Lectures in West Timor

I have just returned from West Timor, Indonesia, where I taught a short course on “Science and Christianity” at the Indonesian Reformed Theological College, near Kupang.

Protecting Adam

A few months ago Rev. Wes Bredenhof published a position statement on Creation and Evolution. There he warned that the Canadian Reformed Church is being attacked from within. He addressed the promotion of  theistic evolution, which he calls a dangerous false teaching. Of particular concern are the notions that Adam had animal ancestors, and that human-like creatures (hominids) existed before and concurrent with Adam (i.e., pre-Adamites and co-Adamites).

Now Reformed Academic has posted a lengthy protest entitled Wolves in Sheep's Clothing? False Prophets?  Unhappily, RA does not explicitly repudiate the above alleged views about Adam.

Does God Play Dice?

Does God take risks? It is becoming ever more popular to believe that God creates and governs though chance. It is said that God does not control every event, but gives His creation the freedom to develop in novel, unpredictable ways. Chance is said to be necessary for such things as human freedom, quantum effects, biological evolution and solving the problem of evil.

Refuting a Figurative Genesis

Review:
In Six Days God Created: Refuting the Framework and Figurative Views of the Days of Creation by Paulin Bedard (Xulon Press: USA, 2013, 252 pages). Available here and here.

Did God really create everything in six days? Nowadays, many Reformed theologians question this, teaching that the creation days should be taken figuratively.

Overview of Origins

Review: Mapping the Origins Debate : Six Models of the Beginning of Everything by Gerald Rau (Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill, USA, paperback, 236 pages).

Did God Create a Multiverse?

Are there other physical universes beyond our observable world? Many scientists believe so. It is speculated that there are infinitely many other universes parallel to ours. The entire complex of universes is called the multiverse. Some Christians have supported the theological viability of a multiverse. How compelling is their case?

Dutch Reformed Heritage on Genesis

The famous Dutch National Synod of Dort (1618/19) not only rejected Arminianism in its Canons of Dort, but also commissioned a new translation of the Bible into Dutch.

Top Problems with Evolution

Casey Luskin, at the useful Evolution News and Views blog, has just posted Top Five Problems with Current Origin-of-Life Theories.

How Many Adams?

Did the present human population descend from one couple or from a group of at least 10,000 ancestors?

1. Y-Chromosome Adam and Genetic Diversity
An article on the Biologos blog asserts that all living humans trace their mitochondrial DNA back to a single woman (“mitochondrial Eve” about 180,000 years ago) and that all living males similarly trace their Y-chromosome DNA back to a single male (“Y-chromosome Adam” about 50,000 years ago).

Reducing Reality to Nothing

1. What is Reality?
A recent issue of New Scientist (Oct.2, 2012) had a number of interesting articles on reality.

Philospher Jan Westerhoff, in Reality: Is Matter Real?, argues that the fundamental reality is not matter but, rather, mathematics.

Is Your Faith Childish--or Childlike?

In a recent post theologian Dr. Peter Enns belittles belief in the historicity of Genesis as "childish". He approvingly cites the rationalist German Old Testament scholar Hermann Gunkel (1862-1932), who stated:

Is Joshua Historical?

A few years ago, I mentioned in a post that the Theological University in Kampen (TUK), Netherlands, had awarded a doctorate to Koert van Bekkum for a dissertation that denied that in Joshua 10 the sun actually stood still or that the day was actually lengthened. According to him, this is just a literary device celebrating a great victory. His thesis has been controversial within the Gereformeerde Kerken Vrijgemaakt (GKV), which runs the TUK.

Recently, on June 2, 2012, the Synod of the GKV appointed Dr. van Bekkum as lecturer at the TUK. Since the GKV is a sister church to the Canadian Reformed Church, it is worthwhile to take a closer look at van Bekkum's disssertation and its theological implications.

RC Sproul Waffles on Creation

A few years ago, in 2006, it was big news when Dr. R.C. Sproul, of Ligonier Ministries, embraced six day creation. Yet, the latest Ligonier National Conference (March 15-17, 2012), and more recent posts at the Ligonier website, suggest that he has changed his mind once again.

