RE: Shapes of a Wedge

I am not sure if the gut feeling many of us has for the necessity of a Creator has anything to do with theology. The need for a Creator answers an obviously evident ontological problem. Perhaps simple people have this intuitive sense more attune than learned people who are apt to be blinded by pride. There is a clear reason why the notion of a Creator was mentioned in our Declaration of Independence as the source for our freedom, which cannot be neither granted nor taken away by a government or kingdom. Once the notion of a Creator forms part of your thinking it is an easy step to become a Christian and see the discrepancy in the death of our Savior and the dilemma of reconciling that with evolutionary theory.

Moorad

        -----Original Message-----
        From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu on behalf of Al Koop
        Sent: Mon 5/17/2004 4:45 PM
        To: gmurphy@raex.com
        Cc: asa@calvin.edu
        Subject: Re: Shapes of a Wedge
        
        

        "George Murphy" <gmurphy@raex.com> 05/16/04 3:10 PM wrote:
        
                Rhetoric and politics are part of the story but the fundamental
        issue
        here is theological. The great majority of people who oppose evolution
        do
        so on religious grounds. (Of course those religious views may range
        from a
        well thought out & sophisticated to incoherent.) Nonbelievers who are
        concerned about this problem can then see elimination of religion as a
        solution but that is of course not the case for Christians. Unless we
        can
        present adequate arguments for accepting evolution that take the Bible
        and
        the Christian theological tradition seriously, all the scientific
        arguments
        in the world will accomplish little. (Which is, of course, not to say
        that
        scientific arguments have no place at all in the discussion.)
        
        You and I probably agree (along with many others) that there already are
        adequate arguments for accepting evolution that take the Bible and the
        Christian theological tradition seriously. I think it will take some
        one with a very high profile in the religious limelight to make any
        headway quickly. If someone with the clout of a Billy Graham (and there
        doesn't seem to be anybody of his stature to take his place right now)
        would make a point of supporting evolution, things could change
        substantially. But if evolution acceptance has to go pulpit by
        pulpit,church by church, it is going to be a long haul I am afraid.
        The support that the pope has given has not even made much of a dent in
        the general public of the US as far as I can tell. But maybe an
        evangelical "celebrity" might make a difference.
        
        Al Koop
        
        
Received on Mon May 17 17:33:08 2004