I remember the exact moment that I first learned about evolution. Sitting in an Anthropology class of about one hundred students, I was a freshman at Texas A&M University, home of the fightin' Texas Aggies (and a whole bunch of science-minded professors). After sitting through a lecture filled with terms such as 'natural selection', 'species migration', and 'adaptation' all I could do was sit in confusion and ponder the ideas written by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species, because all of a sudden a gargantuan dichotomy seemed to exist between science and my faith.
In an attempt to fully grasp all of the material presented to me in class that day (and many days after) I remember actually texting one of my friends who knew much in regards to scientific processes and asking him to meet up for a chat. Upon arrival I sat him down and asked the following question: 'so does evolution mean that we came from monkeys?'
He laughed at me for about a solid ten minutes, if not longer.
It was clear that I had no clue about the topic that I was seeking to discuss, a trend that many of us indulge in today. We take stances for or against ideas before we even fully understand both our own side and the side that we are debating, and my friend was not about to allow me to enter into a discussion about evolution without being sure that I first understood what it all was and how it all was thought to work.
The first thing I learned: evolution does not mean that humans came from monkeys.
Evolution means much and it also doesn't mean a lot, and if you noticed in the title for this post I tailed on the words 'part 1', implying that a 'part 2' is soon to come, and in that post I will discuss what evolution is, what evolution isn't, and how oftentimes Christians and non-Christians alike allow prejudices and assumptions to foggy their views of certain discussions and topics, both inside and outside the realm of science as well as the realm of faith.
For now, this is all we will say: the idea of evolution is simple enough, stating that species of living things change over time, and under the right circumstances this change can produce new species of living organisms from existing ones. If you want to have a better grasp on human evolution, then I advise you to ask your professor or read a textbook, because I don't have time or the desire in this space to explain in length all that it encompasses. It concerns many biological terms such as 'gene', 'allele', 'protein synthesis', 'inheritance', and 'niche', among various other words.
Besides, this blog is primarily meant to relay theological thoughts and experiences, not scientific facts.
Unlike many other Christians, I was not raised a devout creationist. Sure, I learned the song in Sunday School (Day One, Day One...), but no one specifically sat me down and taught me that God created the earth in a literal six days or that dinosaurs actually didn't exist, that the fossils displayed in museums today are actually bones that God mischievously placed as a way to test the knowledge of humans.
(After all, God is quite the trickster).
Though I wasn't taught that evolution was accurate, I was also never told that it was inherently evil, a devilish scheme straight from hell itself. In regards to evolution, whether it be macro or micro, I had never heard of it, and so as an eighteen year old hearing many ideas for the first time from authoritarian figures who seemed to back every word up with empirical proof I began to have a faith crisis, especially when I began to seek answers to calm much of my confusion and inner conflict and all I could seem to find were people on either side of the dichotomy: on one side, science and on the other, faith.
The two could not intertwine. They were mutually exclusive, and all of a sudden I felt incredibly helpless and confused, because with the academic world pulling me one way and the Protestant Church pulling me another I felt as if I was being forced to choose: either be an intellectual and reject faith or be faithful and reject fact.
What was worse was that not only did a division exist but it was actually World War III, in which both sides were firing missiles and catapulting bombs in the direction of the other.
When it came to human origins, and even universal origins (though that content is for another post to be sure), I couldn't understand why molecules, bacteria, cells, and DNA weren't mentioned within the pages of Genesis. How could evidence pointing to an earth billions of years old be reconciled with a story that made human history sound as if it all took place within a mere thousands of years? Why didn't the Bible seem to answer all of these scientific questions that I had never before considered? Where oh where were mentions of the dinosaurs?! (I love those big guys with their tiny arms).
Frantic were the hours and long were the nights that I spent panicking over my faith, until I was introduced to a freeing truth: the Bible isn't a science textbook.
The Bible is a compilation of writings meant to portray theological experiences about a faithful, loving, and personal God that interacts with broken, flesh-filled, sinful human beings. The writers of the Bible are concerned with theological issues, not scientific ones.
Genesis teaches that God is intentional, that He is personal, that He is King of all, and that He is good and loving and interactive with mankind and nature. It teaches much about His character and very little about the origins of human life, and universal theories for that matter.