Review: Giberson's "Wonder of the Universe"

Review: Karl W. Giberson, “The Wonder of the Universe: Hints of God in our Fine-Tuned World” (2012, Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, paperback, 216 pages).

Dr Karl W. Giberson has a Ph.D. in physics and taught at Eastern Nazarene College from 1984 to 2011. From 2008 to 2011 he was vice-president of the Biologos Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting evolution among Christians.

Grudem's Old Earth Inconsistency

Currently, it seems to be a widespread belief among Christians that evolution is an essential issue, whereas the age of the earth is not. Yet the two issues are much more closely related than is often realized.

Consider, for example, Dr. Wayne Grudem's useful summary of what's wrong with evolution

Affirming the Biblical Adam

1. A Striking Contrast

I have just returned from teaching a short course on “Science and Christianity” at the Kiev Regional Bible College in the Ukraine. A refreshing experience.

Science, History and the Bible

A recent post by Arnold Sikkema at ReformedAcademic defends the validity of mainstream science against the "pseudo-science" of creation science. In particular, he argues against those who distinguish between origin science and operation science.

Note on Warfield and Evolution

It has been brought to my attention that in my post Were Warfield and Machen Reformed? I mistakenly attributed to Gary Johnson a quote that was actually from Peter Barnes, who was responding to Gary Johnson. My apologies to both parties for my error. I have revised my post accordingly.

Let me clarify that Gary Johnson ("In Defence of Warfield", The Banner of Truth, Aug-Sept 2009, 55-61) disputes the claim that Warfield was a theistic evolutionist.

Canadian Freedom of Religion: RIP

Here is an excellent critique, by George Jonas ( National Post, Feb 29 2012), of a recent decision by the Canadian Supreme Court against the rights of parents regarding the religious education of their children.

ARP Put to Question on Biblical Adam

The question of the historicity of Adam and Eve has become an issue also in the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP).

1.The Aquila Report notes that, on February 18 the Session of Midlane Park Presbyterian (ARP) in Louisville, Kentucky adopted the following overture to their General Assembly(which is to meet on March 5-6, 2012):

PCA Divided on Biblical Adam

Did the biblical Adam really exist?  Two PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) theologians have written recent books on this controversial question: Dr. Peter Enns, The Evolution of Adam:What the Bible Does and Doesn’t Say about Human Origins and Dr. C. John Collins, Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?

My Visit to Rivendell Sanctuary

Last week (Feb.8-10) I gave a series of 9 lectures on a Biblical view of mathematics, plus a public lecture ("Did Science kill God?"), at Rivendell Sanctuary in Bloomington, Minnesoto, USA.

Brief Overview of Creationist Cosmology

How should a Christian approach cosmology, the scientific study of the origin and structure of the universe as a whole?

As in any science, we have to distinguish between what we actually observe—the radiation that reaches our telescopes-- and theories that are constructed to explain those facts.

Some Recent Reviews Concerning Genesis

Here are a few recent worthwhile posts on Genesis and evolution:

1. Recent Challenges to the Doctrine of Inerrancy: Peter Enns and ‘Myth’ in Genesis 1
By Dr. John J. Yeo, Reformed Theological Seminary Atlanta. Yeo rebuts Enns' notion that Genesis 1 is related to ANE myth.

2. A Critique of “Creation, Evolution, and Christian Lay People,” by Tim Keller
By Dr. Adrian Keister (Ph.D. in mathematical physics from Virginia Tech).An excellent critique of Keller's pro-evolution stance.

3. The Enns Justifies the Means?
by Ken Ham. A Review of the latest book, just off the press, by Dr. Peter Enns, The Evolution of Adam (2012). Enns argues that we must accept evolution as a fact, which entails that there was no literal Adam nor a literal Fall.

Naturalist Meltdown

In a recent article "On Defining Naturalism as a Worldview", atheist historian Richard Carrier comments on the fact that, although many people claim to be naturalists, there is no common agreement as to how to precisely define naturalism. Of course, all agree that, as a worldview, naturalism is somehow the converse of supernaturalism. But how is one to clearly distinguish the natural from the supernatural?

Is the Church Anti-Science?

Recently, in the secular media, Christians who oppose evolution are scorned as being "anti-science". Such sneers, coming from atheists or liberal Christians, are hardly surprising.

