bible vs science
ZYLU@legacy.calvin.edu
Wed, 27 Mar 1996 13:00:00 EST5EDTI've only had time to merely glance at some of the posts on the topic
of Genesis and historicity. But Glenn made a statement in a post on
Mar 26 that, I believe, sets the question in the wrong framework. He
made the statement that "it may be that science or the Bible is
wrong." We need to distinguish between God's revelation from our
interpretation of that revelation. God reveals himself in both
creation and in Scripture (Bible) as well as in the person, Christ.
Science is our human interpretation of God's revelation in creation;
theology and/or our reading of Scripture is our human interpretation
of God's revelation in Scripture. Thus, if we make contrasts, it
should be at the level of Scripture with creation and science with
"theology"; not with science and the Bible or theology with creation.
God's revelation in both creation and the Bible are infallible, viz.,
truthful. (I think we need to distinguish infallible from inerrant).
But our interpretation of either or both creation (science) or
Scripture (theology) may be in error.
If we affirm the truthfulness of God's revelation in both creation
and Scripture, then our challenge is to discern the nature of the
truthfulness. That implies that we must discern the intent of God's
revelation in Scripture, and in this discussion, of the early chapter
of Genesis. I would suggest that the thrust of the truthfulness
concerns God's proclamation of God as the "maker of heaven and earth"
rather than a description of God's creative activity.
With regard to God's creative activity revealed in Genesis I would
like to make this observation. God in his creative activity is
calling forth the laws and ordinances that hold for the creation,
that the creation is subject to. God's creative activity is thus not
subject to the very laws that are being called forth for the
creation. Human beings, as created beings are subject to the laws
for created reality. Furthermore, our understanding as creatures is
limited to the created reality, to that which is subject to the laws
for creation. In view of this, there are limits to our knowledge and
scientific investigation. We are unable to investigate or even
comprehend God['s creative active simply because such activity is not
subject to the very laws that are being called forth. I see Genesis
1 as God proclaiming to humankind that he is creator, etc... But
since we cannot comprehend the creative activity, the proclamation is
done in a form that denotes the truthfulness of the proclamation, but
has nor direct relation to a description of the activity. It can't
describe something we can not even comprehend.
These are my two cents worth on this discussion.
Uko Zylstra
Uko Zylstra, Chair e-mail: zylu@calvin.edu
Biology Department tel: (616) 957-6499
Calvin College fax: (616) 957-6501
Grand Rapids, MI 49546