Where Did We Come From? A Look at Creation, Darwinism, and Intelligent Design

Why Are Origins Important? “Every worldview starts with an account of Creation, which shapes its concepts of the Fall and Redemption. As a result, whoever has the authority to shape a culture’s Creation myth is its de facto ‘priesthood,’ with the power to determine what the dominant worldview will be.” – Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth, p. 154 “Every worldview starts with an account of Creation, which shapes its concepts of the Fall and Redemption. As a result, whoever has the authority to shape a culture’s Creation myth is its de facto ‘priesthood,’ with the power to determine what the dominant worldview will be.” – Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth, p. 154

Creation, Fall, and Redemption In Christianity, In Christianity, CREATION: God created the universe, including the earth and people.CREATION: God created the universe, including the earth and people. FALL: Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and ushered sin into the human experience.FALL: Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and ushered sin into the human experience. REDEMPTION: Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, was crucified and was resurrected to pay the penalty for our sins for us.REDEMPTION: Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, was crucified and was resurrected to pay the penalty for our sins for us.

Creation, Fall, and Redemption In Marxism, In Marxism, CREATION: The ultimate creative power is matter itself – it created itself and changes itself. Marx wrote: “We may regard the material and cosmic world as the supreme being, the cause of all causes, the creator of heaven and earth.” (Total Truth, p. 135)CREATION: The ultimate creative power is matter itself – it created itself and changes itself. Marx wrote: “We may regard the material and cosmic world as the supreme being, the cause of all causes, the creator of heaven and earth.” (Total Truth, p. 135) FALL: The creation of private property brought about the class struggle and economic and social exploitation.FALL: The creation of private property brought about the class struggle and economic and social exploitation. REDEMPTION: The proletariat (the urban workers), when they rebel against capitalism.REDEMPTION: The proletariat (the urban workers), when they rebel against capitalism.

Creation, Fall, and Redemption For Rousseau (who inspired Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, and Mao), For Rousseau (who inspired Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, and Mao), CREATION: The state of nature – “In it, all that exists are lone, disconnected, autonomous individuals, whose sole motivation force is the desire for self-preservation.” (Total Truth, p. 139)CREATION: The state of nature – “In it, all that exists are lone, disconnected, autonomous individuals, whose sole motivation force is the desire for self-preservation.” (Total Truth, p. 139) FALL: The creation of society and civilization, oppressive personal relationships like marriage, family, church, and work.FALL: The creation of society and civilization, oppressive personal relationships like marriage, family, church, and work. REDEMPTION: The state – people would be independent of their personal relationships and completely dependent on the state.REDEMPTION: The state – people would be independent of their personal relationships and completely dependent on the state.

Creation, Fall, and Redemption In the New Age movement (pantheism), In the New Age movement (pantheism), CREATION: We all come from a universal spiritual essence, the One.CREATION: We all come from a universal spiritual essence, the One. FALL: Evil and suffering come from our sense of individuality.FALL: Evil and suffering come from our sense of individuality. REDEMPTION: By being reunited with the One through self-denial and detachment from the things of this world. It may take many lives to accomplish this.REDEMPTION: By being reunited with the One through self-denial and detachment from the things of this world. It may take many lives to accomplish this.

Creation vs. Evolution Creation refers to the Judeo-Christian claim that God created the whole universe, including the Earth and all life on Earth. Creation refers to the Judeo-Christian claim that God created the whole universe, including the Earth and all life on Earth. Intelligent design concedes that the universe was created by an intelligent designer, hence the name of the movement, but makes no claims about who or what that designer might be. Intelligent design concedes that the universe was created by an intelligent designer, hence the name of the movement, but makes no claims about who or what that designer might be. The biggest challenge to Creation ideas is Darwinian evolution. The biggest challenge to Creation ideas is Darwinian evolution.

Crucial Creation Terminology Young Earth Creationists Young Earth Creationists Believe the Biblical account of Creation and interpret Creation as occurring over six literal, 24-hour days.Believe the Biblical account of Creation and interpret Creation as occurring over six literal, 24-hour days. Date the age of the earth as between 6,000 and 10,000 years.Date the age of the earth as between 6,000 and 10,000 years. The discrepancy is over whether the genealogies in Genesis are complete or have gaps.The discrepancy is over whether the genealogies in Genesis are complete or have gaps.

Crucial Creation Terminology Old Earth Creationists Old Earth Creationists Believe that God created the universe and life on this planetBelieve that God created the universe and life on this planet Interpret the Genesis Creation account as allegorical; for them, the six days of Creation are not six literal days, but represent six phases of Creation.Interpret the Genesis Creation account as allegorical; for them, the six days of Creation are not six literal days, but represent six phases of Creation.

Two Divisions of Old Earth Creationism Gap Creationism Gap Creationism Life was created recently (and divinely) on an already- created, old EarthLife was created recently (and divinely) on an already- created, old Earth Progressive Creationism Progressive Creationism “the religious belief that God allows certain natural process (such as gene mutation and natural selection) to affect the development of life, but has also directly intervened at key moments in life’s history to guide those processes or, in some views, create new species altogether (often to replenish the earth).” ( religious belief that God allows certain natural process (such as gene mutation and natural selection) to affect the development of life, but has also directly intervened at key moments in life’s history to guide those processes or, in some views, create new species altogether (often to replenish the earth).” ( Some old Earth creationists cite 2 Peter 3:8 in which Peter writes, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.” Some old Earth creationists cite 2 Peter 3:8 in which Peter writes, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.”

Crucial Evolution Terminology Natural Selection Natural Selection the process by which favorable heritable traits become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable heritable traits become less commonthe process by which favorable heritable traits become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable heritable traits become less common Macroevolution Macroevolution Evolutionary change that occurs at or above the level of speciesEvolutionary change that occurs at or above the level of species Microevolution Microevolution Evolutionary change that occurs within a species or populationEvolutionary change that occurs within a species or population