 am
I've done two or three different threads on this already. My theory incorporates/assimilates evolution into the creation account. To where it becomes a non issue.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-14190.ht...=Evolution
Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 11:27 am
(July 21, 2013 at 10:58 am)Drich Wrote: I've done two or three different threads on this already. My theory incorporates/assimilates evolution into the creation account. To where it becomes a non issue.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-14190.ht...=Evolution
Drat, your link doesn't work for me.
I wonder what you think of the idea that the natural world as we find it is the best revelation of God's creation, so that whatever we can find out through science is part of the revelation?
Posts: 67243
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
162
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 12:23 pm
(This post was last modified: July 21, 2013 at 12:26 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(July 21, 2013 at 10:58 am)Drich Wrote: I've done two or three different threads on this already. My theory incorporates/assimilates evolution into the creation account. To where it becomes a non issue.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-14190.ht...=Evolution
No, they don't- and no it isn't. You've failed at science, then and now. This literalism of yours, btw, just one of those "minor" differences that Frodo et al don't like to talk about while they devalue said differences. The minor difference being that he concludes that your christianity is unreconcilable with reality - whereas his is..apparently..not.
So what say you Drich? Should I take Frodos word for your faith's status?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 12:57 pm
(July 21, 2013 at 12:23 pm)Rhythm Wrote:
Man I wish that little emoticom guy would stop shakin em and let those dice roll. 
Posts: 69247
Threads: 3759
Joined: August 2, 2009
Reputation:
259
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Quote:Augustine castigated those who made the Bible teach bad science, John Calvin argued that Genesis reflects a commoner's view of the physical world,
But modern fundamentalism has nothing to do with Calvin or Augustine. It is a late 19th/early 20th reaction among the ignorant who prefer fairy tales to reality. One has to laugh when these baptist shitheads start in with their "old time religion" routine. When the lunatics were railing against evolution at the Scopes trial the whole movement was about 20 years old.
Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 3:32 pm
(July 21, 2013 at 10:06 am)fr0d0 Wrote: I don't know when the modern revolution started, but John H Walton's book certainly sealed it. I've always had the view that evolution is correct, but reconciling the biblical view as I misunderstood it wasn't perfect. I had trouble confronting what I thought then were literalists. I've learnt now that that isn't literalism at all, but mistranslation. Seriously misguided translation beautifully put out to grass by Walton's humble bombshell.
Atheists confronting the flawed interpretation waste their time on that dinosaur. Godzilla is right... you can't reconcile that Christianity and reality. In my opinion.
I googled JH Walton and read his wiki but am not quite clear what he thought about creation. Something about a ceremonial purpose?
Posts: 69247
Threads: 3759
Joined: August 2, 2009
Reputation:
259
RE: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution
July 21, 2013 at 4:00 pm
Quote:you can't reconcile that Christianity and reality.
They will simply declare you "Not a TRUE Xtian," Frods. You know how that goes.
|
