Friday, June 03, 2011

Clergy Letter Project



I just read about what sounds like a remarkable coalition called the Clergy Letter Project. About 14,000 clergy and scientists agree that is possible to uphold and teach faith while recognizing the accuracy of evolution. You may think that this is a discussion which should be over in our society, but it is still a hot issue publicly in parts of the States and certainly in many churches there and here in Canada.


Recently Michele Bachman, a Republican who is considering a run for the presidential nomination claimed that some Nobel Prize winning scientists question evolution, which is not the case.



I have said before that I believe in a Creator God, but not creationism. I don't feel the need to limit the processes through which life on Earth has developed and there is room in my theology for evolution. The two aren't exclusive of each other and I'm not sure why some Christians feel that it is necessary to hold on to a young Earth approach as a sign of faithfulness.


Where are you on this one? Don't tell me you have fins or flippers!

5 comments:

Laura said...

Have come to believe in a combination of theology and evolution.
St Paul's Youth this weekend are travelling to a youth event, and the afternoon seminar/service they have been asked to lead is in keeping with todays blog.
The source of our program is www.thegreateststory...which is a very neat, inclusive website on this topic...I think it will be the beginning of an ongoing discussion among our young people.I look forward to it..

IanD said...

I have a hard time with creationism, simply because so much of what it says flies in the face of scientific fact. On the way back from Florida in April, my sister spun through the Creationism museum in Kentucky and was just aghast at what was being passed on as 'fact' in God's name.

I like the balance you strike, David. Room should be made for both perspectives, so long as they're respectful of the other's point of view.

Nancy said...

I like Laura feel that the two go together, and have come to this belief over time.

Forail said...

I think you nailed it on the head. A young earth theory doesn't seem to fit overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

When the Bible says the Earth was created in 6 days... From G-d's perspective, how long is a day? As humans, we have learned, as a species, on this planet, a day is 24 hours. For the almighty, I would tend to think He would see things in more cosmic terms.

When G-d said, Let there be light... The ancients, who learned, then transcribed our holy text, would have had no basis of reference for an event such as a cosmic explosion. So, 'light' was likely the best reference they could make, to understand something like that. Just as an example...

I would think, the two c, very easilly can go hand in hand, once you take away ancient human comprehension.

sjd said...

I'm with you big guy!
I don't believe that the earth was created in 6 literal days. I also don't believe that the men in the book of Genises lived for hundreds of years.
(must have seemed that way with all the wives and kids they had)