Evolution, Creation & Creator

                                                                 Artwork for a Song of Faith UCC

 We are not alone,

    we live in God’s world.

 We believe in God:
    who has created and is creating,
    who has come in Jesus,
       the Word made flesh,
       to reconcile and make new,
    who works in us and others
       by the Spirit.

We trust in God. 

from UCC New Creed  1968

It's hard to know where to begin in expressing annoyance with Ontario's Premier, Doug Ford. The disastrous announcement on Friday about COVID restrictions has drawn the ire of many, including a growing number of  those who voted for him. 

I don't have time to list all the reasons I figure he's not up for the job, but I will draw your attention to a news item from today about the application of fundamentalist Canada Christian College to become a university. Premier Ford has supported this application and spoke of it as almost a fait accompli  a few months ago in the Ontario legislature. The response was swift and vocal from a number of fronts, including former premier Kathleen Wynne. She asked "Why this government would extend the mandate of the most publicly and vocally homophobic man in Ontario? Why, in the name of all that is decent, would this minister validate the hateful, vicious, racist and homophobic rhetoric of Charles McVety by extending the reach of his Canada Christian College?"

The news today is that a decision will be announced soon about the possible change in status for the college, and it isn't looking good. In addition to the concerns about homophobia there is the fact that while CCC might choose to develop degree programs in biology it's theological stance is Creationist, that the world was made in six days, following a literal interpretation of the opening chapters of Genesis. 

Not only is this unacceptable science, it is bad theology. Yesterday was Earth Sunday, a day to uphold the goodness of Creator and Creation, which might suggest  to some that all Christians share CCC's outlook. In the United Church we are part of widely held position that while God brought all life into being, the best science we have indicates that life has developed over millions of years through the process of evolution. Many denominations, including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions, have statements affirming that science and religion are not at odds regarding the development of life. 

You may recall that I was not impressed when Ford mentioned that CCC was going to become a university last November. Needless to say, I hope that it doesn't happen for a bunch of reasons. 

Finding ourselves in a world of beauty and mystery,

   of living things, diverse and interdependent,

   of complex patterns of growth and evolution,

   of subatomic particles and cosmic swirls,

we sing of God the Creator,

the Maker and Source of all that is.

 

Each part of creation reveals unique aspects of God the Creator,

   who is both in creation and beyond it.

All parts of creation, animate and inanimate, are related.

All creation is good.

We sing of the Creator,

   who made humans to live and move

   and have their being in God.

                  from Song of Faith United Church of Canada 2006