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"The Biblical doctrine of creation is one of the richest doctrines revealed to us by God.

It reveals to us that the God who loves us is also the God who created us and all things; at once it establishes the relationship between the God of religious faith and the God of physical reality.

It is because of creation that we trust in the reality of a physical and moral structure to the universe, which we can explore as scientists and experience as persons.

It is because of creation that we know that the universe and everything in it depends moment-by-moment upon the sustaining power and activity of God.

It is because of creation that we know that we are not the end-products of meaningless processes in an impersonal universe, but men and women made in the image of a personal God. It is by the formulation of "creation out of nothing" that we affirm that God created the universe freely and separately, and reject the alternatives of dualism and pantheism.

To worship God as Creator is to emphasize both His transcendence over the natural order and His imminence in the natural order; it is to recognize that His mode of existence as Creator is completely other than our mode of existence as created.

To appreciate God as Creator is to recognize that which He created as intrinsically good; the rationale for scientific investigation, the assurance of ultimate personal meaning in life, and the nature of evil as an aberration on a good creation are all intrinsic to such an appreciation.

We believe in creation. It is unthinkable for a Christian to do otherwise."

Richard Bube-1971

Darwin confided the following to Harvard botanist Asa Gray in a letter of May 1860:

"I had no intention to write atheistically….I can see no reason, why a man, or other animal, may not have been aboriginally produced by other laws; & that all these laws may have been expressly designed by an omniscient Creator, who foresaw every future event & consequence. But the more I think the more bewildered I become."--
Charles Darwin - 1860

The case for Cosmic Ancestry is not yet proven, of course. At this point the best reason to notice it is that the mainstream Darwinian paradigm does not satisfactorily account for sustained evolutionary progress and the origin of life on Earth. We will mention some of the flaws in the Darwinian account, but our primary purpose is to present Cosmic Ancestry as a viable, new scientific account of evolutionary progress and the origin of life on Earth.

Brig Klyce 

| ASA Statements | Biblical/Theological Papers | College Course | Darwin Year | Evolution Basics |
Historical Papers |Lectures | News | Polls | Resources | Scientific Papers|
 | Spectrum of Views  |On-line Science Journals |

No topic in the world of science and Christianity has fostered the intensity of discussion and disharmony with evangelicals as the source of biological diversity. The pages of Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (PSCF) reflect the tensions for a community which claims to value both the Bible and science yet finds it difficult to forge a view on origins that takes into account both areas of revelation. The spirited debates on the ASA listserv demonstrate  the current paths of this discussion.

A Recent News Item:   "The 4.4 million-year-old skeleton nicknamed “Ardi” by scientists who found her remains in Ethiopia show the earliest known ancestor of humans was a lot more like us than chimps or apes-"- Bloomberg

 Do you think this recent scientific revelation will challenge a Christian's faith?" 
 One Answer

This page points to PSCF and other sources that focus on the religious significance of the creation/evolution issue and concerns over the evidence that supports evolution. The ASA has no official position on evolution; its members hold a diversity of views with varying degrees of intensity. Advocates and foes of evolution alike have often gone far beyond the science of the subject to advance various causes. Despite the cries of those who claim a corner on the Truth, the importance of "beliefs" and "feelings" on all sides reduces the chances for consensus. Too often, would-be authors are not familiar with current research. Scientists, philosophers and theologians are rightly concerned with those who would speak learnedly about fields with which they have only a surface knowledge.

Today's spirited discussion often pits Christian vs. Christian and scientist vs. scientist when it comes to points of interpretation. Public debates over education and the "culture wars" keep the pot boiling. We offer creditable resources from which the reader can draw his/her own position. First, three recent polls that indicate something of the mood of the American public.

The most recent Gallup Poll: USA

More details...

A Poll regarding creation and evolution, USA
I believe:

The universe was created in six days as described in Genesis.      29%
Evolution is true, but God began and/or directs it.                          43%
Evolution is true, and religion has nothing to do with it.                   28%

Sixty years of ASA publications reflect the paths that English speaking evangelicals have taken on biological origins.  What was essentially a 1950s concordist - literal approach between the early chapters of Genesis and the science of the day has become a complex matrix of literary and condordist treatments that take into account ancient Near East (ANE) cultures and the scientific understanding of nature.

A Spectrum of Creation Views held by Evangelicals

All Christians in the sciences affirm the central role of the Logos in creating and maintaining the universe. In seeking to describe how the incredible universe has come to be, a variety of views has emerged in the last two hundred years as continuing biblical and scientific scholarship have enabled deeper understanding of God's word and world. Challenges to the church via cultural issues have had their effects on faith science thinking. Today we see a range of views on natural history that have developed out of a 'Christian' worldview. They vary according to the place of scripture and science in the telling of the story. The place of direct actions of God and 'so-called' secondary causes are key features of each story. Vocabulary and inconsistent use of terms often obscure the category in which to place a paper. How one reads the Bible, the role of theology, scientific details and theory, and the philosophy of science each color our thinking.

