1. Science and Faith It’s life, Jim David Wallace

2. The heavens declare the glory of God Psalm 19

5. Science and faith: mini series In the beginning – Genesis 1 and the age of the universe It’s life Jim – Evolution Would you Adam and Eve it? – Genesis 2-3 – Intelligent Design

6. Aims Read the Bible properly Think about God and science together Enjoy studying science Spot the bias Avoid the creationist caricature Worship God: inspired by science

8. Evolution in a nutshell Genes vary – Occasionally help reproduction or survival Natural selection – More of the beneficial genes in the population Change happens gradually – Eventually new species That’s how all the different living things came about – Small changes over a long time – Common descent – tree of life

9. Richard Dawkins clip

11. Insights into evolution Initial Christian reaction to Darwin Evolution: hijacked by ideologies Why some people don’t like evolution The evidence for evolution How can faith and science be compatible regarding evolution? Chance is a fine thing Intelligent design

12. Initial Christian reaction to Darwin “Soapy” Sam Wilberforce: churchman Charles Kingsley: writer, history professor, socialist Aubrey Moore: botanist, cleric Henry Drummond: evangelist with Moody & Sankey Asa Grey: evangelical; prof of natural history James McCosh: Calvinist university president George Wright: theologian, glacial geologist Alex Winchell: Methodist, geologist, paleontologist Benjamin Warfield: Fundamentalist

13. Evolution: Hijacked by ideologies Herbert Spencer – Progress = “survival of the fittest” in every aspect of life Tory capitalism – Survival of the economically fittest Socialism (Marx and Engels) – Class struggle is survival of the fittest Colonialism – White man’s rule is survival of the fittest WW1 – Natural selection through violent competitive struggle Eugenics – Sterilisation of defectives in USA Nazi Germany – Eliminate genetic diseases

14. Evolution: hijacked by more ideologies? Atheism – evolution removes any basis for meaning and purpose in life Faith in the Creator – evolution is a wonder of creation, inspiring worship

16. Why some people don’t like evolution What about the story of Adam and Eve? Evolution would have taken too long!

17. Evolution of Homer

18. Why some people don’t like evolution What about the story of Adam and Eve? Evolution would have taken too long! Nothing buttery – it’s immoral!

19. Nothing buttery (reductionism) “Nothing but” an evolved ape Behaving like animals is OK Ruthless competition is simply “survival of the fittest” Not guilty: his genes made him do it Animals have as many rights as humans Love, creativity and consciousness are just biochemistry

20. Why some people don’t like evolution What about the story of Adam and Eve? Evolution would have taken too long! Nothing buttery – it’s immoral! Association with all sorts of evil Too much death Random chance and God’s plan Christians on the defensive – Loss of believers – A need to hold on tightly – A sense of boldness in believing bigger things – A need to belong

21. Evidence for evolution Fossils Genetics Evolution in progress

22. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level

23. A spectrum of interpretations Geocentrism Flat earth Young Earth Creationism Old Earth Creationism Progressive creationism Day Age creationism Gap creationism Evolutionary Creationism aka Theistic Evolution All planned from the start Intervention for initial spark of life With literal Adam and Eve Atheistic Evolution Agnostic Evolution Deistic Evolution Increasingly literal interpretation of Bible More “special creation” interventions by God Intelligent design Creation was a series of events over 6 days. Evidence of process we might find is in fact remnants of the flood.

24. A spectrum of interpretations Geocentrism Flat earth Young Earth Creationism Old Earth Creationism Progressive creationism Day Age creationism Gap creationism Evolutionary Creationism aka Theistic Evolution All planned from the start Intervention for initial spark of life With literal Adam and Eve Atheistic Evolution Agnostic Evolution Deistic Evolution Increasingly literal interpretation of Bible More “special creation” interventions by God Intelligent design God intervened at critical moments to bring about “leaps in complexity”. Common design not common ancestors

25. A spectrum of interpretations Geocentrism Flat earth Young Earth Creationism Old Earth Creationism Progressive creationism Day Age creationism Gap creationism Evolutionary Creationism aka Theistic Evolution All planned from the start Intervention for initial spark of life With literal Adam and Eve Atheistic Evolution Agnostic Evolution Deistic Evolution Increasingly literal interpretation of Bible More “special creation” interventions by God Intelligent design The emergence of life and evolution was God’s idea, design and plan from the beginning

26. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level

29. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level Clever mechanisms, clever designer

30. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level Clever mechanisms, clever designer It is all created and sustained by God

31. In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:2-3

32. It is all created and sustained by God [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created... all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17

33. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level Clever mechanisms, clever designer It is all created and sustained by God Chance is a fine thing

34. Random ≠ Unplanned

36. Chance is a fine thing Random ≠ Unplanned

37. Chance is a fine thing Random ≠ Unplanned Random ≠ Purposeless

38. How can faith and evolution be compatible? Everyone accepts evolution at some level Clever mechanisms, clever designer It is all created and sustained by God Chance is a fine thing

39. Principles for looking at science and faith It is all created and sustained by God We know it by faith (not science) It is good to understand the universe through science It is amazing what God has made God is not disproved by science The wonders uncovered by science inform our worship