On Thu, 12 Oct 1995 09:57:18 -0500 (EST) you wrote:
LH>ABSTRACT: I give a review of theological reasons for favoring
"natural
>processes" over "supernatural intervention" in biological history.
LH>Steven Jones asked:
its Stephen Lauren! :-) Actually I am Steve to all my friends, but I
adopted Stephen as my email name because there was another
Steve Jones in Fidonet and we used to get each other's mail.
SJ>I would like to know "theologically" why TE proposes "natural
>processes" rather than "supernatural intervention" for the "formation
>of first life, higher taxa, and novel features"?
LH>(Thanks for asking! This gives me an opportunity to pull together
>ideas which I have written and developed throughout the past year. In
>addition to what I write here, I would refer you to Howard VanTill's
>writings on St. Basil and St. Augustine.)
Frankly I am not overly comcerned at what "St. Basil and St. Augustine"
believed! :-). Firstly, they were not inspired in the sense that the Biblical
writers were; Secondly sections of the Church has fallen into great error
by treating the Fathers as equivalent to Scripture; and Thirdly there is
some dispute as to whether Howard VanTill's interpretation is correct.
LH>(Quick note: I am not writing this to re-open debate on each of
>these points. I am writing to demonstrate that TE reasoning is based
>upon Christian doctrines, and NOT upon philosophical naturalism.)
I would not agree that "St. Basil and St. Augustine" are necessarily
"Christian doctrines". Augustine, for example, was responsible for two
false doctrines that have done incalculable harm in the Christian
Church, namely Purgatory and Celibacy of the clergy. He could not
read Hebrew and was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy. If TE
traces its support back to Augustine, then I rest my case that TE is
ultimately based on pagan Greek philosophy rather than Hebrew
Theism. :-)
Due to time constraints, I will discuss your 11 points one-by-one
in separate messages spread over several days.
[continued]
God bless.
Stephen
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Stephen Jones | ,--_|\ | sjones@iinet.net.au |
| 3 Hawker Ave | / Oz \ | sjones@odyssey.apana.org.au |
| Warwick 6024 |->*_,--\_/ | http://www.iinet.net.au/~sjones/ |
| Perth, Australia | v | phone +61 9 448 7439 |
----------------------------------------------------------------