But now the same allegation comes from within our own circle. A recent post--Church and Modern Science (hereafter referred to as CAMS)--on the Reformed Academic blog laments that the Canadian Reformed Church community has a negative view of  science, as evidenced by its opposition to an ancient earth and, more important, to evolution.

How (Atheist) Scientists Lose Their Way

Are Christians anti-science?

This charge is often made in the secular media. In a recent Time (Oct.3, 2011) article—“How Science Can Lead the Way”—Harvard physicist Lisa Randall disparages American politicians who invoke religion. She singles out Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry for defending the teaching of creationism in public schools, while viewing evolution as a mere theory, as well as for praying for the end of a drought rather than critically evaluating climate science.

Women, Voting, and Authority

In recent months there has been much discussion in Clarion, a Canadian Reformed magazine, as to whether women should vote in the election of office-bearers. In the past, only male communicant members could vote. However, the 2010 Canadian Reformed Synod decided to give each local congregation the option to extend the vote to women.

The Demolition of Adam

Did Adam really exist? Or is he just a metaphorical figure? (1)

That question is currently heavily debated in evangelical circles. The feature article of the June 2011 issue of Christianity Today notes that the issue is no longer just whether Adam had animal ancestry—that much is almost taken for granted—but whether all humans could have descended from only one couple.

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Free will is one of the most perplexing philosophical mysteries. It gives rise to many deep questions. Do we have such a thing as free will? Do we really have a choice when we make a choice? Or are our choices completely pre-determined by our character and circumstances? 

The Shame of Calvin & Ruse

1. The Shame of Calvin College

In a recent article, The Shame of Calvin College in the Chronicle of Higher Education, philosopher Michael Ruse berates Calvin College for its stance on a literal Adam. Dr. John Schneider, of the Religion Department of Calvin College, had questioned the existence of a literal Adam and an historical fall into sin.

A Moving Earth?

Inevitably, in origins debates among Christians, the question is raised:
Since the church was wrong about the earth’s motion, and let science modify its interpretation of the Bible on this point, why should we not do the same for matters concerning origins?

On Mature Creation

1. If the universe is young, how can we see light from galaxies seemingly billions of light years away? One simple possibility is that of mature creation: if the stars and galaxies were created full-blown, along with their light, then the astronomical light we observe did not necessarily originate from actual celestial objects.

Cosmology and Eschatology

If it were shown that the universe is indeed headed
for an all-enveloping death, then this might...
falsify Christian faith and abolish Christian hope.

John Macquarrie (Principles of Christian Theology 1977)

1. Eschatology poses a major dilemma for Christianity. Many Christians see mainstream science as complementing the Bible, not contradicting it. They claim, regarding origins, that science tells us what happened (the what, when and how) whereas the Bible gives us the deeper interpretation (the why and by Whom).

Cosmology and Heaven

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy

Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1 scene 5

1. Cosmology: Ancient and Modern

Invariably, in discussions about the Bible and origins, the question comes up, "What about the ancient cosmology reflected in Genesis?”

Deflating Cosmology

1. "Is the theory at the heart of modern cosmology deeply flawed?"
This question is raised in an interesting recent article "The Inflation Debate” by Paul Steinhardt in the latest issue of Scientific American  (April, 2011, 304: 36-43). 

Recent Recommended Reading

Some recent recommendations:

1. In Search of the Beginning (2010, Pleasant Word: Enumclaw, WA, 389pp) by Dean Davis.

Presbyterian Appeasement

It is remarkable how hostile many otherwise conservative Presbyterians are towards young earth creationism. Why remarkable? Because Presbyterians profess adherence to the Westminster Confession, which affirms the inerrancy and full authority of Scripture (I-4,9) as well as, in particular, the creation of the world "in the space of six days" (IV-1). The latter confessional tenet seems to have become a source of great embarrassment to Presbyterians.

Consider the recent double-barrelled salvo against young earth creationism launched by authors from both the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC): "PCA Geologists on the Antiquity of the Earth", in the magazine Modern Reformation (May/June 2010) and "Preachers in Lab Coats and Scientists in Geneva Gowns", by Dr. Bryan Estelle, in the OPC magazine Ordained Servant (Nov.2010).
 
