> Dehann wrote in response to Terry:
>
> >As an example, take the first step in the evolution of the hemoglobin
> >molecule. As you say it starts with gene duplication, with the original gene
> >preserving its primitive function and the second copy being altered by
> >mutation, providing a source of new material on which selection can operate.
> > This process is a fact, and thus should be dripping with evidence of the
> >creating God. Right? Would you be willing to spell out with as much
> >specificity as you can what evidence you find for such a God in this fact?
> > Does God interact in this process? Does he select and induce mutations? Is
> >the process ultimately based on chance movement of atoms and molecules or on
> >divine guidance. If the latter, how? And can you do the same in principle
> >for other steps? If I am missing some major point in your theology, please
> >let me know.
>
> This comment suggests that you cannot visualize God's activity through
> natural process. A theoretically complete cause and effect "natural"
> explanation does not remove the creators hand! I believe that God causes
> it to rain (and can thus respond to prayer for rain), but yet the cause of
> rain can be studied and described as a series of cause/effect processes. I
> believe that I was created individually by God, yet my conception,
> development and birth can be described as an uninterrupted series of
> cause/effect processes. God is spoken of in scripture as feeding the lions
> and birds (see Job), but yet we cannot observe His hand. Nothing, no
> chemical reaction, no mutation, no birth or death, happens outside of God's
> providential will! Even chance events are under His control - why did
> people cast lots to perceive God's will if this were not so (see also the
> account of the death of Ahab)? Chance events are part of God's sovereign
> action in the world.
>
You are right: God has everything in his hand and governs everything. But
where can I know from that God does this? Because he has revealed himself
in Creation and Scripture. In other words we can see that all this has
been done by God, which implies that this is another type of divine action
as in our everyday experiences. 'Chance' is part of God's sovereign action
in the world, but there is another part where for example miracles belong
to. In this God's action is obvious, and makes everyone responsible in not
believing God. And creation is also a part of this, it can't be explained
without the creator rendering responsible all men before God(Romans 1).
That these special actions are the proof of truth, is also clear from John
20(end) where we are told that the miracles reported to us are written
that we should believe that Jesus is the son of God. And in the same way
we know that the believers will rise from death, because we know by the
testimony of the apostles that Jesus has risen from it.
None of this events can be explained by natural science.. And with creation
it's the same thing. As mentioned above creation does not belong to God's
guiding influence, but to his creating action. It's the same thing with
the conversion of somebody, it's creating and cannot be explained by
natural(psychological) causes.
I hope I didn't write to much German idioms, but this aspect seems to me
to be a fundamental one in the relationship between science and faith.
Best wishes, Oliver