> (1) Both "Theistic Evolution" (TE) and "Progressive Creation" (PC)
> believes that God called the universe into being, and developed the
> Earth using natural processes in preparation for life.
>
> (2) However, TE believes these natural processes, under God's normal
> providential control (with the possible exception of the origin of
> life and the origin of mankind), were sufficient to bring about the
> origin and development of the living world.
>
> (3) PC, fully accepts the same normal providential control of God that
> TE does, but PC believes that it was necessary for God to directly and
> supernatural intervene at strategic points in biological history, to
> bring about the origin and development of the living world.
>
> (4) NOTE: the differences between TE and PC at the margins may be
> very small, but they are significant. If TE believes that it was
> necessary for God to directly and supernaturally intervene to
> originate life and mankind, then TE is, at those points, virtually
> indistinguisable from PC. Also, PC in its requirement for
> supernatural intervention at strategic points in biological history,
> need not postulate the de novo creation of whole new organisms. God's
> intervention need only be subtle, precisely timed and sequentially
> targeted, to achieve His aims.
I like these definitions a lot. I recommend them.
Stephen also commented extensively on my "practical consequences,
misconceptions, stengths, and weaknesses of PC/TE" sections. I yield to
his descriptions and perceptions of PC. (He understands his position
better than I do.) I most certainly do not yield to his descriptions and
perceptions of TE. ;-)
As Stephen pointed out, we've hashed these issues over extensively
throughout the past year, so I'll let this line drop for now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There's nothing more exciting than science. You get |
all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing | Loren Haarsma
down numbers, paying attention. Science has it all!" | lhaarsma@opal.tufts.edu
--Principal Skinner (_The_Simpsons_) |