Science & Christianity: Four Views

Science and Christianity. Are they partners or opponents? Christians have long debated the relationship of science to faith. With the rise of Darwinism, however, the issue took on new significance. Darwinism appeared to undermine the authority of the Bible and the credibility of Christianity by freeing science of the need for a Creator. Rethinking the relationship between science and Christianity quickly became a priority. 

• How does a faithful Christian respond to the pronouncements of contemporary science?
• Is science a help or a hindrance to belief?
• Are science and the Bible in conflict?

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Christians continue to wonder whether faith and science are partners or opponents. In this book six Christian scholars sort through the issues as they present four different views on the relationship of science and Christianity. These include Wayne Frair and Gary D. Patterson for "creationism," Jean Pond for "independence," Stephen C. Meyer for "qualified agreement" and Howard J. Van Till for "partnership." Each contributor responds to the other scholars, noting points of agreement and disagreement. Editor Richard F. Carlson offers an introduction to this contemporary debate as well as a postscript to help us evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each view.

Creation or Evolution - Do We Have to Choose?

It is often thought that an intrinsic compatibility exists between the ideas of ‘creation’ and Darwinian ‘evolution’. This misunderstanding arises from two main sources. First, since the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859) evolution has frequently been used for various social, political, religious or anti-religious purposes. These ideological investments are not intrinsic to the theory, which focuses on providing an explanation for the origins of biological diversity, but have the consequence that in the public domain the term ‘evolution’ often has associations incompatible with the idea of ‘creation’. The second main reason for the supposed incompatibility arises from the US anti-Darwinian creationist and Intelligent Design movements. These movements agree with the claims of ultra-Darwinians such as Richard Dawkins that ‘creation’ and ‘evolution’ provide rival accounts for the origins of biological diversity. This lecture will draw on the traditional understandings of ‘creation’ shared by all the Abrahamic faiths to suggest that there is no need to choose between creation and evolution. Instead they provide two different provide complementary narratives for the history of living things on this planet. Both accounts are important if we are to do justice to the complex reality of life.

Denis Alexander

Francisco Ayala

Francisco J. Ayala is University Professor and Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Ayala is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science, and served as Chair of the Authoring Committee of Science, Evolution, and Creationism, jointly published in 2008 by the NAS and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ayala has received numerous awards, including the 2010 Templeton Prize for exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, and 20 honorary degrees from universities in nine countries. He has been President and Chairman of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and President of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society of the United States. Dr. Ayala has written numerous books and articles about the intersection of science and religion, including Darwin’s Gift to Science and Religion (Joseph Henry Press, 2007) and Am I a Monkey? (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010). He teaches classes in evolution, genetics, and the philosophy of biology, which are also the subjects of his research.