"You mean Genesis will be rewritten in order to conform with observed
reality? I hadn't realized that was possible! I thought creationists were
busily trying to change reality to fit Genesis."
When speaking of theists whose picture of the universe's formational
history places especial emphasis on the (presumed) need for a succession of
episodes of irruptive, form-imposing interventions by a Creator, I use the
term 'episodic creationist.' This broad category includes young-earth
special creationists, old-earth special creationists, progressive
creationists and most proponents of Intelligent Design (whose concept of
'design' is based on the artisan metaphor) .
Presuming that by 'creationists' Susan means 'episodic creationists,' I
agree that many of them appear to be "busily trying to change reality to
fit [their reading of] Genesis [as a very succinct chronicle of the
universe's formational history]." I consider this to be a tragic waste of
effort by talented people.
Although I count myself to be a full member of the Christian community, I
find that particular reading of Genesis 1-3 to be wholly inappropriate, one
that draws attention away from its profoundly theological agenda. I suppose
that it could be rewritten in a conceptual vocabulary that includes modern
scientific cosmology and biological evolution, but since the essential
thesis is theological rather than scientific, perhaps very little would be
gained.
Howard J. Van Till