I was interested in the letters by Tony Gallagher and John Mills (NZ Baptist, May) addressing the issues of Creation, science and the Bible. John Mills starts his letter bravely, pointing out that the Bible accommodates the ancient three-tier cosmology of those times, and arguing for the need to present a scientifically coherent Christianity to the young of today. Modern cosmology indeed points strongly to a creator.

He then makes the bold statement that, “the findings of science continue to throw doubt on the theory of evolution as suggested by Darwin.” I’d be interested to know just what he has in mind, and the credentials of his sources of information. Can he name any of the biologists who must now be abandoning evolution? If the theory of evolution is really being overturned, this should be headline news.

And I’m not sure what he means by “the theory of evolution as suggested by Darwin.” Darwin did not invent the concept of evolution, but only the insight of natural selection as the driving force of its trajectory. He also made it clear that evolution did not encompass or explain the origins of life itself, which he considered to be God “breathed.” Darwin had no understanding of genetics, so of course evolutionary theory has been much refined since his time.

I agree with John that it is desirable for ministers to have an appreciation of science and certainly not a suspicious fear of it. But the arguments regarding cosmology and evolution in particular are so vast and highly technical that few ministers could address them authoritatively. The topic carries so much challenging baggage that most ministers are probably afraid of its divisive potential.

So this is where the propositions of Tony Gallagher’s letter may apply. For most ministers, being “agnostic” regarding evolution is probably the safest and most honest position to adopt. This does not reject outright any of the competing creation paradigms, nor should it alienate any of their respective adherents.

And if one allows for the understanding that the biblical creation details conform to ancient Near-Eastern cosmology then there should be no conflict between the evolutionary paradigm and the foundations of our faith in Christ.

– Roy Tallon
Tauranga