Possesing a higher education of things biological, I often attempt to reconcile my religious views with the scientific theory of evolution. To do so requires a thorough and thoughtful examination of not only scientific knowledge and theology, but also a quest to understand some of the most basic beliefs that unite humanity.
I come at this topic not as an outsider, but instead as someone who holds both constructs to be true, or necessary, or compatible, or complementary, depending on the time of day. To say that evolution does not exist, or that humans were created by God snapping his finger is not an option. Nor is it an option for me to say that we are not created in the image of God, an omnipotent being mostly beyond our comprehension.
Why do people fiercely cling to antiqauted ideas or outlandish hypotheses? I feel that it is gravely inappropriate to label proponents of Intelligent Design (a guise for many different ideas), or people who simply dismiss evolution in any form, as stupid, backwards, laughable loons. Coming at this from the point of view of someone who believes that bread and wine can be turned to flesh and blood I feel the need to be exceedingly dicrete and scupulous in my rebuke of Intelligent design.
The rise of intelligent design and criticism of evolution is reactionary. "Science" has taken fundamental beliefs about our very existence and place in the world, and effectively turned them on their side, at least in some people's minds.
The real purpose of science is to open our eyes to religion and God. Humans have been imbued with a curious spirit and a desire to gain knowledge that they may contemplate what is unknown to them. Does this very fact prove there is a God? Through our study of science is it not plausible that we are simply seeking to better understand something that is ultimately beyond our comprehension, but still worth striving for. If one lives only by the current knowledge of science then one could still comfortably be an agnostic.
Perhaps this omnipotent being scattered the chemicals in the universe that eventually formed the first life on earth, or perhaps not. If not, where did the chemicals come from that formed the Earth. I suspect some day we will find out the answer. So if we say now that God did it we may have to change it in the future and push God back to the next step. But what is wrong with that? Has God revealed everything to us? Certainly not! Yet will still try to place God into a context that we can understand right here and right now. To do so is only human, I suppose. By every new scientific discovery and idea we can legitimately come to better understand the workings of this God that are forever beyond our grasp.
At one time it was considered essential and fundamental to Western forms of Deism that the Earth was the center of the Universe. After all, it logically flows that God's chosen people would be at the center of the Universe, whatever that is. But then a preist known to us as Nicolaus Copernicus postulated that indeed, the earth was not the center of the Universe. All of our senses and reasoning ability have come to confirm this claim. So I ask the fundamentalists ( I apologize for using this label, but I don't know what else to use), would God grant us the ability to gain empirical observations and a mind to reason them out if he wanted us to ignore the world around us? Unless the centricity of the Universe is simply a mystery of faith... As far as I know this has never been "revealed." A similar thing could be said about changing bread to flesh with a simple verbal recitation. The difference is that those who believe that bread can become flesh also believe that Jesus was a human manifestation of God, that whom is beyond understanding. This Jesus who we believe was God also revealed to humans that yes, your God -given senses will indeed betray you. For what looks like ordinary bread is indeed the flesh of the Son of Man.
Therefore I assert that we must always rely on our God-given senses and reasoning ability and never cease to gain more knowledge about the world around us; Unless it is a matter of Faith tradition that this God that some people believe in has said otherwise. In this way science and reason can never contradict faith, but only enlighten us and temporarily edify our greed for understanding. Isn't it this quest that makes life interesting?
So I say to you Intelligent Designers: God would not deceive you without proper warnings. Therefore cherish your intellect and senses and reject antiquarianism and the comfort of thinking you already understand your place in the Divine Order.
And if your an Atheist, well, you must be comfortable [read bored] knowing you'll never have to wrestle with such wonderfully provoking questions : - )
