Can A Christian Believe in Evolution?

Yes, and the  Pope recently said as much.  In fact, more than 1500 years ago St. Augustine, in his classic workThe City of God, concluded that higher life forms could have evolved from primitive ones.   There is bad science and good science, bad theology and good theology; I believe that good theology is based on good science. 

Augustine also believed that when truth and religion collide, religion must change.   Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow - but our own viewpoints are fallible and often need challenged.   Today many leading Christian scientists see no contradiction in believing in a creator God and affirming that the universe is billions of years old:  "the creator God uses his laws of chemistry and physics as the method of evolution of various life forms"  (W. R. Klemm PhD., professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M).

Whatever you believe about how God created life, remember something that Augustine also said:

 

        "In essentials, unity,

 

         In non-essentials, freedom,

 

         In all things, love."

 

On this beautiful day in SW Florida I hope that you are also enjoying God's good creation!

 

In faith,

Pastor Tim

 

P.S. This Faith Focus continues a series on modern heresies.  We have dealt with the rapture, Biblical literalism, and next week the role of women in the church.

 

Ponder:

"We should think of nature as God's laboratory, and itself a source of spiritual revelation."  W.R. Klemm, The Presbyterian Outlook, April 4,2011.