Bjoern Moeller wrote:
>
> Dear list,
>
> as I am preparing for a column I occasionally do in a
> Norwegian Christian newspaper I would like to gather
> some information regarding theistic evolution.
>
> If it is possible to agree on; what are the basic
> principles or doctrines of TE ? Is it like 'Godīs
> creation + evolution', or are the matters more
> complicated ? (I guess so).
>
> If anyone could take time and effort to answer my
> question, I would be very grateful. If not, could
> anyone at least refer to some serious source of TE,
> i.e. books, articles, web pages etc.
Bjoern -
"Theistic evolution" means very broadly that God brings living things into being
through an evolutionary process. TE is not an ideal term for sveral reasons. Some
people argue that it puts too much of the emphasis on evolution & makes God's role just
that of an adjective. My own objection is that it says nothing at all about who the
"theos" who does the evolving is. My own position would be described by most people as
"theistic evolution" but I am certainly closer theologically to those Trinitarians who
reject evolution than to Unitarians who accept it.
In fact, I think one of the most important things in the whole discussion is for
the Incarnation to have a central place in our understanding of evolution. It's one of
the merits of Teilhard de Chardin that he tried to do this, though there are problems
with the ways in which he tried to work it out. On the other hand, some treatments of
"theistic evolution" say nothing distinctively Christian and could just as well be
written by Muslims or philosophical theists.
Below are a few of my publications which are relevant to the topic, as well as a
few books by other authors.
George L. Murphy, "A Theological Argument for Evolution" (J.A.S.A. 38, 19, 1986)
-------------- _The Trademark of God_ (Morehouse-Barlow, 1986)
-------------- "The Incarnation as a Theanthropic Principle" (Word & World XIII, 256,
1993)
-------------- "`Chiasmic Cosmology' and `The Same Old Story': _Two Lutheran
Approaches to Natural Theology" in Facets of Faith & Science_, Volume
4, edited by Jitse M. van der Meer (University Press of America,
Lanham MD, 1996), pp. 131-142.
-------------- "The Cross Alone is Our Theodicy" (dialog 36, 69, 1997)
-------------- "The E Word" (To be published in _Lutheran Partners_, May/June 2000)
***********************************************************
Ernest Benz, _Evolution and Christian Hope: Man's Concept of the Future, from the Early
Fathers to Teilhard de Chardin_ (Doubleday, 1966 - German original 1965)
Denis Edwards, _The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology_ (Paulist, 1999)
Philip Hefner, _The Human Factor: Evolution, Culture, and Religion_ (Fortress, 1993)
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, _Christianity and Evolution_ (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
1969)
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
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