I am confused by Christians as there are so many different groups. ..( I don't want to join ANY group, please!!!). SOME people think I am objective, level headed and tolerant. Perhaps this is why they try to convert me to what ever group they are in or beg me to tell them if the preacher they are following is true or not. Generally I advise people to take the time to think about their vaulues and beliefs and go to a person who knows more about the field. I don't like to doing other people's homework. It is tedious to be asked why a teacher says "X,Y, or Z" and I wish poeple would ask the teachers and not me!
So my question is essentially to remove my ignorance. Is belief in Creation Teaching of Bible a sin qua non of being a Christian or are CHristians permitted to think that Evolution plays some part in the development of human race... and is the age of the earth linked in a concrete way to Christian beliefe. thanks--my aim is to avoid misinforming Christians.
2007-04-11 21:26:51 · 13 answers · asked by Mima 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I know of no Christian denomination or organization that asserts Creationism as an essential Christian doctrine. Many conservative Christians are persuaded that there are compelling evidences in nature for intelligent design. Some hold to young earth theories and go to great lengths to try to reconcile their young earth beliefs to science. I took a seminary class titled "Genesis 1-11 in Relation to Science." This seminary is part of a very conservative denomination yet students in the class VERY civilly expressed a variety of views (everything from young earth creationism to theistic evolution) and the professor did not pontificate on any one view (you might be surprised at the variety of Evangelical views on Genesis 1-11 in relation to science). The bottom line is I am convinced God does not require a belief in creationism of those who seek him and I know most Evangelicals will not object to your views on this difficult subject whatever they are. The links below may interest you but please do not get the idea that Christians think you must agree with the things said there in order to become a Christian.
2007-04-11 21:42:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
It is definitely not an either/or situation. Just today the Pope is quoted in the papers as saying he accepts "theistic evolution" - in other words, evolution happened, but God guided the process.
See also the Clergy Letter Project for a list of 10,000 priests and clergy from all Christian denominations who signed a letter supporting the teaching of evolution: http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/clergy_project.htm
2007-04-12 00:18:08 · answer #2 · answered by Daniel R 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not necessarily 'either/or'. How the Bible account is interpreted varies and within that each individual may have an opinion. Evolution poses some theological problems but in general nothing that actually conflicts. The science and the theology can go hand in hand.
Cheers :-)
2007-04-11 21:33:33 · answer #3 · answered by chekeir 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The age of the Earth is in no way linked to Christian beliefs at least in a fundamental sense.
2007-04-11 21:29:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Best laugh I've had all day. ..and that's saying something. It's been a jolly day. This is better than watching the worst of American Idol . You are so pathetic in your desperation to prove something that validates you emotionally, rather than openly view the facts. Your source is a joke and you can't even see it. Do yourself a favor, let go of your need for validation, then research this topic.
2016-05-18 00:24:38 · answer #5 · answered by diana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most Christians accept evolution because of the overwhelming evidence. Only the fundamentalists are determined to disbelieve it at any cost. Same goes for the age of the Earth - we know it's 4.5 billion years, give or take a few million, because it's been measured, and only the fanatics deny this.
2007-04-11 21:29:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The reality is that the only people who have a problem reconciling their religious dogma with scientific fact are the arch-conservative Biblical literalists. They are not a large group, but they are very loud and very well-funded.
2007-04-11 21:31:14 · answer #7 · answered by Scott M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the wise thing to do is to get the gen on anything before giving an opinion.ive read the bible back to front and still come to the same logical conclusion.thats why i remain an atheist.
2007-04-11 23:20:09 · answer #8 · answered by earl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, because, when you get down to basics, both the creation theory and the theory of evolution are fatally flawed.
No religion which believes that God created the world has been able to explain where God came from and no scientist has been able to explain where the Big Bang came from.
2007-04-11 21:43:45 · answer #9 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
For me at least, belief in Christian teachings or evolution science is indeed an either/or situation. I know that there are many Christian scientists who have it both ways, but I personally cannot fathom their rationale. If you believe in Genesis, how can you believe in physics, evolution, geology, paleontology, etc? Then again, your wordy question confused me a tad.
2007-04-11 21:38:59 · answer #10 · answered by Constant Reader 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