Creation v Evolution?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 ESV

Dictionary definition of evolution is given as: the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

If you want to see a group of perfectly balanced and quiet Christians turn into a noisy clamouring group, then open up a discussion on evolution and creation. There are as many opinions as there are people, both inside and outside the church. It’s a subject that will be sure to turn the mild mannered ‘Clark Kent’ into a ‘Superman’! But why should this be?

The way you interpret and read the Genesis story of Adam and Eve will automatically put you into a corner which will be at odds at least with some of your friends. In the red corner, we have a real Adam, Eve, a talking snake, literal 24 hour days for God to make the world and the universe. In the blue corner, you have the believers who understand that same story in Genesis as picture language or metaphor to aid understanding of a message which was beyond the thinking and understanding of early mankind. In truth it is still ‘way above some of our advanced scientific thinking today.

To make it worse, one of these groups of Christians will forcefully point the finger at the other group and say something like, “It’s in the Bible, and I believe the Bible to be the literal Word of God. It’s obvious that you don’t and would rather take sides with science.” This can get nasty. Trust me, it really can! So, what’s the answer?

First of all, note that we talk about “The THEORY of evolution” and that’s because it cannot be proven. The process would take millions of years to work through from a single cell to the human beings we are today. This cannot be recreated as science requires, so cannot be more than a theory. However, the other side should not be too hasty to cheer their success. Many well respected theologians from all corners of the church will differ on the Biblical interpretation of the creation story. Yes, they will believe wholeheartedly in creation, but they cannot agree on the full process of how God did what He did. It is above the human mind!

How important are we prepared to make this subject? If neither side can fully prove their point, except through faith in the God of the Bible, why not view creation as a part of the overall purpose of God and the Bible which leads directly to Jesus and our salvation? Is that something we should fight, or disagree about? No, thought not, because it’s not a salvation issue!

In the Beginning, God

Christians of all sorts of denominations and theologies have differing views on the path of human life after initial creation, but we all agree on the origin of man. It is clearly taught in the first verse of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, in the familiar words we all know, “In the beginning God created”. It is after that point the various differences and even disagreements come in. How old is the earth? What part, if any, did evolution in any form play in the way we adapted and changed to our environment? To be more accurate, we usually refer to Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species” and the furore it caused when his Theory of Evolution was first introduced and published in 1859. That was over 150 years ago and we still debate its truth and relevance.

I sometimes wonder why we have so much trouble reading and understanding from Genesis 1:2 onward, when we seem to be happy to accept the first four words of verse 1? We can rule out the atheist community because they don’t believe in God anyway, and at the time Darwin’s theory had a willing audience because this theory doesn’t require a God to make it work for them. In fact Darwin wasn’t happy with his research and didn’t publish for many years because he did believe in God.

Professors of Theology of various church groups and denominations are happy to debate creation and evolution for as long as you like, and never seem to agree. If evolution was a certainty, the theory would be fact, and the case for evolution would be proven. But it can’t be shown by science. It’s like proving the Loch Ness Monster does or doesn’t exist. It is subjective, and there is no scientific evidence for either. This is a matter of faith alone and not hard science.

So, for my own part I will accept the Biblical account of creation in faith as fact, until it can be proven without any shadow of a doubt that there is no God, and I don’t see that happening. Science can address many laws and prove them by repetition of results and the application of time, but science cannot address feelings and emotions like; love, joy,  peace, patience, hate, life, death, right, wrong, good, bad, altruism and the list could go on. I find the God of the Bible the perfect Person and place to go in times when I don’t need a scientific proof, but I do need comfort and understanding. Try putting these under a microscope to prove their existence!

Distortion

Senior teachers at a South Lanarkshire school have been removed following a parent outcry over the involvement of a US-based religious group. Some parents have labelled the Church of Christ extremist, and outraged that their children were given books at an assembly questioning evolution and highlighting the church's own religious viewpoints. BBC News 13 Sep 2013

Churches in general, and not just this one have to be very careful in today’s very secular society. We must also acknowledge that our tabloid media play to the gallery when they find something that might pull down any church, and for any reason. A scottish rag ‘news’paper published a photo of one of the leaders of the ‘extremist’ church face painted to provide the image to accompany their smear article. The leader’s face was painted for a bit of fun at a school outing to show what pirate Jack Sparrow might have looked like. The rag failed to mention this. It also failed to say that this same church leadership have been a very active part of the school, without incident, for the past 8 years.

What on earth brought this hullabaloo about? Apparently a book was handed out to some of the schoolkids which depicted the ‘young earth’ position that many other christian scientific academics also believe, ie the earth may be less than 10,000 years old and not billions as some other scientists think. At this point it is essential to say that science does not, and has never, spoken with one voice. Science is not the enemy of faith, but can accompany it. At the same time, primary schools are teaching detailed same sex education to very young minds. I can’t help but wonder which causes more harm?

We should also note that the issue was brought to the media attention by the humanist society of Scotland. Is the penny dropping now? If you thought that this church had an agenda, more so the humanists who want nothing to do with God at every level. It has nothing to do with science or faith after all, it is the humanist society making a headline while they can, and getting their 15 minutes of fame in the process of making maximum damage.

I know many Christians, and some support the young earth view, and some that the earth is billions of years old. They don’t fall out, or shout that the folks who don’t think their way are heretics. There is no fight, just a healthy difference of opinion, and anyway, when we get to heaven we will not be asked how old we thought the earth was, we will be judged on what we did with Jesus and His teaching.

