Reflection for the Week - December 2

Some Evangelical scholars, including the authors of Understanding Scientific Theories of Origins, argue that we have to draw from both God’s books; the Bible and nature, to understand God and the world. This is fair enough, yet I’d wager what often happens is that the Bible ends up as the supreme authority because somehow everything must fit under the template of a doctrine of creation, thus nature can never be primary in anything. In these circles, this means that evolution and science can be accepted, however, it’s clear that neither of these can challenge theological understandings of God and the world, but only affirm them. It’s as if there’s an impenetrable wall built around God and the doctrine of creation that functions as a safeguard from any potential threats. Thus, in my view, their endorsement of evolution and science is sort of a clever ‘sleight of hand’ in the sense that it is not really open enough to these informers, which should, when merited, have significant implications for our interpretations of God and the world.