Re: Nature article on ID

Just wanted to make sure you guys didn't suddenly decide to incorporate RFEP in the Christian creeds! : ) The Bible unquestionably has little (if anything) to do with the mechanics of creation. It's all about God-man relationships.

Don

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Iain Strachan<mailto:igd.strachan@gmail.com>
  To: Don Winterstein<mailto:dfwinterstein@msn.com>
  Cc: asa<mailto:asa@calvin.edu>
  Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 1:51 AM
  Subject: Re: Nature article on ID

  Don wrote

  On 5/3/05, Don Winterstein <dfwinterstein@msn.com<mailto:dfwinterstein@msn.com>> wrote:
    Iain Strachan wrote:

    "...God's interventions in nature are more to do with revealing Himself to us, rather than helping nature over the tricky bits...."

    I fully agree that it would be aesthetically satisfying for nature to be so well endowed that God could bring life and all living beings into existence without violating any laws of nature. And maybe it is so endowed. But to believe this requires a faith that is amazing but not saving.

  I agree. I don't think this should be a matter of rigid doctrine. I don't think one should DOUBT that God could have made creation fully endowed. It was my opinion that if we say God has to help out nature to get over the tricky bits then the original creation "in the beginning" was less than perfect, if it gets stuck and requires God to help out, and then Gen 1:31 looks a bit suspect. But that's only an opinion, and an interpretation ("Very good" = "fully endowed") - I should not doubt that God might have chosen to do it otherwise and made special acts of intervention to make e.g. different species. I believe one day we shall know, but as for now we "see through a glass darkly".

  I would still argue that the supernatural events recorded _in the bible_ are to do with God's dealings with his people and revealing himself to humankind, rather than getting the physical world up and running.

  Iain.
Received on Wed May 4 03:43:50 2005