Can Christians believe in evolution?

Question

This one does! Francis Collins was the head of the Human Genome Project, and has written a book about reconciling science and Christianity. Check out this short interview:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/january/32.62.html

What do y'all think? I was really pleasantly surprised.

Answer 1

Here's something interesting from http://www.disciplesworld.org, Magazine of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)


Evolution Sunday proponents say faith, science are compatible

By Heidi Bright Parales, DisciplesWorld contributing writer

INDIANAPOLIS (1/16/07) — On Feb. 11, the second annual Evolution Sunday, hundreds of congregations will celebrate the idea that Christians don't have to turn their backs on modern science, according to Michael Zimmerman, a biology professor and founder of The Clergy Letter Project.

Evolution Sunday is sponsored by The Clergy Letter Project, a collection of over 10,400 Christian clergy who have signed a letter asserting that Christianity and modern evolutionary science need not be at odds, said Zimmerman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University in Indianapolis.

While many who signed didn't list their denomination, at least 330, or about 3 percent, indicated they are Disciples, according to Robert Cornwall, pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lompoc, Calif.

One main goal of the project, according to Zimmerman, “is to demonstrate to the broad spectrum of Christian believers that, unlike what is being shrilly shouted by many fundamentalist ministers, a choice does not have to be made between religion and science. Because the two are compatible, congregants should feel comfortable accepting both.”

During 2006, the first Evolution Sunday drew 467 congregations together in a common bond through sermons, educational classes and discussion groups. Churches in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five countries participated. “Together, a major international statement was made,” he said.

At least 12 Disciples congregations got involved, or about 2.5 percent of participants. It is hard to be certain, said Cornwall, because not all congregations list their denomination. So far this year, at least 12 Disciples congregations have signed up to participate.

Some clergy who participated in 2006 told Cornwall they didn’t feel the need to conduct events this year. “The event was very successful last year and thus there is no need in their local community to discuss this topic again,” he said.

The project has reached a large number of new congregations this year. “In the last week and a half alone, we've added about 100 additional congregations to our list of participating entities,” Cornwall said.

Smaller and relatively rural congregations are more likely to participate than larger urban congregations, Cornwall noted. “I find that surprising since the urban congregations are typically more liberal but, in conversation … the liberal churches don't feel the need to address this issue since their congregations largely agree with the position of The Clergy Letter Project.”

Zimmerman created The Clergy Letter Project in 2004 in response to a Wisconsin school district board dropping evolutionary theory from its curriculum.

Cornwall explained, “If we are not careful, we will no longer teach modern science in our public schools and we will run the risk of educating a scientifically illiterate generation.”

He added his concern that some of the brightest kids will realize that biblical literalism doesn't make sense, and will migrate away from denominations that don't take a clear and vocal stand against literalism, or will abandon religion as a whole.

“The goal is most assuredly not to convince fundamentalists to change their beliefs; rather, it is to limit their impact,” said
Cornwall.

The project has caught the attention of those who see religion and modern science as oppositional. The first Evolution Sunday brought attacks from Answers in Genesis, a major creationist organization, and from the Discovery Institute, the world's leading promoter of the “intelligent design” theory.

The event, according to Zimmerman, also received a great deal of positive publicity, with articles in many major newspapers. A New York Times article was the most e-mailed article for the week it appeared, Zimmerman said.

Answer 2

I was raised as a Christian but I still accept evolution. I will explain why. God said, "Let there be light. " And He saw the light was good. I'm pretty sure that when the Big Bang happened, there was a lot of light. I don't feel the Old Testament was meant to be taken literally. Adam and Eve are symbolic of society at the time. I think this is the point in history when man started to question himself about his own morals. Maybe people where beginning to be less nomadic than in the past and therefore had to take responsibility for the relationships they had with others around them. Most Christians live by the New Testament. These are the teachings of Jesus. They are basic morals that everyone should live by.

Answer 3

They can, and it seems the majority (possibly not including the USA) do.

I'm not so convinced the two are compatible, despite having having read apologists for this position.

From the reference you gave...
"[Evolution] may seem to us like a slow, inefficient, and even random process, but to God—who's not limited by space or time—it all came together in the blink of an eye. " Francis Collins.

Just a bit tough on the dinosaurs, and the other victims of mass extinctions... Need some new evolutionary niches? No problem: asteroid strike or super-vulcano coming right up... This isn't a difficulty if it is truly random and unplanned, unwilled, but otherwise a random process seems completely removed from the concept of a loving, involved, deity, and a deliberate one seems to involve calculated cruelty.

No, the more I understand of evolution, the less I see room for a deity working behind or through it. We humans are not at the peak of some sort of planned objective.

Answer 4

Many evangelical Christians have believed in Evolution, so they certainly can. Which proves nothing. Your question might be better phrased: "Is it theologically consistent for a Christian to believe in Evolution?" to which you would get quite a variety of responses, I guess.
And if you were not in the religious section, but the science question, you could ask: "Is evolution a scientifically proved fact, or a hypothesis, set forth as the only feasible alternative to immediate creation? There, you would get about 95% for the proven science, and 5% for the hypothesis, I imagine.
EDIT:
Some of the answers suggest that to not believe in evolution is to reject science. People wouldn't say that about most teachings, even the most proven ones. Why be so dogmatic about evolution? Methinks there is a religious element there, as much on the evolutionary side as on the anti evolutionary side.

Answer 5

OF COURSE they can!!! A Christian is simply someone who finds god through following the teachings of Jesus. Just because the Bible doesn't say anything about evolution doesn't mean that it is denying anything.

I respect Christians who truly live up to the lifestyle of Jesus by actually following in his footsteps without rejecting science, because the Bible sets a standard for a very nice individual. A person who accepts science right along with their religion is much more intelligent than one who limits their beliefs to one source. Observation of nature under controlled situations is how we as humans learn. If we reject something that is 100% observable, then we are limiting our own intelligence and ability to grow as a species.

Best way to explain: science explains HOW things happen where religion suggests a reason WHY.

Answer 6

Yes.

Some Christians believe that god directs life via evolution. Some Christians believe that god created a perfect universe which was designed by god to evolve. Some Christians believe that god's realm is separate from evolution's (and science's).

Few mainstream churches are declared creationists. A number, including the Roman Catholics, are declared evolutionists.

Answer 7

Of course they can, I do. Evolution does not necessarily provide a solid theory for the beginning, but does offer wisdom regarding the evolution of things.

Answer 8

Many do

those that don't are just clamping their hands over their ears and singing LALALLALALALALAICAN'THEARYOU!.

PS Humans did not evolve from monkeys. Humans and monkeys evolved from the same ancestor. Don't perpetuate the myth!

PPS if you feel the need to bring your homophobia into a question not even vaguely related to homsexuality it says a quite a lot about you. None of it good.

Answer 9

a fundamentalist christian who views the bible as the literal and inerrant word of god can't agree with evolution.
However, if you believe that the bible is a book to be interpreted, then you could possibly reconcile it with evolution.

Answer 10

Why not, evolution simply explains in human terms the mechanism by which God's creations work.

As far as I am concerned it explains what took place during and after God's creation process as outlined in Genesis of the holy bible.

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