Challenging Times

The Slipstream podcast for November is now online. 2009 is the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th anniversary (this month) of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species.’

Evolution continues to be a contentious issue for many Christians. In this anniversary special Slipstream podcast, we talk to Denis Alexander from the Faraday Institute, author of ‘Creation or Evolution: do we have to chose?’ and co-author (with Nick Spencer) of ‘Rescuing Darwin.’ We also talk to Ranald Macaulay from Christian Heritage Cambridge, author of ‘Rescuing Darwin or wrecking the Faith?’

Go here to listen.

The movie ‘Creation,’ starring Paul Bettany as Charles Darwin and Bettany’s real-life wife Jennifer Connelly as Emma is more about Darwin’s agony over the death of his daughter, and subsequent loss of faith, than it is about any conflict between Science and Religion. Go here for our full review.

2009 is the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species…’ Richard Dawkins famously claims that Darwinian evolution makes it possible to be an ‘intellectually fulfilled atheist.’

I’m not about to get into arguments over the age of the Earth, or the reality (or otherwise) of natural selection. However, one recent survey found that:

• 25% of Britons think that evolution is ‘definitely true’
• 25% think it is ‘probably true’
• 10% are ‘young earth creationists’ – they believe the earth was made by God in a literal six-day period, about ten thousand years ago
• 12% believe in ‘intelligent design’
• The rest – more than 25% – have a confused combination of creation, design, and evolution

In other words, Dawkins and his disciples are very far from winning the argument. Or as Christian Research say in their coverage of the survey:

Of those now with strong views, the support of Darwin’s theories is roughly the same as those of his sceptics. Taking into account those that responded ‘probably true’ as well, Intelligent Design continues to have most support of the four. The support for evolution espousing atheism is little more than those who believe the ‘young earth’ theory.

I’ve always been fairly convinced that arguments about evolution aren’t likely to lead too many people to faith. In fact, the much more important issue is whether the world we see could have come about as a result of a process of blind chance. And (whatever Dawkins says to the contrary), the jury is no longer out on this one. For the past generation, astronomers and cosmologists have known what biologists have been reluctant to admit. The universe we live in is a very unlikely place, purposefully designed to make human life possible. I know at least one person (a scientist) who has come to faith as a result of thinking about the ‘cosmic welcome mat,’ – as Tim Keller calls it. It’s a permanent surprise to me that Christians get so hung up on debates about evolution and creation, or about the age of the earth, and seem to know or care so little about the universe carrying God’s signature at the vast cosmic level.

The bottom line is that if you get involved in a discussion about Darwin, don’t talk about natural selection: talk about whether or not we’re here by chance.

Read more about the survey from Theos.