I grew up in a faith that
often derailed evolution as an atheist view of how the universe came into
being. It was the godless scientist who
wanted to eliminate all traces of a divine being as the source of creation. Therefore, we must go the other extreme by
reading into Genesis a very literal interpretation, some would even say a
scientific interpretation, of the creation of the universe. In The Language of God author, scientist and
Christ-follower Francis S. Collins tries to bring a synthesis to evolution and
Christian belief. Collins was involved
in the Human Genome Project that mapped out the “language of God” within human
DNA. In his experience as a scientist he
wants to bring an end to the creation / intelligent design / evolution debate
by exposing the strengths and weaknesses of these views and then concluding how
evolution and Christian faith must be compatible if we accept that all truth is
God’s truth.
Collins understands that there are some very strong
personalities that have taken positions on this debate as a reason to “prove”
their faith. Atheists have stated that
to accept evolution one must be atheistic.
Some evangelicals have made creationism a tenant of their faith were to
question it is to question your own faith.
But Collins explains that science has its limits. He states that the “ . . . DNA sequence
alone, even if accompanied by a vast trove of data on biological function, will
never explain certain special human attributes, such as the knowledge of the
Moral law and the universal search for God.” (p. 140)
Science helps us to understand our world but there are things that go
beyond science that point to a God who loves us.
Collins also argues that science is not the enemy of
religion. He says that “ . . . the idea
that scientific revelations would represent an enemy in that pursuit is ill
conceived. If God created the universe,
and the laws that govern it, and if He endowed human beings with intellectual
abilities to discern its workings, would He want us to disregard those abilities?
Would He be diminished or threatened by what we are discovering about His
creation?” (p. 153). These are really good
questions to wrestle with. I have often
struggled with what I believe when it comes to the origins of life. I have read some of the leading atheists who
use evolution as a basis to bash religion.
But I have also sat in “creation science” classes were I felt like all
it was, was a knee-jerk reaction to evolution.
In both cases, a person is starting with a specific belief system and
then forcing the science to say what they want it to say. So I have often been very hesitant to take a
firm position in this debate.
Ironically, Collins started out as an atheist and it was through his
pursuit of science that eventually led him to faith in God. And it was this faith that brought an
explanation to the things that science could not prove, and also a greater
appreciation for what he discovered through the sciences.
Collins takes on the main proponents of atheism,
creationism and intelligent design to arrive at the conclusion of theistic
evolution or better yet a term that he prefers “Biologos”. So here are my favorite quotes!
Collins on atheism:
The major and inescapable
flaw of Dawkins’s claim that science demands atheism is that it goes beyond the
evidence. If God is outside of nature, then science can neither prove nor
disprove His existence. Atheism itself must therefore be considered a form of
blind faith, in that it adopts a belief system that cannot be defended on the
basis of pure reason.” (p. 165)
Science cannot be used to
justify discounting the great monotheistic religions of the world, which rest
upon centuries of history, moral philosophy, and the powerful evidence provided
by human altruism. It is the height of
scientific hubris to claim otherwise.
But that leaves us with a challenge: if the existence of God is true
(not just tradition, but actually true), and if certain scientific conclusions
about the natural world are also true (not just in fashion, but objectively
true), then they cannot contradict each other.
A fully harmonious synthesis must be possible. (p. 169)
Collins on Creationism:
Many believers in God have
been drawn to Young Earth Creationism because they see scientific advances as
threatening to God. But does He really
need defending here? Is not God the author of the laws of the universe? Is He
not the greatest scientist? The greatest physicist? The greatest biologist?
Most important, is He honored or dishonored by those who would demand that His
people ignore rigorous scientific conclusions about His creation? Can faith in
a loving God be built on a foundation of lies about nature? (p. 176)
. . . by any reasonable
standard, Young Earth Creationism has reached a point of intellectual
bankruptcy, both in its science and in its theology. Its persistence is thus
one of the great puzzles and great tragedies of our time. By attacking the
fundamentals of virtually every branch of science, it widens the chasm between
the scientific and spiritual worldviews, just at a time where a pathway toward
harmony is desperately needed. By
sending a message to young people that science is dangerous, and that pursuing
science may well mean rejecting religious faith, Young Earth Creationism may be
depriving science of some of its most promising future talents. But it is not science that suffers most
here. Young Earth Creationism does even
more damage to faith, by demanding that belief in God requires assent to
fundamentally flawed claims about the natural world. (p. 177)
Collins on Intelligent
Design:
. . . scientifically, ID
fails to hold up, providing neither an opportunity for experimental validation
nor a robust foundation for its primary claim of irreducible complexity. More than that, however, ID also fails in a
way that should be more of a concern to the believer that to the hard-nosed
scientist. ID is a “God of the gaps”
theory, inserting a supposition of the need for supernatural intervention in
places that its proponents claim science cannot explain. . . . Furthermore, ID portrays the Almighty as a
clumsy Creator, having to intervene at regular intervals to fix the
inadequacies of His own initial plan for generating the complexity of
life. For a believer who stands in awe
of the almost unimaginable intelligence and creative genius of God, this is a
very unsatisfactory image. (p. 193-194)
Collins on Theistic
Evolution:
I do not believe that the
God who created all the universe, and who communes with His people through
prayer and spiritual insight, would expect us to deny the obvious truths of the
natural world that science has revealed to us, in order to prove our love for
Him. In that context, I find theistic evolution, or BioLogos, to be by far the
most scientifically consistent and spiritually satisfying of the alternatives.
This position will not go out of style or be disproven by future scientific
discoveries. It is intellectually rigorous, it provides answers to many
otherwise puzzling questions, and it allows science and faith to fortify each
other like two unshakable pillars, holding up a building called Truth. (p. 210)
Collins’ Conclusion:
It is time to call a truce
in the escalating war between science and spirit. The war was never really necessary. Like so
many earthly wars, this one has been initiated and intensified by extremists on
both sides, sounding alarms that predict imminent ruin unless the other side is
vanquished. Science is not threatened by God; it is enhanced. God is most
certainly not threatened by science; He made it all possible. So let us together
seek to reclaim the solid ground of an intellectually and spiritually
satisfying synthesis of all great
truths. (p. 233-234)
Overall, this has been a
great book to read. I have slowly let go
of a literal interpretation of Genesis ever since seminary. It was there that we were shown how Genesis 1
and 2 were never meant to be taken as science. It followed more in the vein of poetic literature. Also, we were introduced to several other
creation stories from other cultures and religions. And then the kicker was studying the Hebrew
and understanding the ways that this passage can be interpreted. To force Genesis 1 and 2 into a very literal
interpretation make the passage become something it was never meant to be.
But I also struggled with evolution. I became very comfortable with the concept of
intelligent design during the 90’s. But
as Collins explains, current scientific progress has done serious damage to
many of their claims.
Another area I really
struggled with was the outspoken atheists who used evolution as a bully pulpit
to attack religion. It is easy to have a
knee-jerk reaction to any who vehemently attack our faith.
But to finally read someone
who tries to synthesis religious and scientific truth so that both fields of
truth are respected, honored and compliment each other was refreshing.
I would highly recommend
this book to anyone who wrestles with the issues of creationism, intelligent
design and evolution. Collins is
respectful and kind to all views but he does pick apart the weaknesses in the
creationist and intelligent design views while advocating for the overwhelming
weight of evidence that supports theistic evolution. I would recommend that you read this with an
open mind and a deep respect for a man whose life has been immersed in the
sciences. This is not an atheist
blowhard or a crazed fundamentalist.
This is a believer in Christ and a brilliant scientist in his own work. It is a great read.
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