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Is Creationism Still Valid in the New Millennium? George T Perspective Digest Volume 10 Article 5 Issue 3 Summer 2005 Is Creationism Still Valid in the New Millennium? George T. Javor Loma Linda University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Javor, George T. (2005) "Is Creationism Still Valid in the New Millennium?," Perspective Digest: Vol. 10 : Iss. 3 , Article 5. Available at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol10/iss3/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Perspective Digest by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Javor: Is Creationism Still Valid in the New Millennium? BY GEORGE T. JAVOR* when they show that their explana- The supposed conflict between tions work better than those of evo- religion and science is a recent lutionists. Their goal should be to invention and a distortion of histor- develop their paradigm so well that ical realities by a class of historians people will have to admit, “Nothing whose agenda was to destroy the in biology makes sense except in the influence of religion. The currently light of creationism.” popular secularism in science may IS CREATIONISM STILL With that as a background, con- only be a detour in the history of sci- sider a few aspects of Creationism ence. still valid for 21st century thinking Christians. What are the Perceived Liabilities VALID IN THE of Creationism? Is Creationism a Religiously Creationism originated in a pre- Motivated Paradigm? scientific world, where myths Yes. Efforts to present creation- abounded. The biblical story of Cre- ism in a secular wrapping distort its ation is often compared with the NEW MILLENNIUM? central thrust. At the very core of Babylonian and other creation sto- creationism is the Creator. The Bible ries. teaches that the Creator is intimately Creationism rests on the notion Efforts to present creationism in a secular involved with nature, yet not part of that there is a supernatural Being, wrapping distort its central thrust. nature. It follows that religion can- which cannot be verified scientifi- not be divorced from science. While cally. Moreover, if this is true, then reationism is not for the faint- arising from our understanding of science may be practiced without ours is a capricious world, subject to hearted. It is based on a 3,500- evolution have enriched and changed any reference to religion, the inter- the whims of supernatural powers. year-old assertion found in the many other fields of study.”2 In the pretation of such efforts may be Science is not equipped to study Bible: “In the beginning God same issue, Stephen Jay Gould wrote: flawed. such a world. created the heavens and the “Organic evolution [is] one of the Of the great civilizations, the one Creationism restricts the range of Cearth” (Gen. 1:1, NIV). Most con- firmest facts ever validated by sci- in Western Europe gave rise to mod- inquiries, because by definition, temporary scientists, however, be- ence.”3 ern science, with emphasis on exper- there is no point studying the ori- lieve that we are here as a result of a The standard creationist response imentation and mathematical for- gins of life or the relationships huge explosion of primeval matter to such declarations is to point out mulations.4 Several cultures of between organisms. billions of years ago. To believe in flaws in the evolutionary arguments. antiquity, the Chinese and Arab Creationism implies accountabil- creation is to run against the tide. But creationists are at their best among them, produced higher levels ity. Then humankind is not the “Nothing in biology,” wrote of learning and technology than supreme authority in the world. Dobzhansky, “makes sense except in *George T. Javor teaches and conducts medieval Europe. Yet it was in The fact that a creation story the light of evolution.”1 The editors of research in the department of bio- Europe that modern science was exists in different ancient cultures Science magazine, introducing a spe- chemistry, Loma Linda University born. Heavily contributing to this suggests a common source for these cial issue on evolution, stated not School of Medicine, Loma Linda, Cal- was the Judeo-Christian faith, with stories. long ago: “The intellectual concepts ifornia. its confidence in the laws of nature. The supreme Being of the Bible Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews University,44 2005 1 45 Perspective Digest, Vol. 10 [2005], Iss. 3, Art. 5 BY GEORGE T. JAVOR* when they show that their explana- The supposed conflict between tions work better than those of evo- religion and science is a recent lutionists. Their goal should be to invention and a distortion of histor- develop their paradigm so well that ical realities by a class of historians people will have to admit, “Nothing whose agenda was to destroy the in biology makes sense