Mccarrick Alan D CRPH wrote:
> Chuck wrote:
>
> >My advice is to discuss the geological record and the flaws in the logic
> >of(some of the )YEC-adherent but not to make too big of a deal of it.
>
> >Finally, a word of caution: beware of the "domino theory:" some vulnerable
> >Christians may not see a "middle road" between a literal interpretation of
> >the Bible and total unbelief. Let's be careful that we don't make any
> >Christian stumble.
>
> Did any of you read the editor's page in the current PSCF journal. Roman talked
> of the "loss of faith" of some students at his school when confronted with tough
> questions. We bring those tough ones to our students. The job of presenting to
> Christians a wider view of issues (whether in a Sunday School or Christian Highs
> School or College) is one that requires prayer and wisdom - and I might add time
> for dialogue. As Christ warned that there is a terrible price for making "one of these
> little ones to stumble."
I've made it a practice, after teaching the 10 Commandments with Confirmation
students, to present them with some mini-case studies of situations in which elementary
understandings of two or more of the commandments come into conflict & in which there then
seems to be no "right" answer about how to act. There is no point in kidding them into
think that all decisions can be handled by finding the correct rule.
We should not give unnecessary offence but it's illusory to think that people are
never going to confront hard questions. Some judgment is needed: There is no need to try
to convince an 85 year old Christian that the world isn't 6000 years old as long as he or
she isn't disturbing others with this. The situation is quite different with a teenager
who is riding for a fall if he or she thinks that a choice has to be made between being
Christian and accepting evolution. The YECs are the ones who cause the greatest offence in
this regard by telling people (or at least giving them the strong impression) that they've
got to make this choice.
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
"The Science-Theology Interface"
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