Theistic Evolution & Scripture

Definitions

Science

A method of determining how the universe works by use of the scientific method.

Scientific method

The process of proposing a hypothesis, and then testing its accuracy by collecting data on events the hypothesis predicts. If the predictions match the new data the hypothesis is supported. Generally the best-supported hypothesis is considered correct.

Evolution

The fact the frequency of the appearance of alleles in a population of organisms changes over time.

Allele

The pieces of DNA that cause a particular trait, i.e. "blue eyes".

The theory of evolution

A number of theories that explain, to the best of current knowledge, by what mechanisms evolution occurs.

The theory of common descent

The theory that all living creatures on earth share a common, remote ancestor. More specifically, given any two living creatures there was a creature that is ancestor to both.

Creationism

One of several beliefs that incorporate a literal interpretation of Genesis. There are variations that allow some figurative interpretation.

Young Earth Creationism

An interpretation of Genesis 1 in which days are taken to be 24 hour events, and that by saying animals reproduce "after their kind" macro-evolution is precluded.

Old Earth Creationism

An interpretation of Genesis 1 in which days are taken to be figurative lengths of time, and the time scales given by geologists are generally correct. However, the special creation of man precludes common descent.

Theistic Evolution

An interpretation of Genesis 1 in which the story line is considered as an explanation for the why and who of creation, but not the exact method.  This theory synchretizes religious and scientific philosophies.  William Dembski said, “Theistic evolution takes the Darwinian picture of the biological world and baptizes it.”

 

Problems with Theistic Evolution

 

1.      Biblical data

    1. Nullifies redemptive purpose of Christ.  Adam & Fall —a symbol??
    2. Disregards narrative language---םוי, YOM, literal when qualified by number
    3. Genesis 1-2
    4. Exodus 20:8-11
    5. Mark 10:6-9---Did Jesus err in thinking Adam literal?
    6. Luke 3:23-38---75 names in genealogies (55 fm. Abram—Jesus), 20 fm Adam—Abraham.  No gaps in 1st seven (Jude 14).
  1. Scientific Data—time anomalies
    1. Tyrannosaurus rex hip bone excavated from Wyo. Ranch over 100 years ago but recently analyzed by scanning electron microscopy revealed mummified collagenic fibers & other bone structures that last several thousand years but not 65 million years (see http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/38/38_2/Trex.htm)
    2. Moon dust—pre-Apollo estimates of 90 ft. deep layers of dust were based on 4.5 billion yrs. of assumed lunar history.  Only 2-4 inches of dust found.  (see Donald DeYoung, Ph.D. in physics, Astronomy and the Bible, 32-34).
    3. Ocean sediments—If earth is 3.5 billion years old, sediments should be 19 times deeper than actually are, if fact, should be more than 60 miles deep (see Dr. R.L. Wysong’s The Creation-Evolution Controversy, 145-179).  Average depth is only 800 feet.  Each tear, 25 billion tons of dirt from continents accumulate on ocean floor but only 1 billion tons are removed by plate tectonic subduction.  Current amount only points to earth 12 million years old using uniformitarianistic interpretations.
    4. Milky Way Star galaxies have a spiral shape with inner stars rotating faster than outer ones.  If universe is billions of years old, galaxies would have “wound themselves up” losing their spiral/whirlpool shape.  Therefore, stars must be younger (see Creation Matters, Aug. 1999 found in http://www.creationresearch.org).
    5. Earth’s Magnetic Decay is too fast.  Since 1835, scientists have studied in great detail the earth's magnetic field which is caused by electrical forces generated by the earth's molten core. The theory that the earth is a large electro-magnet is called the Lamb-Humphreys theory (Kurt Wise, Faith, Form and Time 69-70).  The data says that the magnetic field has deteriorated 6% since first measured (Donald DeYoung, Astronomy & the Bible 18), and this decay can be measured in what is called a half-life. Half-life is the length of time it takes for it to lose half of its strength. The magnetic field has a half-life of 1400 yrs.  Fourteen hundred yrs. from now (AD 3395) it will be half as strong as it is now. 1400 yrs ago (AD 595) it was twice as strong as it is now.  2800 yrs ago in 805 BC, the field was 4 times as strong as it is now. 4200 yrs. ago (2205 BC) it was 8 times as strong; 5600 yrs. ago (3605 BC) it was 16 times as strong. as it is now.  This field is very beneficial for us. It deflects cosmic radiation away from us. I have read that about the yr. AD 4400 the magnetic field will be completely non-existent.  All biological life existing in that day will die of radiation poisoning. If we take the data of the earth’s magnetic decay & extrapolate backward 20,000 years ago, the earth would have been liquid.  If we go backward 1 million years in time, the earth would have been vapor (R. L. Wysong 160-161).  Kurt Wise says the data shows the earth is considerably less than 20,000 years old (Faith, Form and Time, 70). 
    6. Not enough sodium in sea.  450 million tons enter ocean each year with only 27% of it removed from ocean.  Present amount of sodium points to 42 million year old ocean, much less than 3 billion year age proposed by evolutionists.
    7. Not enough helium in atmosphere.  All radioactive materials generate helium when decaying.  Today’s atmosphere has only 0.05% of Helium it should have if planet earth is 5 billion years old.
    8. See Paul S. Taylor’s Origin, pp. 18-20 of more than 102 scientific dating methods that point to a young earth & universe.