except in the influence of religion. The currently light of creationism.” popular secularism in science may IS CREATIONISM STILL With that as a background, con- only be a detour in the history of sci- sider a few aspects of Creationism ence. still valid for 21st century thinking Christians. What are the Perceived Liabilities VALID IN THE of Creationism? Is Creationism a Religiously Creationism originated in a pre- Motivated Paradigm? scientific world, where myths Yes. Efforts to present creation- abounded. The biblical story of Cre- ism in a secular wrapping distort its ation is often compared with the NEW MILLENNIUM? central thrust. At the very core of Babylonian and other creation sto- creationism is the Creator. The Bible ries. teaches that the Creator is intimately Creationism rests on the notion Efforts to present creationism in a secular involved with nature, yet not part of that there is a supernatural Being, wrapping distort its central thrust. nature. It follows that religion can- which cannot be verified scientifi- not be divorced from science. While cally. Moreover, if this is true, then reationism is not for the faint- arising from our understanding of science may be practiced without ours is a capricious world, subject to hearted. It is based on a 3,500- evolution have enriched and changed any reference to religion, the inter- the whims of supernatural powers. year-old assertion found in the many other fields of study.”2 In the pretation of such efforts may be Science is not equipped to study Bible: “In the beginning God same issue, Stephen Jay Gould wrote: flawed. such a world. created the heavens and the “Organic evolution [is] one of the Of the great civilizations, the one Creationism restricts the range of Cearth” (Gen. 1:1, NIV). Most con- firmest facts ever validated by sci- in Western Europe gave rise to mod- inquiries, because by definition, temporary scientists, however, be- ence.”3 ern science, with emphasis on exper- there is no point studying the ori- lieve that we are here as a result of a The standard creationist response imentation and mathematical for- gins of life or the relationships huge explosion of primeval matter to such declarations is to point out mulations.4 Several cultures of between organisms. billions of years ago. To believe in flaws in the evolutionary arguments. antiquity, the Chinese and Arab Creationism implies accountabil- creation is to run against the tide. But creationists are at their best among them, produced higher levels ity. Then humankind is not the “Nothing in biology,” wrote of learning and technology than supreme authority in the world. Dobzhansky, “makes sense except in *George T. Javor teaches and conducts medieval Europe. Yet it was in The fact that a creation story the light of evolution.”1 The editors of research in the department of bio- Europe that modern science was exists in different ancient cultures Science magazine, introducing a spe- chemistry, Loma Linda University born. Heavily contributing to this suggests a common source for these cial issue on evolution, stated not School of Medicine, Loma Linda, Cal- was the Judeo-Christian faith, with stories. long ago: “The intellectual concepts ifornia. its confidence in the laws of nature. The supreme Being of the Bible 44 http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol10/iss3/545 2 Javor: Is Creationism Still Valid in the New Millennium? created a world with laws that were as alive and being moved by mysteri- Not all manifestations of the biosphere have to do with either given or which can be discov- ous forces. Thus, the doctrine of cre- survival values. There is more to life than mere survival. If survival ered. Humans are mandated to sub- ation was a positive and possibly due and care for creation, using these decisive contributing factor to the were the only criterion, we would see a much starker and sparser laws. There appears to be no caprice birth of modern science. world. Creationism frees us from having to explain why there are in the routine operation of nature. Nevertheless, the creationist para- Is there Explanatory Power in both uni- and multi-cellular organisms, and why there is an digm permits divine intervention in Creationism? absolute requirement for two different genetic types of organisms nature, when known natural laws are To a great extent, science is the superseded. Creationists believe that process of explaining. The acid test (male and female) to coexist. past divine interventions of great sig- for the value of a paradigm rests in nificance have been explained to its explanatory power. For example: humanity by special revelations. • Elements of design, seen in values. There is more to life than The puzzle of the chicken/egg is Modern science went astray when it nature at every level, follow naturally mere survival.
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