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Naturalistic Versus Eschatological Theologies of Evolution Junghyung Kim Junghyung Kim

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Naturalistic Versus Eschatological Theologies of Evolution Junghyung Kim Junghyung Kim Article Naturalistic versus Eschatological Theologies of Evolution Junghyung Kim Junghyung Kim In this article I pose two primary questions. (1) How is God’s action in the evolutionary process to be understood with regard to seemingly self-explanatory evolutionary novelties, novelties with no telos inherent within them? (2) How can Christian affirmation of divine action in evolution be reconciled with the massive yet unavoidable evil and suffering involved in the evolutionary process? This article explores the answers to the questions by explicating two major figures in the contemporary science-theology dialogue: Arthur Peacocke and Wolfhart Pannenberg. They represent quite contrasting positions within the camp of theistic evolution. I term them respectively “naturalistic” and “eschatological.” I will analyze their positions in terms of their fundamental metaphysical commitments and respective answers to the two questions mentioned above. This analysis aims first to make explicit the contrasting points between two different approaches and then to lay the foundation for a theology of evolution going beyond them. an we believe in God and evolu- natural selection, common descent, Ction at the same time? Ted Peters divine action, and theodicy.3 This short and Martinez Hewlett answer: article cannot address all these impor- yes, we can. But we can do so only if we tant subjects. Nevertheless, with a spe- do not confuse evolutionary biology with cific focus on God’s relation to the a natural science and atheistic material- history of biological evolution, I will pay ism.1 In other words, given that the special attention to the issues of divine distinction between methodological and action and theodicy. I will pose two metaphysical reductionism is kept in primary questions. (1) How is God’s mind, the scientific theory of evolution action in the evolutionary process to be embracing only methodological reduc- understood with regard to seemingly tionism is compatible with Christian self-explanatory4 evolutionary novelties, faith. “Theistic evolution” is the name novelties with no telos inherent within Peters and Hewlett give to the positions them? (2) How can Christian affirmation that they take when reconciling Chris- tian faith and evolutionary biology.2 Junghyung Kim finished his BA in philosophy at Seoul National University and his MDiv at the Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, both in Yet, it is one thing to argue for the South Korea. In 2007 he began his doctoral studies at Graduate Theological formal compatibility of God and evolu- Union, Berkeley, and now is a PhD candidate under the supervision of tion; it is quite another to address the Professors Ted Peters and Robert John Russell. Junghyung Kim is a winner of the 2009 Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences Charles H. Townes substantial challenges that the details Graduate Student Fellowship in Theology and Science and a first-prize winner of evolutionary biology bring to Chris- in the 2010 International Society for Science and Religion Essay Competition tian theology. For instance, Peters and in honor of John Polkinghorne. He is now working on his dissertation with the Hewlett identify five issues theistic evo- title of “Cosmic Hope in a Scientific Age: Christian Eschatology in Dialogue lutionists need to deal with: deep time, with Scientific Cosmology.” Volume 63, Number 2, June 2011 95 Article Naturalistic versus Eschatological Theologies of Evolution of divine action in evolution be reconciled with the assumptions Peacocke derives from the sciences are massive yet unavoidable evil and suffering involved not merely methodological; but they are also meta- in the evolutionary process? physical in nature, although definitely not atheistic. This article explores the answers to these ques- In other words, Peacocke embraces not only tions by explicating two major figures in the contem- “methodological naturalism,” but also a sort of porary science-theology dialogue: Arthur Peacocke “metaphysical naturalism.” In this regard, he and Wolfhart Pannenberg. The former was a British follows David Griffin’s proposal of “scientific natu- biochemist and theologian with an Anglican back- ralism.” Like Griffin, Peacocke defines scientific ground; the latter, a German systematic theologian naturalism as naturalismns (ns: nonsupernaturalist), with a Lutheran background. They represent quite putting it in antithesis with supernaturalism. At the contrasting positions within the single camp of same time, he distinguishes scientific naturalism theistic evolution. I term them “naturalistic” and from any full-blown metaphysical position, such as “eschatological,” respectively. I will analyze their materialistic naturalism.8 Scientific naturalism is positions in terms of their fundamental metaphysical the only type of naturalism assumed by the scientific commitments and respective answers to the above- enterprise. Hence, it is open to Christian theism as mentioned questions. This analysis aims first to well as materialistic atheism.9 make explicit the contrasting points between two different approaches and then to lay the foundation In this way, Peacocke rejects both supernatural- for a theology of evolution going beyond them. ism, a doctrine that a supernatural being exists out- side the otherwise universal web of cause-effect relations and can violate it, and materialistic natural- Arthur Peacocke: A Naturalistic ism, a metaphysical claim that nature is all there is. Theology of Evolution Since scientific naturalism provides the true account of our world, he believes that there are neither super- As a hybrid scientist-theologian, Peacocke shows natural entities nor miracles that break the regulari- “a deep concern with the naturalistic assumptions of ties of nature discovered by science.10 Nonetheless, the empirical sciences and with the need to find he believes that scientific naturalism is reconcilable an adequate theological response to them.”5 The with Christian theism, if God is not conceived as naturalistic approach in his theology of evolution a supernatural person who can violate the natural represents one of the most influential strands among regularities. theistic evolutionists. When Peacocke defines his theological position as Naturalistic Theism naturalistic theism, scientific naturalism is already Peacocke summarizes his basic theological position presupposed in it. Yet, naturalistic theism, in its gen- with three letters: ENP. ENP refers to Emergent uine sense, means more than scientific naturalism; monism, Naturalistic theism, and Panentheism, all in fact, it contains a theological claim about a specific of which are closely related to one another.6 Among mode of divine action in the natural world: them, this discussion focuses on naturalistic theism. [T]he processes revealed by the sciences are in The first fact to be noted is that Peacocke’s discus- themselves the action of God as Creator, such that sion begins with scientific insights and derives from God is not to be found as some kind of additional them the implications for our understanding of influence or factor added on to the processes of 11 God’s relation to the world. In other words, he wants the world God is creating. to bring to his theological thinking the assumptions This position he designates as theological naturalism. underlying today’s understanding of the natural Once scientific naturalism has excluded all the world as it is afforded by the sciences. Of the many supernatural forces from the natural processes, the significant assumptions, he refers specifically to the processes of ongoing creation in the natural world ubiquity of regularity in the world, its closure to are identified with divine action. God is depicted nonnatural forces, its skepticism about the super- as immanent in the natural processes. Only if it is natural, and the self-creative and emergent character accepted that God is “more than” the natural pro- of natural processes.7 It is important to note that the cesses does this theological naturalism lead to a 96 Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith Junghyung Kim panentheistic vision.12 Hence, Peacocke’s naturalistic These two features of evolutionary history are theism refers to this naturalistic-immanentist- not separated from each other. Rather, the history panentheistic approach to divine action in the natural of emergent evolution is marked by continuous pro- world. cesses. In other words, even the ontologically strong emergence is to be explained without recourse to Peacocke’s naturalistic understanding of God’s any supernatural influences. Peacocke thinks that the relation to the natural world needs a few more com- emergence of life is no exception in this regard.18 ments. First of all, Peacocke affirms that the natural, including the human, world owes its existence to If both the origin and history of life are to be scien- another “entity,” a Creator God who is real and tifically explained away as a seamless process of personal and has purposes for this world. Yet, he emergent evolution, how can one conceive of divine confines the scope of continuous divine activity action within the evolutionary history? Does this within the regularities of natural processes, which is, scientific explanation obviate any idea of divine in itself, God’s creation. He is explicitly against the action? By no means. On the contrary, evolution idea of miracle: has made possible a more dynamic understanding God does not implement these purposes through of divine action in the world.
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