Dr. Estelle is an OPC pastor who teaches Old Testament at Westminster Seminary California. Interestingly, the editor of Modern Reformation--Dr. Michael Horton--also teaches at Westminster. Indeed, much of the PCA/OPC antagonism towards the plain reading of Genesis stems from Westminster Seminary, largely due to the past labours of the late Prof. Meredith Kline, zealous promoter of the Framework Hypothesis.

Placating Geologists
The prime concern in both articles is that the overwhelming majority of geologists believe the earth to be very old; hence, to be credible, Christians must re-interpret Genesis accordingly.

The PCA article asserts that, since the earth looks old to most geologists, it must therefore be old because God is not a deceiver. Embracing an old earth offers great advantages: "If creation conforms to God's trustworthiness and looks old because it is old, we are free to marvel at each new discovery that further reveals the incredible complexity and grandeur of his creativity. If the earth is old and we insist it is young, every new discovery can be met only with distrust and disdain--disdain of his creation!"

More importantly, "if the earth is old and Christians insist it is young, we risk becoming a tragic obstacle to faith for those both inside and outside the church. Non-Christians who logically understand geology conclude that the path to Christ requires belief in an intentionally deceptive god and choose to place their faith elsewhere. Covenant children who are raised with the impression that a young earth is integral to Christianity have their faith needlessly undermined when they are later confronted with the overwhelming evidence of the earth's antiquity, and many leave the faith. It is our prayer that no Christian would be such an obstacle!"

PCA prayers, it seems, are being offered for the repentance of those Christians who sin by taking the Bible at face value, thereby undermining the faith of our covenant youth.

The OPC article promotes much the same view. Dr. Estelle contemptuously dismisses creationists as "preachers in lab coats", "charlatans", and "a caricature of religion", whose teachings (e.g., a young earth) go well beyond the scripturally warranted data. Other legitimate interpretation of Scripture are possible, he claims. Moreover, creationist views starkly contradict what is taught at most universities. Hence Dr. Estelle cautions the church to be silent on such matters. Dr. Estelle sharply contrasts creationists with real scientists, such as--incredibly!-- theistic evolutionist Howard van Till, who raise important issues regarding the relationshio between science and Scripture.

Neither article takes seriously the obvious alternative that, not the Bible but, rather, the geological evidence should be re-interpreted.

Placating Biologists
A larger question naturally arises: If mainstream science is right about the age of things, why should it not also be right about the evolutionary origin of things? If we should listen to the overwhelming majority of geologists, why should we not similarly listen to the overwhelming majority of biologists?

On this point the PCA article is prudently silent, whereas Dr Estelle draws the line at questioning the historicity of Adam or suggesting that Adam had primate ancestors. Estelle concludes,

"On the other hand, the church must speak where her Lord gives her authority to do so: it seems self-evident to me based on the Apostle's treatment of Adam, among other reasons, that one cannot build a historical gospel on a non-historical Adam. On this we should not be silent as officers in the church."

It is evident, however, that Dr. Estelle--and the PCA geologists--have painted themselves into an epistemic corner. One might may well proclaim, "the church must speak where her Lord gives her authority to do so", but the gagging of Genesis 1 to appease the geologists has already nullified the authority of Scripture.

In the same manner that, as noted by Estelle, one cannot build an historical gospel on a non-historical Adam, so, likewise, one cannot build an historical Adam on a largely non-historical Genesis 1-11. The story of Adam--and his fall-- is very plausible within the context of the biblical account of origins. However, when shoe-horned into the origins tale of mainstream science, the biblical Adam simply does not fit. See, for example, my post The Cost of an Old Earth. Estelle's drawing of the line at Adam is abitrary, inconsistent with his rationale for silencing Genesis 1.

It is thus not surprising that other Presbyterian theologians, applying the same faulty epistemology more consistently, have taken the next logical step of caving in also to biological evolution. Consider, for example, theologian Dr. Bruce Waltke's argument for embracing human evolution:

“if the data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution, to deny that reality will make us a cult…some odd group that is not really interacting with the world...To deny scientific reality would be to deny the truth of God in the world. For us as Christians, this would serve as our spiritual death because we would not be loving God with all of our minds. It would also be our spiritual death in witness to the world because we would not be seen as credible."

