Re: Human explosion (fwd)

Steve Clark (ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Sat, 6 Jan 1996 13:14:41 -0600

I wrote:
>SC>What does "100% naturalistically" mean? When a seed is planted and
>>a tree grows from it, we understand this in naturalistic terms. When
>>someone dies from a heart attack, we attribute it to natural causes.
>>But these examples don't diminish our recognition of God as a creator
>>of that tree, or sustainer of the cosmos.

Stephen Jones replied:
>When I say that "life arose 100% naturalistically from chemicals", I
>mean *fully* naturalistically, ie. spontaneously, with no need for
>direct intervention by an Intelligent Designer.

There is a conceptual problem here. Life can arise 100% naturalistically
from chemicals, much like we understand the naturalistic basis for the
growth of the tree. God did not plant it nor did he direct the
enzymological machinery that allows the plant to pull carbon from the air to
form its trunk and leaves. My point is htat tree biology can be taught in
100% naturalistic terms without invoking direct intervention by a designer
and we do not have problem with it--it doesn't diminish our recognition of
God as creator. Christians seem to be more concerned about whether or not
origins are taught in 100% naturalistic terms.

Steve
__________________________________________________________________________
Steven S. Clark, Ph.D. Phone: (608) 263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: (608) 263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and email: ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53792

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings
to search out a matter." Proverbs

"What, then is time? I know well enough what it is, provided that
nobody asks me" Augustine 'Confessions'
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