Thank you for replying to my posting of Tue, 8 Sep. I'm glad to hear
your rejection of Richard Dawkin's rhetoric.
Yes, I would like a copy of your book "The Fourth Day:...". I shall be
posting you a cheque for $8.00 in due course.
You wrote
>
>Why are Christians inclined to hold such a low view of the Creation's >gifts for accomplishing the Creator's intentions for the formational >history of the Creation? Was the Creator unable or unwilling to so >gift it? Did He lack the creativity to conceptualize the requisite >creaturely capabilities? Was He able to do so, but not sufficiently >generous? Did He purposely withhold a few key gifts so that the >Creation would not have the requisite capabilities to actualize certain >novel forms of life in the course of its formational history?
>Does anyone think about the theological implications of this concept of >the character of the Creation's capabilities? Why would Christians >expect the Creation to have vacancies in its menu of formational >capabilities?
>
I am numbered among those who hold a high view of God. He is Almighty,
Sovereign and Omniscient, and therefore able to achieve His creative
purposes in any manner of ways. If He had used evolution as the
mechanism then I could hardly challenge your remarks and would have to
provide the answers you expect. However, I personally see no good
reason for questioning the literal meaning of the Creation Narrative.
As I have pointed out to Glenn, the Hebrew language is not short of a
word for a long period of time. So why should our Creator (a) use 'yom'
rather than 'olam' unless He really meant literal 'days' and (b) place
the Creation Week in parallel with our working week (Ex.20:8-11)?
Neither am I convinced by the arguments for evolution. The assumption of
constancy in the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes suggests that
the 'old earth' hypothesis - and with it, the theory of evolution itself
- is built on sand. How it can be fairly presented as 'fact', is beyond
my comprehension. But, to return to the Scriptures, are you not
concerned about (a) the destruction of the Gospel's foundations that is
brought about by a rapprochement with evolution, (b) Peter's warning
regarding the distortion of God's word (2Pet.3:16) and (c) our Lord's
warning concerning doctrines that manifestly yield bad fruit
Mt.7:15-20)?
However, notwithstanding these objections, I look forward to reading
your book.
Regards,
Vernon