We often find people differentiated into categories of scientist or non-scientist when discussing evolution, as if evolution was science, and special creation was not science. But there are many people working in science who do not hold to evolution, and yet are scientists, some with a PhD in science, or M.Sc. or BSc. Does an ecumenical attitude allow respect for these scientists, or is our ecumenical approach limited to "churchy" practices, or theological beliefs? If we follow A. Kuyper's (and other's) beliefs that all of creation belongs to God, then is it not true that science also belongs to God, even while God is not the property of science? What does it mean that science belongs to God? If scientific beliefs suggest that God has no place in the world's creation or its existence, then isn't that a hint that maybe that scientific belief is incorrect? An example of a PhD in ecology holding to creationist beliefs is Dr. J.D. Oliver."Dr J. Douglas Oliver earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Toronto, and his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Georgia. He has worked for the Ontario, Canada government, as well as for the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection. He has also taught at Florida A & M University. He is currently a Professor of Biology at Liberty University, where he is also the Associate Director of the Center for Creation Studies." (creation.com)
Is there more to ecumenism than just anabaptism, election, sphere sovereignty, pietism, etc.? Should it not also include our attitudes towards science and environment and social responsibility?
Comments
I believe one of the causes of differences between denominations or between christians who think they believe different things from other christians, is that deep down in their hearts, people want to be different. They want to find a way to distinguish from others, or as scripture says, "...there must be differences to show which has God's approval..." I Corinthians 1:19. This takes place in doctrine, in lifestyle, in philosophy, science, dress, language, and education, within the church. This can be caused by anyone, whether educated or not, whether ecclesiastical or not. How is this relevant to discussions about evolution? The same things happen there. Questions about peer review, scientific method, consensus of scientists become deciding factors for divisions.
So, in the interest of providing a balance and another perspective, I suggest you check out the latest youtube video on Wazooloo.com, of Genesis Week, where Ian Juby explains mistakes made in paleontology with regard to mixing bones of Australopithecus and homoerectus. (youtube.com/watch?v=8FKKw74DWo0). This mixing was not discovered before the scientific paper went to peer review and so it was published, but of course it was later discovered to be mistaken. He explains many examples of how scientific journals refused to publish papers from scientists who were later given the Nobel Prize for their scientific work; ie. Krebs cycle, Watson and Crick's double helix, etc. Ironically, Darwin never wrote in a peer review journal. So why the big emphasis on anti-evolutionists publishing in peer review journals? He gives several other very interesting examples of the lack of objectivity of peer review journals, such as when the journals refused to publish previously published papers, even though they had not detected that they were already published in their own journal.
Then, he explains that there are a number of peer review journals which do accept young earth oriented papers, or intelligent design or anti-evolution research. And guess what, then we have some people ridiculing these other journals. So it is not really about peer review, but about point-of-view. And this gives us a clue about ecumenicity, or about reducing or removing barriers to Christian brotherhood. The importance of motives (desire to be different, or not), the willingness or lack of it to accept various ways of saying the same thing play huge roles. Perhaps we should focus more on how christians are different from the world, rather than different from each other. That might put the emphasis where it really should be.
Let's Discuss
We love your comments! Thank you for helping us uphold the Community Guidelines to make this an encouraging and respectful community for everyone.