Question:
Dear Greg,
I
just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your ministry and your
open-mindedness regarding creation. I, too, find it hard to believe that our Lord, who cannot
lie, would create a universe with the appearance of a lie. You have strengthened my faith greatly without compromising
the Bible.
God
Bless,
Grant
Answer: Dear Grant,
Thanks
for the encouragement. Our views and “stand” on creation—specifically the
first few chapters of Genesis—are not popular with everyone, of course.
Many Christians wrestle with old paradigms given to them by organized
religion. The general idea is that
the Bible and science are always in conflict.
The view is that scientists of all shapes and sizes are at best agnostic,
usually atheist. Further, science has an agenda—to overturn the Bible.
This position effectively demonizes science and fact.
Such
a view forces Christians who accept it into an anti-science, anti-knowledge, and
anti-intellectual position. It
forces them into a denial of scientific findings and into an interpretation of
the Bible that fits that particular worldview, rather than an interpretation of
the Bible as it was actually inspired and written.
The first few chapters of Genesis are the primary battleground, as those
who are convinced that science is wrong try to force the Bible to say something
it clearly does not (i.e. the earth is not yet 6000 years old, the seven days of
creation had to be literal 24-hour days, etc.) in spite of the obvious
documentation which proves otherwise.
This struggle to keep science in its place as public enemy #1 keeps many from understanding the profound and meaningful message about our beginnings and origins. The truth is that God alone brought all this about, not a multitude of gods, not evolution, and certainly not those who insist that the earth is not quite 6000 years old. So, let’s stop trying to make God look like he is against science! “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). Those who are misunderstanding and misinterpreting the Bible are causing many to lose faith in God as they force many to choose between fact/reality/scientific proof vs. an outmoded and broken-beyond-repair view of the Bible.
In
Christ,
Greg Albrecht