Theistic Evolution

Greetings all.I'm a Deist. I adhere to theistic evolution: the parameters for evolution were set at Creation 15 billion years ago, and since then evolution has been running freely.I see no contradiction between evolution and a Deistic concept of God. I, do, however, see a contradiction between evolution and classical theism, and foremostly between evolution and Christianity.Classical theism holds that God is sovereign over His creation, intervenes in the history of His creation. Evolution, which means a blind, ruthless operation of natural law, puts such a god out of the picture. The God of evolution is the God of Natural Law - the God of Deism, not of theism.As for Christianity, it relies on the literal truth of Genesis in order to function. There must be a literal Adam and Eve who ate a literal fruit from the literal Garden of Eden so that a literally resurrected Jesus should save from a literal hell.The main theme of Christianity is that death is an enemy ("The Last Enemy"), an intruder into a previously perfect world. Evolution refutes this: death is the natural order of things. The theme of Christianity is Christ's triumph over this enemy called death. If death is the natural order of things - and that is what evolution means - then there was nothing for Christ to triumph over, and Christianity is reduced to a meaningless mythology.I hope this has provided some food for thought about faith and evolution.[This message has been edited by emotional, 07-19-2003]

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Originally posted by doctrbill:

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Why not call it Deistic Evolution?

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Why quibble?

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You mean, without the Deity?

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God's creation is a fully-gifted creation, able to self-organise. Just like an evolutionary computer simulation can run by itself once the parameters are set (by an intelligent designer), so too evolution has been running freely.

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Does this mean that Deists view God as blind and ruthless?

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The Deistic God is a God of Natural Law, not of caprice and miracles.

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And, just out of curiosity: Of what value is a god which is not sovereign and doesn't intervene?

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Ah, that loaded phrase "what value". As if God exists solely to do us favours. No, we're not talking about what is useful, we're talking about what is true. It is true that the universe is managed according to strict operation of natural law, contrary to what the Bible says.