Theistic evolution
Theistic evolution is the belief that the Christian understanding of God's creation is compatible with the scientific theory of evolution. Often called evolutionary creationism, this perspective asserts that the evolution of life, including humans from less advanced species, is part of a divine plan. Adherents of theistic evolution typically accept extensive scientific evidence that the Earth and universe are billions of years old and interpret the biblical account of creation as potentially symbolic rather than literal. For instance, some proponents suggest that the "days" of creation described in Genesis could represent longer periods, aligning with modern scientific timelines.
Supporters may view God as having initiated the universe's formation and subsequently allowing natural processes, such as evolution, to unfold with or without further divine intervention. Others believe that God actively influences creation at key moments, ensuring that life, particularly human intelligence, evolves as intended. This approach provides a way for individuals to reconcile their religious beliefs with scientific understanding, portraying evolution as a method through which God works in the world. Theistic evolution thus invites a dialogue between faith and science, offering a nuanced interpretation of both scripture and evolutionary biology.
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Theistic evolution
Theistic evolution is the belief that Christian religious teachings that God created the world are compatible with the scientific concept of evolution. Also known as evolutionary creationism, this worldview holds that the evolution of human beings from less advanced animals was part of God's ultimate plan. While the Bible says that God created Earth in six days, some believers in theistic evolution interpret the biblical account as representing a longer time frame. Most accept the scientific evidence that Earth and the universe are many billions of years old. One view of theistic evolution states that God set the creation of the universe in motion and then removed himself to let natural processes take over. Another credits God with miraculously influencing his creation at key points.
Background
According to the book of Genesis, God created the universe from a formless ocean covered in darkness. On the first day, he created light; on the second day, he made the dome of the sky to separate the waters above from the waters below. He formed dry land from the seas on the third day, covered it in plants and trees, and called it Earth. On the fourth day, God created the sun and moon and placed them in the sky to separate day from night. He created sea animals and birds on the fifth day; on the sixth day he created the animals of the land.
Also on the sixth day, God created the first man by instilling life in the soil of Earth. God named the man Adam and placed him in a beautiful paradise called the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam authority over all the creatures on Earth, but soon saw that he was lonely. God took one of Adam's ribs and made Eve, the first woman, to be his companion.
For many centuries, the Bible's description of a six-day creation was taken as literal fact by believers. In the seventeenth century, James Ussher, an Irish bishop in the Anglican church, devised a time line for the creation by tracing the events of the Bible backward in chronological order. Using this method, Ussher placed the exact date of the world's creation at October 23, 4004 BCE. While his date was widely accepted at the time, other, less exact, estimates also dated creation to a period of about six thousand years ago.
Overview
By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, scientific advancements had begun to cast doubt on a literal interpretation of the dates in Genesis. Scientists studying Earth's rock formations and geological processes found evidence the planet was millions or billions of years old. Glacial deposits and fossil discoveries also indicated Earth was far older than the time frame of biblical creation.
In his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, British naturalist Charles Darwin proposed that all life on Earth evolved from older species in a process called natural selection. According to Darwin, species slowly adapted over thousands or millions of years to survive in their changing environments. Those species that could best adjust biologically had a better chance of survival; those that could not were more likely to become extinct. Among Darwin's most controversial statements was that modern humans evolved from the same common ancestor as monkeys and apes.
Darwin's theory and other scientific findings angered some evangelical Christians who vehemently disputed their validity. They claimed that the scientific conclusions were based on flawed methods and the only reliable source of information was the biblical word of God. Other Christians looked at the evidence differently. They believed the biblical story of creation was not meant to be taken word for word, but was a symbolic account of God's role in the formation of the universe. The idea became known as theistic evolution.
One view of theistic evolution called the day-age theory holds that the six days of biblical creation were not literal twenty-four-hour days, but rather longer periods. Proponents of this idea claim that the Hebrew authors of the Bible used the word yom to describe a day. While this term can be literally translated as "day," it can also mean a general period of time, an age, or an epoch. In this interpretation, the six biblical days may be referring to six ages, spanning many thousands of years.
More common views of theistic evolution adhere to modern scientific conclusions that Earth is about four billion years old and the universe is about thirteen billion years old. Supporters often compare the origins of life in this model with the development of a human being within the womb. Just as humans receive the genetic instructions for growth in their DNA upon conception, God encoded his ultimate plan for the universe when he brought it into being. In this view, once God set the cosmic wheels in motion, he allowed it to run its course without divine interference. Evolution is simply part of this master plan.
A similar theory holds that after God created the universe, he modified his creation at times to ensure that Earth would eventually form and life would arise. This view explains Darwin's concept of natural selection as a sign of God's influence. Without it, supporters contend, life could not have formed from nothing and evolved into more complex forms. Evidence of divine influence is also seen in the intellectual advantage humans have over other species. If natural selection was not authored by God, the argument goes, then humans would be no different than other primates. It was only through God's hand that humans evolved intelligence and the ability to determine right from wrong.
Bibliography
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Lamoureux, Denis O. "Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution." BioLogos Foundation, biologos.org/uploads/projects/Lamoureux‗Scholarly‗Essay.pdf. Accessed 11 Nov. 2017.
Moreland, J.P., et al., editors. Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique. Crossway, 2017.
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Robinson, B.A. "A Brief History of the Conflict between Evolution and Creation Science." Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 10 June 2017, www.religioustolerance.org/ev‗hist.htm. Accessed 11 Nov. 2017.
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