There has been a lot of discussion about what is OEC. Likely as many
variations as there are people times two.
From my perspective, here is a general guideline:
1. The scientific observations about the facts of the past are
essentially correct but perhaps a bit overstated as to time accuracy.
The universe is likely 14 B years old etc.
2. Evolution is a theory to explain the origin and development of
animals and is about a mechanism (survival of the fitest etc.) and not
an observation of fact (such as deterining that a certain animal lived
at a certain time, etc.). That the animals occurred in a sequence from
simple to more complex is a factual observation but how this happened is
a theory. I would like to call this the GSA for grand sequence of
animals and NOT refer to it as evolution in any use of the term.
3. Genesis allows for this long time frame--pick your own view of it as
allegorical, day/age theory etc., but, Hebrew Genesis to an OEC does NOT
require the reading of 24 hour days.
4. There are an infinite variation of "how God did it" ideas from
setting up the universe with the correct initial coniditions and
watching it go to God intervening at every step to God guiding
"evolution" to do it. But, none of these involve blind, purposeless
mechanical mechanisms that create man from rocks and could care less
about him.
Bert
attached mail follows:
Hello Jim,
One variation of OEC is to accept much of modern evolutionary theories but
nevertheless, maintain that with regard to humans, an act of special
creation was involved, thus breaking the continuity from nonhuman primates
to hominids. Of course, where the break actually occurred is uncertain, but
it seems necessary to hold this view in order to to account the
"specialness" of humans in creation as a moral agent endowed with divine
sonship. Such a postition would at least account for the data as well as
modern evolutionary theories.
Adrian.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Eisele
To: asa@calvin.edu
Sent: 3/24/2002 6:15 AM
Subject: Theological Consequences of Evolution
A very popular theological view is Old Earth Creationism (OEC).
Evidence mounts by the moment for human evolution. OECs will
soon have to face facts. I have talked with many OECs. Pride
is a large factor in their position. They just don't want to
believe that they descended from an ape.
As if morphing up from dust was something to brag about...
Jim
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