RE: [asa] Polkinghorne quote on time required for the evolutionary process

Good for him. This is an excellent example of critical thinking that as
Christian's we should be supplying to the debate. Why does it have to be
totally random and self contained? Because it is intellectually fulfilling
to atheists by being non-threatening, that's why. And that's just as much an
idol as natural revelation.

John

-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of Steve Martin
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 4:32 PM
To: AmericanScientificAffiliation
Subject: [asa] Polkinghorne quote on time required for the evolutionary
process

I remember seeing a quote by Polkinghorne to the effect that it mystified
him how evolutionary biologists were so confident in their account of the
development of life on earth. How could they be so sure that 3.5 billion
years was enough for the evolutionary process to explain the development of
single celled organisms all the way up to the current state of terrestrial
diversity? As a physicist and a bottom up thinker, he felt that more
detailed calculations should be provided before conclusions were so
confidently proposed. (I'm pretty sure he closed the paragraph saying he
trusted the evolutionary biologists anyways).

My question: Does anyone know where this quote is from? I'm skimmed through
a couple of Polkinghorne books now and can't seem to find it.

-- 
Steve Martin (CSCA)
http://evanevodialogue.blogspot.com 
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