Rather than writing a long treatise on the richness of the doctrine of
Creation, I'll just list four features common to any creative act, human
or divine:
1) conception and design
2) acquisition of component pieces (_de_novo_ creation for the universe)
3) assembly of new forms from component pieces
4) maintenance throughout the creative process
Whether you advocate progressive creation or evolutionary creation, steps
1 and 2 are NOT providence, while step 4 is included under providence.
Assembly could happen by "intervention-assembly" or, if the component
pieces were so designed, "self-assembly." Intervention-assembly is not
providence, but I'm quite willing to accept self-assembly under
providence.
Progressive creation typically allows for self-assembly of new physical
forms (stars, planets, oceans, atmospheres, dry land). Evolutionary
creation extends self-assembly to new biological forms.
The means of assembly is just one part of a much larger picture of
Creation. Evolutionary creation will seem to "blur the doctrines of
Creation and Providence" ONLY IF you first make the mistake of reducing
"Creation" to "assembly."
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The best things in life are free. | Loren Haarsma
There is no such thing as a free lunch. | lhaarsma@opal.tufts.edu
===> Lunch is not one of the best things in life. |