The spectrum: with links to helpful literature

          Young-earth special creation: God directly creates all things in six days. (with
          some qualifications) and a 'literal' reading of Genesis 1- 3: Creation Research
          Society, Answers in Genesis

Old-earth Creation - Ruin - Reconstruction: Christian Geology Ministry

Old-earth progressive creation: God's direct role in creation as consisting of separate
creative acts spread out over several billion years of time. J. J. Davis, G. Mills, Morse

Evolving Creation (Theistic Evolution): God's activity is typically progressive in time, and
potentially understandable in terms of cause-and-effect sequences of physical or historical
events. K. Miller

One Time Creation: God has created a universe which depends continually upon God, but
which has been endowed with the ability to accomplish what God wants it to accomplish
without any "corrections" or "interventions." H. van Till,  G. Murphy

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We offer a series of papers and books that emphasize various aspects of biological origins. They
are arranged under the categories of  Historical, Scientific, and Biblical/Theological papers.
Then follows a friendly exchange in PSCF on evolutionary psychology. An earlier dialogue
Theistic Evolution offers a shorter introduction. Younger surfers should check-out Fish Wars.
 We begin with recent news items related to the creation/evolution front.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

H. G. BRONN, ERNST HAECKEL, AND THE ORIGINS OF GERMAN DARWINISM: A Study in Translation and Transformation by Sander Gliboff. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. xii + 259 pages, notes, bibliography, index. Hardcover; $35.00. ISBN: 9780262072939. PSCF Review

BACK TO DARWIN: A Richer Account of Evolution by John B. Cobb Jr., ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008. 434 pages. Paperback; $36.00. ISBN: 9780802848376. PSCF Review

ADAM’S ANCESTORS: Race, Religion, and the Politics of Human Origins by David N. Livingstone. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. 301 pages. Hardcover; $35.00. ISBN: 9780801888137. PSCF Review

A New York Times Series on Darwin:

NICHOLAS WADE, Darwin, Ahead of His Time, Is Still Influential (February 9, 2009 ) .  Darwin’s theory of evolution has become the bedrock of modern biology. But for most of the theory’s existence since 1859, even biologists have ignored or vigorously opposed it, in whole or in part. It is a
testament to Darwin’s extraordinary insight that it took almost a century for biologists to understand
 the essential correctness of his views.

Interactive Feature

On Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’

 OLIVIA JUDSON,  The Origin of Darwin  (February 12, 2009)
 A look back at the life of Charles Darwin, who was born 200 years ago today. His work transformed our understanding of the planet
and of ourselves.

Seeing the Risks of Humanity’s Hand in Species Evolution (February 10, 2009)

Essay: Darwinism Must Die So That Evolution May Live (February 10, 2009)

Crunching the Data for the Tree of Life (February 10, 2009)

Genes Offer New Clues in Old Debate on Species’ Origins (February 10, 2009)

Findings: Darwin the Comedian. Now That’s Entertainment! (February 10, 2009)

The Complete Works of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Library)

ASA Statements on Origins

Richard H. Bube, "We Believe in Creation," Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation (PSCF),
23 (June 1971):121-122.

ASA Executive Council, "A Voice For Evolution as Science," PSCF, 44 (December 1992): 252.

ASA Creation Commission Statement (August 2000)

Historical Papers

 Hiram Caton, Getting Our History Right: Six Errors about Darwin and His Influence www.epijournal.net  5(1) 2007: 52-69.

James Moore , Evolution and Wonder : Understanding Charles Darwin (July 20,2006) on
Charles Darwin’s view of religion, adaptation, and creation. Audio interview

Dennis O. Lamoureux, , Theological Insights from Charles Darwin
 PSCF 56.1:2-12 (3/2004).

Harry Cook, "Wonderful Life: Burgess Shale and the History of Biology," PSCF 47 (September 1995): 159.

Edward  O. Dodson, Toldot Adam: A Little-Known Chapter in
the History  of Darwinism, PSCF 52.1: 47-54 (3/2000).

Sara Joan Miles, Charles Darwin and Asa Gray Discuss Teleology
and Design PSCF 53.3:196-201. (9/2001).

Michael Roberts, Was Darwin a Christian? PSCF 52.2:84-85 (6/2000).

Lectures

Dennis Lamoureux, "Beyond the Evolution Creation Debate" (2003)

Scientific Papers

Robert C. Schnedier, "Seeking the emergence of Created Man and Woman," PSCF 58
(September 2006): 196-215.