Waltke's desire for academic credibility--by worldly standards--echoes that of the PCA geologists (see above). Dr. Waltke, by the way, is a PCA member in good standing, currently teaching in a PCA seminary (Knox Seminary). Dr.Tim Keller, another well-known PCA pastor who accepts theistic evolution, teaches that an historical Adam can be reconciled with human evolution.

There is more. According to evolutionary biology, humanity evolved as a group of at least 1000 people. There never was a time when there were only two people. There were no biblical Adam and Eve who were the parents of the entire human race. Consequently, Dr.Peter Enns and Dr.Tremper Longman--two more PCA stalwarts with former Westminster Seminary connections--now question the historicity of Adam.

[Happily, many Presbyterians still remain true to the Westminster Confession and its high view of Scripture. See, for example, the detailed refutation of the PCA article by Dr. John Reed (a PCA elder with a Ph.D in geology). Unfortunately, they are not the ones editing Modern Reformation and Ordained Servant or teaching at Westminster Seminary.]

As recent events at Calvin College show, the denial of an historical, unevolved, Adam has drastic theological consequences. The authority and inerrancy of Scripture, an historical fall into sin, the doctrines of original sin, Christ's atonement, election and eternal punishment are all undermined.

And why stop at questions of origins? Rudolph Bultmann believed science had disproven the possibility of all miracles. Accordingly, he thought that, to be credible to modern man, Christians should de-mythologize the entire Bible, including the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In sum, waffling on the Bible to appease mainstream science is futile. The wiser strategy is to firmly uphold the Sola Scriptura of the Westminster Confession, proclaiming all that the Bible teaches. Christian faith is undermined not by biblical consistency but, rather, by unbiblical compromise.

And if that causes us to lose credibility in the eyes of the worldly intelligentsia, so be it.

*****

Dr Tremper Longman III versus Genesis I-II

How should we reconcile science and the Bible on origins? Much has been written on this in the last few years. Recently there appeared yet another, short, book:  Science, Creation and the Bible: Reconciling Rival Theories of Origins (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL, 2010, 144pp. paperback).

Villainous Confessions

Recently I had the pleasure of stumbling upon an excellent piece of literature:

The Villainous Confessions of a Young Earth Creationist by Jim Owen, an historican at The Master's College. It is a well-written response to evangelical Darwinists, especially Francis Collins' book The Language of God and Mark Noll's The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. Owen presents a penetrating critique of Collins and Noll--and a corresponding defense of the plain reading of Scripture. He does so, moreover, with great style, making this short book (104 pages on a downloadable pdf file) a very worthwhile  read.

The Star of Bethlehem

Speculation about the identity of the star of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12) is a perennial Christmas pastime. I was recently urged to examine a current Star of Bethlehem site. This site argues for a natural explanation, in the form of a triple conjunction, in 2-3 BC, between the planet Jupiter and the star Regulus in the constellation Leo.

Trojan Horse in South African Reformed Church

The Trojan Horse in the Dutch Reformed Church:
The Cancer of Evolution and Liberalism

Nowadays, challenges within Reformed Churches to Biblical teachings are widespread. This book, just published (in Afrikaans), describes how liberal and humanistic trends, including evolution, are undermining the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa.

Australia lectures: The Reformed Church & Origins

It has been some time since I last posted. This is due to a 4-week trip my wife and I took to New Zealand and Australia. In Australia I gave a number of lectures in several Free Reformed Churches. I must say that the highlights of our trip were the interactions we experienced with fellow believers. We greatly enjoyed and appreciated the hospitality received in both countries. The lectures were similar to those given here in the Fraser Valley last April. Below is a summary article, printed in Una Sancta (Vol.58:32-34, October 2010), a magazine of the Free Reformed Churches in Australia.

Proving God’s Existence

A spate of recent books have been written promoting atheism and agnosticism. Most of these are quite shallow. To counteract these, a new book presents a rather sophisticated case for theism.

Robert J. Spitzer, New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of contemporary physics and philosophy, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010, 319pp + xiii.

