The Real Problem

Reference previous email, the field of science called embryology offers a complex sequence of naturalistic cause-and-effect for the development of a child. Christians' biblical belief does not associate God's work only with those aspects that remain a mystery. God is involved with the entire process start to finish.  He made us so that the process can work the way it does and Christians believe each child is his handiwork. To accept that does not require that Christians reject the science of embryology.

This is also true in history. Christians believe that God is in control of history and shapes events moment by moment. Despite that claim no historian is able to see God's hand clearly, though depending on one's presuppositions one may conclude that God is at work. Some of those conclusions would be the result of incredible coincidences, while others would be the result of that which is otherwise unexplainable.

Christians believe that God controls history, but they do not object when historians talk about a natural cause-and-effect process. Christians believe God controls the weather, yet they do not denounce meteorologists who produce their weather maps day to day based on the predictability of natural cause-and-effect processes. Why can't evolution be thought of in similar terms?

It would be unacceptable to adopt an evolutionary view as a process without God. It would equally unacceptable to adopt history, embryology or meteorology as processes without God. The fact that embryology or meteorology do not identify God's role or that many embryologists and meteorologists do not believe God has a role makes a difference. Christians can accept the results of embryology and meteorology, regardless of the beliefs of the scientists, as processes that Christians believe describe in part God's way of working. Christians do not organize campaigns to force academic institutions that train meteorologists or embryologists to offer the theological alternative of God's role. Why do you suppose Christians' response to evolution is any different?

Do you suppose Christians' misunderstanding the true meaning of Genesis 1, 2, and 3 is the cause of the disagreement?