David Lati, "Looking to the Birds: A Perspective on the Interpretation of Nature," PSCF
55 (March  2003): 14-21

John Bracht, Natural Selection as an Algorithm: Why Darwinian Processes Lack the
Information Necessary to Evolve Complex Life PSCF 54.4:264-269 (12/2002)

Glenn R. Morton, "Transitional Forms and the Evolution of Phyla," PSCF 53.1 (March
2001): 42-51.

Ronald G. Larson, "Viral Evolution: Climbing Mount Molehill?" PSCF 52 (September
2000): 169.

Lahti, David, Evolutionary Theory Misunderstood PSCF 52.3:215-217 (9/2000).

Armin Held, & Peter Rust,"Genesis Reconsidered" PSCF 51.4:231-243 (12/1999).

Keith B. Miller, "The Precambrian to Cambrian Fossil Record and Transitional
Forms," PSCF 49 (December1997): 264.

Keith B. Miller, Taxonomy, Transitional Forms, and the Fossil Record (ASA website,
1997).

J. Raymond Zimmer "The Creation of Man and the Evolutionary Record," PSCF 48
(March 1996): 16.

Gordon C. Mills, "A Design Theory of Progressive Creation." A series of five papers
from 1995 - 1999 describing Dr. Mills' views.

Peter Rust, "How Has Life and Diversity Been Produced?" PSCF 44 (June 1992): 80.

Wilbur L. Bullock, " The Origin of Species and the Origins of Disease," PSCF 44 (March
1992): 36.

Biblical/Theological Papers (many more articles may be found via Google on our
home page)

Snoke, David, Why Were Dangerous Animals Created? PSCF 56.2:117-125 (6/2004)

Fischer, Dick, Young-Earth Creationism: A Literal Mistake PSCF 55.4:222-231 (12/2003)

Morton, Glenn R. & Simons, Gordon, Random Worms: Evidence of Random and
Nonrandom Processes in the Chromosomal Structure of Archaea, Bacteria and
Eukaryotes PSCF 55.3:175-184 (9/2003)

Richard Thornhill, "The Panda's Thumb: Design and Optimality from Plato to Endo"
PSCF 55 (March3003): 32-35.

Newman, Robert C., Some Problems for Theistic Evolution PSCF 55.2:117-128
(6/2003).

John Jefferson Davis, "Is "Progressive Creation" Still a Helpful Concept?
Reflections on Creation, Evolution, and Bernard Ramm's Christian View of Science
and Scripture - A Generation Later," PSCF 50 (December1998): 2

Dick Fischer, "In Search of Historical Adam: Part 1," PSCF 45
(December 1993): 241

Dick Fischer. "In Search of Historical Adam: Part 2," PSCF 46
(March 1994): 47

Conrad Hyers, "Dinosaur Religion: On Interpreting and
Misinterpreting the Creation Texts." JASA 36 (September 1984): 142-148.

Merideth G. Kline, "Space and Time in the Genesis Cosmogony," PSCF
48 (March 1996): 2

Karl Krienke, "Theodicy and Evolution," PSCF 44 (December 1992): 255.

Keith B. Miller, "Theological Implications of an Evolving Creation," A condensation of PSCF
45 (September1993): 150.

George L. Murphy, "Chiasmic Cosmology and Creation's Functional Integrity, "PSCF 53
(March 2001):7 - 13.

Peter Ruest, "Creative Providence in Biology," PSCF 53 (September 2001): 179. [HTML] [PDF]

Howard J. Van Till, . "Basil, Augustine, and the Doctrine of Creation's Functional
Integrity." Science & Christian Belief 8, No. 1 (1996): 21-38.

Davis Young, "The Antiquity and the Unity of the Human Race Revisted," Christian
Scholar's Review XXIV:4,380-396 (May, 1995)

A Historical Note

Evangelicals, Evolution, and Academics (2008) A series of
short articles by Steve Martin, Keith Miller, Dennis Verema, Steve Matheson,
Karl Giberson, Gordon Glover, Douglas Hayworth, and Ted Davis; edited by
Steve Martin.

The good ship Beagle

Marlowe C. Embree, The Social Psychology of the Origins
 Debate (2008) An examination of how our attitudes and beliefs are formed, how bias and prejudice affect
 our interaction with others, and how our thinking styles and personality profiles are important factors, all within
the context of the origins debate.

Charles Darwin (1838-41) The Voyage of the Beagle

Charles Darwin (1859) The Origin of Species

Charles Darwin (1871) The Descent of Man

Zimmer, Carl, 1998, At the Water's Edge, Touchstone. An thorough and interesting account of some
of the  most exciting fossil discoveries of the past decade -- the walking whales and the first tetrapods. Shows
examples of fossil transitions between classes.

