Can one be a Christian and believe in evolution at the same time?

Question

If so, how can one reconcile scientific proof with the bible?
If not, should Christian-Evolutionists consider dropping out and become agnostic?

Answer 1

Of course you can reconcile the two. Science is based upon the observable. Religion is based upon faith. There is a point in science where science cannot provide an answer. How did the first cell come into being? Science cant answer that because we cant go back and observe the event. We can make up hypotheses which are untestable (and because of this untestability, constitute bad science), but there is no way that we can be certain of how this event occured. Go even further back to the big bang. What was here before, what caused the big bang to occur. Again, science cannot provide an answer, only a littany of possible scenarios. This is where belief fits into the scheme of things. Even the most ardent evolutionist operates on faith. He has faith that the universe was created through random chance. His operating on faith in science actually creates a situation in which science has become his religion. As a christian, I belive that there is a a grand plan to the universe and a creative force behind it. As far as the bible, it was never intended as a historical cronology of the universe. It is a collection of teachings by parable intended to give us a set of guidelines to live by. As far as genesis goes, think about how you would explain the big bang to a three year old. Do you go into random probability, millions of years of possible evolutionary consequences, or do you simplify it? In the beginning there was nothing then god created .... Sounds like the big bang, first nothing then in the next instant all of the matter and energy in the universe sprang into being. The time periods mentioned in the bible cannot be taken literally, who was standing there with a watch and a calendar? What is time to an infinite and immortal being? These time expanses are given merely as references to a timeline. Additionally, the bible is a doccument crafted by man. It has been translated through multiple languages, assembled by comittee, revised by churches and kings, and reinterpreted by every faith, sect, and evangelist who has ever existed. There is a significant amount of error that can creep in when any text or doccument is handled this way. What you have to do as a christian evolutionist is to recognize both approaches have their limitations and neither are mutually exclusive, although there are those on both sides that would make that argument.

Answer 2

What it really comes down to is: do you believe the Bible, or do you believe that something goopy crawled out of the ocean and "became" male, female, animal, insect, etc., etc. I think that is more your situation. God said that He "created" man, which requires forethought, a plan, and a purpose. Evolution is sort of like having a handful of watch parts and seeing how many times you can throw all those parts against a wall until eventually they morph into a watch. (P.S. Don't try this at home!)

So, let me help you a little. Try reading the resources I posted below. The first is an article written by a man with the unfortunate name of Bob Barefoot :), but despite that, I think you will find the science vs. religion issue interesting, and hopefully a little clearer.

In fact, the book he references, "Worlds in Upheaval," by Immanuel Velikovsky, was written by a scientist who was a Russian atheist. He approached writing this book from the premise that the Bible was accurate, and that the descriptions of events given by other cultures of the time were also accurate . . . despite his atheism. Now that is a true scientist! His findings are amazing!! I read the book many years ago.
http://www.sciencevalidatesbible.com/

Another atheist and scientific author, W.E. Wilder-Smith, started out doing research to disprove the Bible's accuracy, and ended up becoming a Christian. The evidence was too overwhelming for him to do otherwise, apparently. Some of his books are: "Man's Origin," "Man's Destiny," "The Creation of Life" and are all Christian classics along with, "Why does God allow it?" "Is this a God of Love?" and "He who thinks has to believe." I've also read many of these books and they are very direct and to the point. My kind of reading!!
http://www.wildersmith.org/

Lastly, but most importantly, read the Bible. The above resources are only in addition to reading God's Word, which can be trusted to open your heart and mind to His truth.

It sounds as if you are on the path to discovery. I trust that the Lord will point you in the right way. I'm certain!

God bless you!

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart," (Jeremiah 29:13).

