Evolutionary Christianity

By Michael Dowd

1. David Gerard 01.01.09 / 4pm

   I think the problem you’re facing is that creationists actively and knowingly lie about temporal truth because they believe religious truth is so much more important. Thus, responding to blatant knowing lies with more facts is assuming too little malice of them.
2. michael 01.01.09 / 4pm

   David, I really don’t think it’s that simple. I think most creationists have simply never been exposed to a way of thinking about the history of the universe, including human history, that gives them all the psychological benefits that their otherworldly, unnatural (supernatural) beliefs do: such as inspiration, comfort, trust, hope, fearlessness, etc. Once it becomes widely known that evolution is not only true, but that also beautiful and useful, I think religious conservatives will come to embrace an evidential worldview by the millions. But, of course, time will tell. It always does.
3. Bunc 01.03.09 / 11am

   Michael - let me declare myself as an Atheist before I start.
   I have debated with creationists many times on the web. I agree that some hold their position because they have not been exposed to the proper information. However with many others what I find is an almost wilfull capacity to distort and falsify in the pursuit of their creationist ? ID agenda.
   This shows their “christianity” in a very very poor light. Whether one is theist or atheist the eviidence of science is clear and unambiguous abouth teh fact that evolution has occurred on a vast geological timescale.

   While I dont share your religious beliefs I nevertheless wish you success in challenging the wilful ignorance that is prevelant in creationist and ID circles. If you can get some of these folk to accomodate their religious beliefs to the reality of the world that can only be a good thing.
4. michael 01.03.09 / 12pm

   Bunc, thanks for your comment. If you’re not already familiar with it, I think you’ll enjoy my book, Thank God for Evolution, and find it useful for your discussions with religious people. Here are a few key pages from my website:

   BOOK DESCRIPTION
   http://thankgodforevolution.com/book

   RESPONSE FROM NOBEL LAUREATES AND OTHER ESTEEMED SCIENTISTS
   http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1460

   FOR THE NON-RELIGIOUS AND ANTI-RELIGIOUS
   http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1531

   RESPONSE FROM RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND CONGREGANTS
   http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1532

   FOR THE RELIGIOUS (ACROSS THE THEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM)
   http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1529
5. Joshua Edmonds 01.05.09 / 7am

   Michael,

   I am very uneducated in matters involving evolution. I have never heard an idea such as evolutionary Christianity before. It is quite revolutionary for me to hear these things, and I desire more information. Where is the biblical support that you have surely studied and cross referenced to come about such an astonishing revelation of the history of mankind?

   Josh
6. Santiago 01.05.09 / 3pm

   I agree with Professor Agazzi, who says: If you read Darwin’s books, Darwin directly, You can see that he was never opposed to the idea of Creation. Never. He was always opposed to the idea of individual species being created by God or by Someone, Separately rather than being the result of a transformation. What happens nowadays? Unfortunately once again in the United States there is a minority of fundamentalist Evangelicals, Seeking to take the Bible word for word, as a discourse that tells us how the world was created. They call themselves creationists. Once again the term has been seized for another use. The term “creationists” does not mean in the slightest. That the book of Genesis should be taken as a true story about the Cosmos. But for them it does. They say yes, here is something that at the very least. Should be taught alongside the theory of evolution.. Once again a mistake has been made. And people say, Creationists are enemies of science and enemies of Evolution.
   Regards,
   Santiago Chiva
   Granada, Spain
7. Michael Dowd 01.07.09 / 12pm

   Josh,

   Evolutionary Christianity emerges out of what God has been revealing SINCE biblical times. Attempting to find biblical substantiation for Evolution Theology is like trying to understand calculus by looking at a 3rd grade basic arithmetic textbook.

   It wasn’t merely difficult to understand infection before microscopes brought bacteria into focus, it was impossible. It was similarly impossible (not just difficult) to understand the structure of the universe before telescopes allowed us to see galaxies. God could not have possibly revealed such things (or many other things that matter) to the Apostle Paul or anyone else living 2,000 years ago. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that had God revealed it, no one living back then could have received or made sense of it.

   The good news is that God has been revealing truth non-stop all along. Facts are God’s native tongue. Every scientific discovery is simultaneously a discovery of ours and a divine revelation. If you’re genuinely interested (I cannot tell from the tone of your message above), I invite you see this blog post: For the Religious (Across the Theological Spectrum), and then just pray for guidance. If you are Christ-centered (i.e., committed to Integrity above all else—the kind of integrity Jesus modeled), you can trust the Holy Spirit to lead you. Just follow your heart.

   God bless,

   ~ Michael
8. michael 01.07.09 / 12pm

   Santiago,

   Thanks for your comment. Given your interest in science, you may enjoy seeing responses to my book, Thank God for Evolution, from Nobel Prize-winning scientists and other esteemed science-oriented folk: Science Leaders Praise TGFE.

   Best,

   ~ Michael
9. Hale Meserow 02.04.09 / 12pm

   Michael,

   Your Wikipedia entry re the “fact” of evolution boils down to one assertion: evolution is a fact because we say it is.

   It’s useful to make a distinction between evolution and Darwinism. Evolution explains the minute changes of organisms within their own kind, e.g. fruit flies and finches. Darwinism is the act of using evolution to make a grand leap into the unknown by postulating that evolution accounts for one species changing into another.

   There is ample evidence for evolution. As stated, fruit flies and finches are examples. But the fruit flies do not become butterflies, and the finches do not become eagles. They remain within their own kind.

   Conversely, there is exactly ZERO evidence for Darwinism. No amount of eminent scientists stating that Darwinism is true will ever make it so. The fossil record is an embarrassment for Darwinists, and the so-called “proofs” that continue to be foisted upon unsuspected schoolchildren are laughable.

   Creationism, or the theory that God created the world and all its kinds, is supported by the Bible and by empirical observations in geology, astronomy, and other physical sciences.

   It is not necessary for anyone to believe creationism is the answer. Just stop shoving Darwinism down our throats and screaming “You must believe!”
10. michael 02.10.09 / 12pm

    Dear Hale,

    Your comment suggests to me that you did not even look at, much less carefully read, even the first few pages listed in the first section of my blog above: “Must Read Web Pages…”.

    I’m sorry you feel I am ’shoving Darwanism down your throat’. That is certainly not my intention. Evolution is nothing to be ‘believed in’ or not. It simply is, like gravity. Whether you accept an evolutionary worldview or not is your business.

    I embrace evolution for two main reasons: (1) because I find the mountains of evidence compelling (see http://toarchive.org/faqs/comdesc and also (2) because a deep-time evolutionary view of God’s nature, God’s grace, and God’s guidance has enormously blessed my life and has made it infinitely easier to live a victorious life in Christ.

    I recommend chapters 11 and 12 in my book, Thank God for Evolution. They are just practical exercises, if you want to experience heaven in this life, on this side of death. No need to accept evolution.

    God bless,

    ~ Michael

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