This may be difficult for you to grasp, but isn't it true? If the Biblical writers were concerned with scientific accuracy, why doesn't it mention the origins of the family of Cain's wife? In regards to other civilizations that we know existed in ancient years, why do they not receive a shout-out within the first few chapters of Genesis?
We cannot move on without bringing up this question: why didn't the dinosaurs get to join in on the ark fun?
Many Christians think on questions such as these and draw extraordinary conclusions: Cain's wife was lightening-bolted down from above, the Mayans didn't exist, and no believer in his or her right mind could fall for the dinosaur trap.
I really dislike that last one, because pterodactyls are really cool. Additionally, such an answer, that God implanted the dinosaur fossils as a test for Christians to 'pass', presents God to be a God that is certainly not portrayed within the pages of the Bible. God is not a deceiver; that role was reserved for Jacob.
The goal of this post is not to convince you to accept evolution as proven or to throw aside your view of a literal Scriptural interpretation of the origin of mankind. Let it be said too that interpreting scripture as theological and not literal does not make the events any less real. My goal of this post is encouragement: I hope to encourage you to allow the pages of the Bible to teach you what they are meant to, and to dissuade you from forcing them to teach what they were never meant to.
As you read your Bible, I hope to encourage these analytical questions, among others:
Who is the author of this passage?
Who is he or she (not that a she is likely, but we don't want to assume that it's impossible) writing to, and for what purpose?
What did the text mean to the original audience?
What does this text mean for a modern audience?
How did the culture of a Near-Eastern context influence the writers?
How is the Holy Spirit divinely inspiring the writer?
The Biblical writers were writing about God. They were writing about their own history, true, but they weren't concerned with historical accuracies or scientifically proven statements. Viewing the Bible this way doesn't make the events any less real, and it certainly doesn't make the Gospel any less true. If anything it allows modern-day readers to have grace upon the original writings, and it allows the writings to have grace upon modern-day readers.
During my faith-crisis in which I grappled with challenging questions about reconciling faith and science, I realized that I had, up until that point, allowed my prejudices to rule my mentality of the Scriptures. I had made assumptions of the Bible without properly studying it, without considering significant elements such as context, original purpose, and current application. I realized that I was forcing the Bible to answer questions that the writers did not intend for it to address, and I was not giving it enough credit or allowing it to speak truth to questions that it was destined to shed light upon.
Many of you are probably shaking your head, shrinking away from these words in fear, or seriously considering deleting me off of Facebook or unfollowing this blog, though I sincerely hope that none of those reactions are true of any readers, because the truth is, whether you agree or disagree on how to interpret the Bible, all believers should find unity within one common conviction: the person of Jesus Christ.
This, dear friends, is what the Bible is meant to portray. From the first pages of Genesis to the last word in Revelation, the message does not revolve around evolution. The Gospel is not about human origins, universal origins, homosexuality, or conservative or liberal theology. The Gospel message is about Jesus Christ: that He died, that He rose, and that He will return.
In making this point I am not belittling the importance of what one believes about God. On the contrary, I believe what one believes about God is incredibly important, because what one believes about God impacts what one believes about people and also affects how one lives his or her life.
What one says about the character of God is vital. However, if I want to learn about God, then I should read the Bible. If I want to learn about science, then I should probably read a textbook.
A few last points and then this post, which I hope hasn't ruffled too many feathers, will wrap up. First is this: in presenting a view that cherishes God for who He is and science for what it is I am not attempting to downplay the side of creationism.
To be quite honest, I would never say that God could not have literally molded the earth into existence over a matter of six days, poofing Adam and Eve onto the soil like a magician. God absolutely could've lightening-bolted this world into existence, because He is God, He can do what He wills, and I believe that He is all-powerful, a view that is Biblically supported. It's just that honestly this method of a literal six day creation seems a bit dull. I like to think God is more creative, more diversely imaginative than that.
It's actually more beautiful to me to think that He might have worked this world into being over billions of years, carefully crafting His story into the lives of messy people.
And, call me crazy, but I have peace with the fact, even quite like the fact, that not every detail of every story is written into the pages of the Bible. It leaves room for the imagination to wander what each happening, what each character, truly was like.
The Bible tells me what I need to know about a God who fearlessly, zealously, and passionately loves me. It leaves much room for me to think up what the people were like, what the world was like.