Answer 3

I trust a number of what you're saying...yet a number of your wording is faulty right here. no person has to have self belief in Evolution. technology would not place self belief in ideals. it constantly unearths info, and it has chanced on overwhelming info for evolution. My new pal is a Catholic, and he or she's additionally a technology pupil. She says the Pope accepts evolution, so who're you to argue with the chief of the biggest team of Christians interior the international? the main clever and knowledgeable Christians be attentive to that no-one can argue by contrast way of distinct certainty as Evolution. I say the Christians who settle for evolution are greater useful Christians and greater useful human beings in each and every way than fundamentalist fans who attempt to disclaim something that has as plenty info as Evolution does. It sounds such as you're between the ignorant fundamentalists. i counsel you to objective to discover greater clever companions than those pathetic losers. in my opinion, i'm an atheist, so i do no longer could desire to describe how one may well be a Christian and settle for evolution. i do no longer think of you're able to do the two, so I settle for evolution and reject faith. My pal tries to do the two, yet she has doubts approximately her faith, through fact she's clever adequate to be sure that evolution is a certainty, and he or she sees deep down that faith isn't actual. In time, she'll admit it, and that i will help her in this technique.

Answer 4

Evidence is the key determinant.

I do know many wonderful Christians who believe in theistic evolution, though I am an atheist and think that neither evolution nor the big bang required supernatural interference of any kind.

In any case, genesis should not be taken literally. In fact, no myth should be used to validate what exists in the real world -- religions are simply mirrors into the psychology of the men and women who created it and passed it on to other generations.


And before you thumbs down, please note that supporting evolution is morally superior to propagating the lies and pseudoscience in creationism. Instead of openly lying about scientific evidence to validate a religious guess, you're openly inquiring about natural forces and looking for the truth. Certainly that's more noble than shoving reality into a box that conforms to a particular belief system.

Answer 5

There are some religious groups that teach that God created everything in six 24-hour days. But that is not what the Bible says.

Genesis 1:3-31 tells how God prepared the already existing earth for human habitation. It says that this was done during a period of six days, but it does not say that these were 24-hour days. It is not unusual for a person to refer to his “grandfather’s day,” meaning that one’s entire lifetime. So, too, the Bible often uses the term “day” to describe an extended period of time. (Compare 2 Peter 3:8.) Thus the ‘days’ of Genesis chapter 1 could reasonably be thousands of years long.

“God . . . created all things.” (Eph. 3:9) Thus everything has the same Great Designer.

“All things came into existence through him [God’s only-begotten Son, who became Jesus Christ when on earth], and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.” (John 1:3) Thus there was one Master Worker through whom Jehovah performed his works of creation.—Prov. 8:22, 30, 31.

Answer 6

If by scientific truth (an oxymoron), you mean scientific theory, they can be reconciled. You can reconcile them by careful study of your bible, the honest and truthful understanding that science is theoretical, and that evolution is truly like imagining the rest of a thousand piece puzzle when you have only one piece, and it ain't even a corner, and prayer.

Answer 7

Yes, the requirements of being Christian are as follows:
Believe this with all their heart:
Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, died on the cross to save us from our sin, rose the third day to conquer death for us, ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us, and is coming back to get all who believe this


However, the 'scientific proof' of the THEORY of evolution is highly flawed and in direct opposition to the Bible. God did NOT use evolution to create the universe and all that is in it. He created all that is by the Word of His mouth. He spoke all, but man into existence. Man He made of the dust of the ground with His own hands!!!

Answer 8

This is so obvious I don't know what you even asked it. Obviously, if one doesn't take the Bible literally, all sorts of things can be reconciled with it.

That doesn't make the Bible any more true though... so we can't disprove the liberal Christians interpretation like we can with the fundamentalist... so what? It is up to the person making the claim (The Christian) to provide evidence of their God.

Answer 9

Jewish people do if very easily.

The book of the Bible and a book of Science are two different things. They come at nature in different ways and look for different kinds of answers.

The solution is read the Bible as a book of morality and ethics and don't try to turn it into a science book.

Similarly, a book of science is a book that describes the natural world but does not get into the questions of why we are here and what is our purpose.

I have never, ever met a Jew who had a problem with this.

Answer 10

So, let me help you a little. Try reading the resources I posted below. The first is an article written by a man with the unfortunate name of Bob Barefoot :), but despite that, I think you will find the science vs. religion issue interesting, and hopefully a little clearer.