[asa] C. S. Lewis and evolution

The Episcopal Church's statement on evolution (and reactions from Keith,
Randy, and others) reminded me of a famous Anglican who keenly
understood what's wrong with saying that philosophical/metaphysical
naturalism and atheism are inevitable correlates of evolution. C. S.
Lewis was asked by others to speak out against evolution, but to my
knowledge he never categorically rejected evolution. If he were alive
today, I think he would still assume the same stance he did during his
life: descent with modification from common ancestors (of humans too) is
compatible with Christianity.

As long as they were theologically orthodox, I think Lewis could agree
with both theistic evolutionists and intelligent design enthusiasts. His
views on miracles suggest how he would approach ID: don't expect to have
scientific evidence of God's specific actions, but ... God has acted,
and may continue to act, in specific, extraordinary (non-natural) ways
on occasion. Where ID proponents base their arguments on the supposed
implausibility of all (even as yet unimagined) natural explanations,
Lewis seemed to base his apologetics more on the argument that Reason
itself cannot emerge from unreasoning matter, and on the argument that a
hunger for God suggests the existence of One who can satisfy that
hunger.

The following quotation comes from "C. S. Lewis on Creation and
Evolution: The Acworth Letters, 1944-1960" by Gary B. Ferngren and
Ronald L. Numbers (Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume
48, Number 1, March 1996, 28-33, available at
http://www.asa3.org/asa/PSCF/1996/PSCF3-96Ferngren.html):

"I believe that Christianity can still be believed, even if Evolution is
true. This is where you [Acworth] and I differ. Thinking as I do, I
can't help regarding your advice (that I henceforth include arguments
against Evolution in all my Christian apologetics) as a temptation to
fight the battle on what is really a false issue . . ."

Who is the modern-day Lewis? Alistair McGrath? John Polkinghorne? My
pro-ID friends point to Phillip Johnson, Alvin Platinga, or William
Dembski, but I don't think Lewis would have disdained theistic evolution
as have those ID proponents. Lewis would not have disdained pro-ID folks
either, but I also don't think he would have joined them.

Chuck

Charles (Chuck) F. Austerberry, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Hixson-Lied Room 438
Creighton University
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178

Phone: 402-280-2154
Fax: 402-280-5595

e-mail: cfauster@creighton.edu

Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education
http://nrcse.creighton.edu

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Received on Tue Jun 27 23:42:51 2006