They probably weren't much different than me. The world was probably just as messed up.
Anyway, I'm not swaying you to the side of evolution, because I'm not standing over there with a condescending look that judges you for your beliefs. Evolution makes sense to me, this much is true, and I'd say it's more than likely to be accurate. However, scientists have been wrong before.
I'm also not aiming to debate any scientists, calling you to all repent and come to the side of creationism, because I'm not standing on that side either. I am not waving a sign declaring that you're going to hell for interpreting scripture as you do.
Rather, I am attempting to provide a peaceful mindset, a life-giving solution, to those who, like me, have felt as if being an intellectual means to renounce one's faith or being a believer means to refuse any and all aspects of science. We label each other and ourselves as being one or the other: be a Christian and believe in literal creation or be an Atheist and believe in evolution. Honestly, this topic is one of the most controversial ones in existence, and I wouldn't voice my opinion at all if I didn't think it would bring peace and encouragement to those who have found themselves in a similar situation between a rock and a hard place.
The thing is, I know for a fact that I'm not the only one, because every state school in the state of Texas teaches evolution, and I'm pretty sure all of those classrooms are filled with Christians. Many of you are experiencing what I did my freshman year, being anthropology majors, nursing majors, biology majors, or engineering majors-or really just being the college-student-sponges that you are-and are struggling with how to be academic and also a firm believer in Jesus Christ.
You can be a Christian and still hold to scientific beliefs, not feel as if you must compromise your intellectual integrity or throw your faith away, because one more solid truth is this: being a Christian hinges upon nothing more and nothing less than faith in Jesus Christ, and it is this belief, this act of being justified by grace through faith in the Son of God, that marks you as a Christian with the seal of the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
I think I'm just really over the creation vs. evolution war. Not that either view should not be discussed, but a difference exists between arguing over beliefs and calmly, openly, and lovingly discussing ideas. This debate that is so common today is turning people, turning children of God, against one another. When God's kids become so wrapped up in arguments such as this, on topics that do not even concern Jesus, the character of God, and/or salvation, then disunity is usually the result, and from there we have disorder, chaos, schisms, and brokenness. Somewhere along the way this debate, this dichotomy between science and faith, turned into the focal point of the Gospel, and I'm really over it, because Church, when we force people to choose between science and faith, we are setting believers up for disaster.
Especially college students, because how many of us are sitting in biology and anthropology classes our freshman years and suddenly questioning everything we've ever believed? And if we think this occurrence, this internal conflict of faith, is common today, then we've really got a surprise waiting, because it will only increase with coming generations.
The world is progressing, people are becoming more intellectual as God is allowing us to discover and learn, and as believers we need to find a way to keep our constant faith in an ever-changing world.
How astounding, how firmly assuring that, though mankind evolves, God's nature and love remain the same.
Our faithful God calls us to love, calls us to put down our signs, use discernment to distinguish between what matters and what doesn't, and come together over one common purpose.
I'm blogging this whilst wearing my oh-so-comfortable Eeyore onesie (you were wondering why the beloved childhood character was in the title). Yes, Graduate School is in my near future and I'm wearing an Eeyore onesie. I actually answered the door in it this morning, forgetting I was even wearing it, to greet, groggy-eyed and half awake, our apartment's maintenance guy, who was un expected surprise. (Stay tuned for next weeks episode of My Awkward Life). It's comfortable, and it's snowing outside, so I'm wearing it, unashamed and snuggly-warm. It's also got a cute little hood. That justifies it enough for me. Anyway, in the spirit of Eeyore, I leave you with some words of compassion spoken by the endearing little donkey and written by the inspiring A.A. Milne, 'A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference'. Life lessons from Eeyore, they truly are endless.
In our quest of faith, in our living out the kingdom, let's remember that at the very heart of God is this idea: to give a bit of consideration, to bring a little (or a lot) of thought to the lives of others. This is what it means to live out Jesus.
For further reading, check out these thoughts by Emily Maynard, this post by Rachel Held Evans, and pop on over to http://biologos.org/ for a beautiful presentation, one idea, of faith and science living harmoniously.
Good reads: The Language of God by Francis Collins, The Lost World of Genesis One by John Walton, the Reason for God by Timothy Keller, the Bible, and your biology textbook.
