Tell me if you’ve heard this before, “Could God have used evolution as his creative mechanism?”

I have had several friends tell me that the evolutionary origins story is compatible with the whole biblical narrative and that there is no need to reject the evolutionary story. I would like to take on that claim and analyze it against God’s Word and later against some scientific observations.

The purpose for writing this manifesto is this:

1. Define evolution and look at its history / intent
2. Look at scripture to see if (as a whole) it can accommodate evolution. If not, what are the implications of trying to dissolve evolution into the biblical narrative?
3. Look at the scientific reasons why evolution might not be on as solid ground as we’ve been led to believe.

Introduction

1. Disclaimer
2. Wrong Information
3. Definitions
4. History of Deep Time
5. Did Darwin embrace Christianity?
6. Evolutionary Mechanism
7. Quotes

Not only is the acceptance of evolutionary thought unnecessary for Christians, but it is dangerous. The acceptance of the evolutionary origins story within the Christian church will erase the conviction of the historicity/truth of God’s Word. If the foundations of scripture (established in Genesis) can be marginalized as mythical or poetic, why should we not also be able to reinterpret doctrinal and historical scriptures to match the latest cultural/societal/scientific paradigms? For example, as homosexuality becomes more and more acceptable in today’s culture, it is feasible (seeing how pliable Genesis has been redefined) to expect Christian churches to ordain homosexual ministers. This is already happening in Episcopal, Presbyterian (PCUSA), and Anglican churches. So the battle for the integrity of God’s Word is not just about Genesis, but about the historicity/veracity of the Bible.

The battle of creation/evolution has been waged on many fronts and in many forums. Can my entry into the fray make a difference? My tiny blog may not turn the tide of the many battles, but for those who get a chance to read the following Manifesto, I hope that:

1. Non-Christians come to faith in Jesus because they see that they can trust God’s Word.
2. Christians are encouraged to trust God’s Word as cohesive and foundational.
3. Christians are persuaded not to compromise the clear teachings of scripture simply to accommodate the currently popular paradigm and avoid falling into apostasy.
4. Everyone is encouraged to study God’s Word for themselves and grow closer to the Creator.

The intended audience of this manifesto is brothers and sisters in Christ who are unsure of the Biblical teachings regarding origins, Christians who purposefully incorporate the evolutionary story into their worldview, and non-Christians who have categorically dismissed the teachings of the Bible because of the belief that the Bible conflicts with the modern academic paradigm. I have sincerely tried to remove wording that would be inflammatory, and my hope is that this presentation will instead be persuasive in order to help bring unity to Christians.

1. Biblical reasons to exclude evolution in preference of a biblical creation model
   1. Genesis – Writer’s intent
   2. Literal days leave no room for metaphor
   3. God called his creation good
   4. Chrono-genealogies
   5. Adam and Eve were truly the 1^st humans
   6. Death came by sin not before
   7. Jesus is not mythical, so neither is Adam
   8. Is there a gap?
   9. Like the Creator did, work six days and rest on the 7^th
   10. At the beginning of creation God made them male and female
   11. Worldwide Flood
   12. Deep Time in scripture? Where?
   13. Can we help?
   14. Why not question scientific principles of other miracles?
   15. Is there a better way?
2. Scientific reasons to exclude evolution
   1. Cosmological
      1. Short term comets
      2. Decaying Magnetic fields in planets, heat on planets/moons
      3. Faint Young Sun Paradox
      4. Super nova Remnants
      5. Laws of Thermodynamics
   2.  Geological
      1. Worldwide flood
      2. Polonium halos
      3. Erosion rates
      4. Hydrogen in Zircons
   3.  Biological/Genetic
      1. Human population growth
      2. DNA in fossil dinosaur bones
      3. Human mutational decay rate
      4. Mitochondrial Eve/Y-chromosome Adam
      5. Information Theory
      6. Living Fossils/stasis
   4. Misconceptions, Misinformation
      1. Junk DNA
      2. Chimp/human similarity
      3. Radiometric dating
      4. Geologic Column
      5. Evidence for evolution
         1. Antibiotic resistant bacteria
         2. Homology
         3. Horse evolution
         4. Whale evolution
      6. Convergence
      7. Missing Links
      8. ALL scientists believe in evolution