Peter J. Bowler, Reconciling Science and Religion: the Debate in Early-Twentieth-Century
Britain. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001.

Frederick Gregory, Nature Lost? Natural Science and the German Theological Traditions
of the Nineteenth Century. MA: Harvard University Press, 1992.

David Knight, Ronald L. Numbers, Bernard Lightman and Mariko Ogawa, eds., Nineteenth
Century Books on Evolution and Creation: scientific and religious debates in the age
of Darwin

Ronald L. Numbers. The Creationists. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1992.

____. Darwinism Comes to America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998.

____________________________________________________________________________
Concluding reflections

A Physicist and a historian

Americans remain "a spectacularly religious" people..as long as this is the case...there will be an intense
discussion about origins. Science permeates all of American society from top to bottom. The rub comes when
 the scientific elite wields its cultural dominance irresponsibly and carelessly identifies "scientific knowledge of
origins" with an "exhaustive knowledge or understanding of origins" and thereby dismisses religious views as
"primitive and therefore false." Religious groups have a responsibility to appreciate that this is an advanced
scientific culture and deal with the tough issues that come up. ...the origins debate in America will not go away.
 --Giberson and Yerxa, Eastern Nazerene College in Species of Origins: America's Search for a Creation Story.

A Philosopher

The present state of the evolution versus religion controversy is that it is currently being played out as a social,
political, and broadly cultural contest roughly equivalent to the "red-state" and "blue-state" political conflict. The
 controversy begun in large volumes of theological and scientific speculation in Victorian times has now 
descended to the level of a bumper-sticker war, in the competing Jesus and Darwin fish symbols that appear on
 the rear of automobiles.  Evolutionary proponents continue to publish popular books claiming that evolutionary
concepts can solve every mystery of human existence while religious critics continue to promote biblical "science"
 and to exploit the explanatory gaps in orthodox Darwinian theory. French culture and history moved on from the
 political conflicts that resulted from the Dreyfus affair and left them unresolved. Attempts to resolve the conflicts
 resulting from the religion versus evolution controversy are not likely to be successful because evolutionary
materialism and biblical literalism have become political positions. It is probably time to move on.
--John Caiazza, Rivier College 

Books on Genesis

• Report of the Creation Study Committee (Presbyterian Church in America, 2000)
  A balanced and thorough examination of Genesis 1-3 by a conservative reformed
  denomination.
• Analytical Key to the Old Testament: Genesis, by John Joseph Owens (New York
  Harper & Row, 1978)
• The Anchor Bible: Genesis, by E.A. Speiser (New York: Doubleday, 1964)
• Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture [ACCS], Old Testament I, Genesis I-II
  (edited by AndrewLouth, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001)
• A Handbook on Genesis by William D. Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry (New York: United
  Bible Societies, 1997) - (Available at http://www.americanbible.org).
• The International Critical Commentary: Genesis, Second Edition, by John Skinner
  (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1910). A useful historical resource.
• The Old Testament Library: Genesis, Revised Edition, by Gerhard Von Rad
  (Philadelphia: Westminster,1972)
• Genesis: A Commentary - by Gerhard von Rad
• Genesis 1-15 by Gordon J. Wenham (Waco, TX : Word Books, c1987.)

Other ANE Creation Texts

• The Seven Tablets of Creation by Leonard William King Luzac's Semitic text and
  translation series. vol. xii-xiii, Luzac and Co. London 1902.
• Gerda De Villiers, "The Epic of Gilgamesh," OTE 19/1 (2006), 26­34

Dialogues

Evolutionary Psychology

News and Discussion

Fossil Is Missing Link In Elephant Lineage A pig-sized, tusked creature that roamed the earth some
27 million years ago represents a missing link between the oldest known relatives of
elephants and the more recent group from which modern elephants descended, an
international team that includes University of Michigan paleontologist William
Durham... Science Daily

Earth's early battering revealed Detailed analysis of the oldest rocks on Earth
throws new light on one of our planet's most violent phases. BBC News

See also  'Astonishing' skull unearthed in Africa BBC News

Resources

Evolution versus Creationism What's NEW by Brig Klyce  An imaginative and thorough source of material
on all sides of origins issues.

The Complete Work of Charles Darwin This site currently contains more than 50,000 searchable
text pages and 40,000 images of both publications and handwritten manuscripts. There is also the most
comprehensive Darwin bibliography ever published and the largest manuscript catalogue ever assembled.
More than 150 ancillary texts are also included, ranging from secondary reference works to contemporary
reviews, obituaries, published descriptions of Darwin's Beagle specimens and important related works for
understanding Darwin's context.

Robert Schneider has written an up-to-date series of essays on the theme of Creation.