Dehler, Bernie wrote:
>
> Cameron:
> “And why should any Christian -- supposing for the moment that we are
> speaking of a Christian who believes that evolution was God-guided --
> have any "lack of zeal" for publically stating that evolution was
> God-guided? Christians have no "lack of zeal" for making all kinds of
> other public theological statements. They have no trouble publically
> affirming the Incarnation, the Atonement, the miracles of the Exodus
> and the Gospels, the resurrection of Jesus, the post-resurrection
> appearances, an afterlife, the efficacy of prayer, the divine
> inspiration of the Bible -- none of which can be proved true
> "scientifically". They also have no trouble offering strong opinions
> about war, non-violence, the role of women, abortion, euthanasia,
> environmental stewardship, etc., none of which can be validated
> "scientifically". So why would Christians conceal their religious
> belief in just the one special case of evolution? That would be rather
> odd, don't you think? “
>
> I used to think I knew it all and had a grasp on the theology, etc.,
> until I came to see the truth of evolution. Once I saw how wrong I
> could be, and how secure I could be in that wrongness, I am much less
> dogmatic… on everything theological. I downgraded myself from being an
> evangelical Christian preacher (I was a lay preacher) to being a
> Christian seeker. And yes- I put “Christian” in front of “seeker” on
> purpose. Because I’m first and foremost a seeker now.
>
> You could say that this demonstrates the evil of evolution by showing
> how it destroys faith. Or you could see the other side of the coin and
> say it is a pity that the faith of most evangelicals is so
> scientifically anemic (because they believe in things like Adam being
> created by fiat and a worldwide flood, both of which are easily
> disproven by looking at the facts of the world).
>
> …Bernie
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think both Cameron and Bernie have some valid points that we all do
well to examine. Bernie, Cameron is right to suggest that our Christian
zeal should not be at the beck and call of science ----or specially
suspended in the area of science when it is found to be perfectly
applicable everywhere else.
You call yourself 'downgraded', but how is it a downgrade if what you
think now is, to the best of your knowledge, closer to the truth than
what you thought before? Better to be a seeker who has edged closer to
the truth than a preacher who is farther away, no? Yet your reply to
Cameron reveals a necessary humility ---if you could be so wrong and so
sure of yourself before, then how can you ever be sure of anything
again? That is a fair question. Perhaps a part of your former
intellectual edifice that you thought of as your faith sustained fatal
damage. Now you wonder if the whole thing needs to be torn down. If it
was built on science, then it probably does. And the rebuilding needs to
be on a better foundation --we Christians know of a good, no, a
*perfect* one who has a name. Then the new structure, if it is healthy,
doesn't ignore experience, observed facts, life, --even science. Those
all get incorporated with the various attendant humilities that they too
may need to get modified or rebuilt. But the foundation: that should be
our perfect anchor. We're all engaged in that building project, so I
write this as much as a self-targeted exhortation as it is for you. If a
falsehood needs to get torn down, then the demolition project, as
painful as it is at the time, still represents progress in the longer
run. It isn't necessarily the foundation that is at fault. Sometimes a
perfect foundation may get cleaned off so we can restart.
--Merv
Unless the Lord build the house, they that labor do so in vain. Psalm 127:1
Lord, help us to make our work, our prayer, and our complete dependence
on you to all be one unified harmonious package!
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Received on Sat Jul 4 09:33:59 2009
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