So, the 8 year work and witness in a local community school has been brought to an unfair and abrupt end by a devious humanist, and with the glad help of a rag tabloid, but take heart my friend, if you are a Christian, you will know the end of the story, and guess what? WE WIN!

Our Mess

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Have you ever wondered what went wrong? God, the almighty, all powerful, made everything and He was happy with the result. He made man, and said it was ‘very good’. There are many interpretations of the creation, and different views expressed by very clever and learned men, but whatever your views, when the world was created by God (I hope we can agree on that!) everything in the garden was rosy (literally) until man was put in charge. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad we have been given free choice, and we can exercise it as we like. We can accept or reject God’s love. After all, if He had not given us choice, we would have been no better than robot toys in the hands of our maker.

The great danger is that our ‘advanced civilisation’ has messed up God’s great design, and we don’t really see it, or if we do, we don’t care. We don’t take care of His garden, His planet. We pollute it daily, and in the process plants, animals, and yes humankind die. We pay lip service to ecology, and all the while big commercial businesses pump toxins into the atmosphere, and ruin the air we breathe. That’s bad enough on its own, but there is a bigger and more serious problem in our freedom we have been granted.

Man turns on man, killing and maiming to get what is wanted by one section of humanity. The price doesn’t matter as long as I get what I want. We have downgraded that old problem of sin, and given it nicer names. It could be an unfortunate upbringing, or a bad neighbourhood, or we fell in with the wrong crowd. The big get out is the phrase ‘we need more education and better housing’. When the TV is full of foul language, violence and explicit sex, we say it is only a reflection of what’s going on already. It has nothing to do with the media. So where can we turn for help and a way out, a way back to God?

Faith is the answer to that, but once again, we have really messed that one up big time too. We have turned faith into religion, and in the process once again have successfully turned man against man, this time in the name of theology. We even blame God for making us this way! Take a look around you. There is a major religion of the world where we are rocked almost daily with revelations of child abuse, not in one country, but many. They hide behind the fear that they will do their religion harm by creating a scandal! We have another major religion who kill and bomb their way into the news, and we are not allowed to mention them by name, or colour, in case we offend them. Then what about those who hate each other with a passion, enough to send rockets across their borders, while they hide behind human shields of women and children. There are times that I despair about where this world is heading.

And then, I remember. These examples are religions. They are not the ultimate example. Go back to the God of the garden, because he had a plan to give us the way back to Him. When our own planning failed, and the abuses and killings came in the name of religion, God sent His son Jesus into the world, that we might be redeemed through Him. Not a faith. Not a religion. Not a Pope. Not an Imam, and not an army. The answer lies in a baby who grew up doing good, and was ultimately killed to take our sin, and what we decide to do with Him. We still have a choice, and in the middle of the mess mankind has made of the world, we still have a way back. Yes, we have made a real mess of our social, community and personal responsibilities, but the question remains. What will you do with this Jesus? It’s not enough to look around and blame other people or religions for our mess. We will only make a difference one changed person at a time. Are you in, or do you just want to keep on blaming religion? Your choice!

What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ Matthew 27:22 NIV

(...It seems that some things don’t change)

Conservative Schools Minister Michael Gove against Creationism

Michael Gove Conservative MP, shadow minister for schools said on the Andrew Marr Show, 14 Feb 2010, that 'we cannot allow creationist schools' in our society. He said it was 'at odds with all the known science'! I take it he is now a scientist, and that he has polled all scientists, and he knows more than them? In fact he puts this view in the same conversation, and almost the same breath as being against Muslim fundamentalism.


I always thought politicians were politicians. Not scientists, and not religious leaders either. Should they not speak having taken in the expert's views in their fields? I take it he has read Dawkins and shares his beliefs on evolution. But has he read other creationist contemporaries views like Anthony Flew? How about CS Lewis? And what about Colson and Keller? I think Gove is picking and choosing his sources, and forming conclusions with little care.


Scientists DO believe in creation. It is wrong to say that 'ALL the known science' is against it. It is NOT, and to say so shows a blatant disregard for the Christian base of our country. Scientists are divided on the subject. They do not speak with one voice. I smell danger ahead. Science is a fine way of examining 'physical things' but cannot be used in matters of faith, beliefs, emotions, feelings, love. You know the kind of real stuff that we are all made of. We spend most of our day in relationships of one kind or another, and these relationships and emotions cannot be dissected or explained by science!


I am alarmed at the offhand dismissal of the creationist view, when evolution is still a THEORY! This view is expressed by a potential next Schools Minister after the next General Election. Christians, be afraid, be very afraid!  

Rock Pool at Wemyss Bay

Anyone who knows the area around Wemyss Bay, or indeed the West Coast of Scotland will also know of its rugged beauty. This is a relatively calm image, but the scene can so easily change within hours, if not minutes. This image was taken a short walk from my own flat. I am spoiled for scenery to enjoy and photograph at any time of the year, and try to make the most of what I believe to be a magnificent part of God's creation. I am happy to be considered as a creationist, and cannot subscribe to the theory (yes it still is a theory) of evolution. Darwin did a 'job' on us all, and drove a wedge between human 'thinkers', but more so the church. Oh, I do believe that our Almighty God may have used some of the other parts of his creation to finish his work, but I cannot believe that we evolved from some single cell, and kept evolving until we get to mankind. Where did the single cell come from? If it came about as a result of some gasseous accident, then where did this gas come from? Evolution does not, and cannot explain how the first cell came out.... from nothing!! Wow, what a great, creative God we have!