Post by Douglass on Feb 27, 2009 5:14:03 GMT -8
www.awakengeneration.com/thoughts/befueled/235
Can a Christian Be a Darwinist?
Written by: Sean McDowell
Date: Dec 16th 2008, 15:00
Last night I attended a debate at Biola University on the question of whether a Christian can be a Darwinist. Karl Giberson (author of Saving Darwin) argued that the evidence for evolution is “overwhelming,” that is has theological advantages, and that theological problems raised by Darwinism have answers. John West (author of Darwin’s Day in America) argued that Darwinism requires both common ancestry and the efficacy of natural selection acting on random mutation, yet the evidence for random mutation generating biological novelty is nonexistent. While the debate was over two hours, here are some interesting highlights. Since I reject Darwinian evolution, my comments will focus on the arguments of Karl Giberson.
Giberson was asked what evidence he considers the most primary and powerful for evolution. His answer surprised me, as he claimed that bacteria resistance to antibiotics (which he termed microevolution) can add up to macroevolution over long periods of time. Giberson is a Ph.D. in physics and one of the leading voices of theistic evolution (which he calls BioLogos). To be honest, this answer astonished me because the evidence for such a claim is completely not there. In The Edge of Evolution, Michael Behe studied millions of generations of the HIV virus and the e-coli virus and demonstrated the exact opposite. His arguments have yet to be answered. Microevolution does not equal macroevolution.
Theologically speaking, Giberson argued that evolution helps to get God off the hook for the problem of bad design (evil), because bad design emerges indirectly from processes of nature rather than directly by God. But this ignores the underlying problem, namely, that God has established the conditions under which bad design develops. God acts directly in the case of ID and indirectly according to theistic evolution. Yet God acts in both cases and is thus still responsible. What difference does it make whether a robber steals money from a bank with his own hands (by direct means) or employs a robot (indirect means) to accomplish the same thing? He still bears culpability. The same is true for a Creator God who raises Jesus from the dead (directly) or employs wind to split the Red Sea (indirectly). The theological advantages cited by Giberson vanish under closer inspection.
Click the link above to rea dteh rest of the article.
Can a Christian Be a Darwinist?
Written by: Sean McDowell
Date: Dec 16th 2008, 15:00
Last night I attended a debate at Biola University on the question of whether a Christian can be a Darwinist. Karl Giberson (author of Saving Darwin) argued that the evidence for evolution is “overwhelming,” that is has theological advantages, and that theological problems raised by Darwinism have answers. John West (author of Darwin’s Day in America) argued that Darwinism requires both common ancestry and the efficacy of natural selection acting on random mutation, yet the evidence for random mutation generating biological novelty is nonexistent. While the debate was over two hours, here are some interesting highlights. Since I reject Darwinian evolution, my comments will focus on the arguments of Karl Giberson.
Giberson was asked what evidence he considers the most primary and powerful for evolution. His answer surprised me, as he claimed that bacteria resistance to antibiotics (which he termed microevolution) can add up to macroevolution over long periods of time. Giberson is a Ph.D. in physics and one of the leading voices of theistic evolution (which he calls BioLogos). To be honest, this answer astonished me because the evidence for such a claim is completely not there. In The Edge of Evolution, Michael Behe studied millions of generations of the HIV virus and the e-coli virus and demonstrated the exact opposite. His arguments have yet to be answered. Microevolution does not equal macroevolution.
Theologically speaking, Giberson argued that evolution helps to get God off the hook for the problem of bad design (evil), because bad design emerges indirectly from processes of nature rather than directly by God. But this ignores the underlying problem, namely, that God has established the conditions under which bad design develops. God acts directly in the case of ID and indirectly according to theistic evolution. Yet God acts in both cases and is thus still responsible. What difference does it make whether a robber steals money from a bank with his own hands (by direct means) or employs a robot (indirect means) to accomplish the same thing? He still bears culpability. The same is true for a Creator God who raises Jesus from the dead (directly) or employs wind to split the Red Sea (indirectly). The theological advantages cited by Giberson vanish under closer inspection.
Click the link above to rea dteh rest of the article.