Dr Spitzer is a philosopher, a Jesuit priest, and a former president of Gonzala University. His (5) proofs are not really new. Rather, they are updated versions of old proofs going back to Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) and earlier.

The Evolution of Calvin College

The September issue of Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith features two articles by Dr. Daniel Harlow and Dr. John Schneider, Bible and Theology professors at Calvin College, on the theological implications of embracing evolution. They propose that Adam and Eve are purely symbolic litearary figures, that there was no historical fall into sin, and that the doctrines of original sin, Christ's atonement, election and eternal punishment need major revision.

Reviewing Intelligent Design

Intelligent design (ID) has been much in the news over the last few years. Advocates of ID assert that an intelligent cause is indicated by such things as the fine-tuning of the universe for life and the complexity of even the simplest cell. This conclusion has been fiercely contested by many Darwinists, who believe that everything can be explained in terms of purely natural causes. Darwinists charge that science should restrict itself to natural causes and that ID, to the extent that it posits supernatural causes, is thereby non-science. Here we review two recent books promoting intelligent design.

Aliens and Christians

Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Lately there has been much discussion on this issue.

In a recent documentary Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking, British physicist Stephen Hawking claims that intelligent alien life forms almost certainly exist.

Dooyeweerd's Legacy

In a previous post I discussed the antithesis, tracing it from Abraham Kuyper's neo-Calvinism to North America via Cornelius Van Til and his followers. Another neo-Calvinist stream from Kuyper flows from Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977), a Dutch philosopher who taught for many years at Kuyper's Free University in Amsterdam.

Science, Neutrality and the Antithesis

A few months ago Dr. Cornelis van Dam defended the Biblical view of origins against secular science. He argued that scientific theorizing depends heavily on worldview presuppositions, particularly with regards to origins. Hence we should reject those theories and conclusions that conflict with God’s word.

This has recently been challenged by Dr Jitse van der Meer at Reformed Academic. He contends that, although background beliefs may be needed for the construction of theories, these do not normally distort scientific knowledge.

The Tragedy of the Free Church of Scotland

Recently I read Iain Murray's A Scottish Christian Heritage (2006, Banner of Truth). It covers the history of the Reformation in Scotland, from John Knox to about 1900. Much of it concerns the Free Church of Scotland, from 1843 (when it was formed by a large withdrawal from the Church of Scotland) to 1900 (when, for the most part, it joined with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church of Scotland, which re-united with the Church of Scotland in 1929).

Luther, Inerrancy, Genesis

Rev. Wes Bredenhof has an interesting post on Luther on his blog. He has been reading the classic Christian Dogmatics by the prominent Lutheran theologian Francis Pieper (1852-1931). Rev. Bredenhof writes:

"In the chapter on Scripture, he discusses Luther’s position on inerrancy. It is interesting how inerrancy is often pegged as a fundamentalist concept, but here we have a confessional Lutheran holding to inerrancy whilst harbouring no sympathies for fundamentalism. He notes that Luther and subsequent orthodox Lutherans did not hold to inerrancy as a conclusion to be reached (a posteriori), but as a presupposition (a priori).

Were Warfield and Machen Reformed?

The renowned Presbyterian theologians B .B. Warfield (1851-1921) and J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)--founder of Westminster Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church-- are frequently called upon in support of non-literal views of Genesis.

Piper and Re-marriage

I have been reading John Piper's (2006) book "What Jesus Demands of the World". This is an excellent read, presenting Jesus' authoritative commands to us and urging us to God-glorifying obedience. The book consists of 50 demands, starting with #1 You must be born again and ending with #50 Make disciples of all nations. Any Christian will profit greatly from reflecting upon these.

Several demands concern marriage: #40 (What God has joined together let no man separate, for marriage mirrors God's covenant with us), #41 (Whoever divorces and marries another commits adultery), and #42 (One man, one woman, by grace, till death).

Evangelicals versus Biologos

In the past months several prominent evangelicals have raised concerns about the Biologos blog.

One of these is Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who describes himself as a Calvinist. In a recent speech (transcript) Al Mohler defends the traditional reading of Genesis 1-11--including 6-day creation and an historical Adam--and opposes the promotion of evolution by Biologos. Mohler singles out Karl Giberson and Pete Enns for denying the historicity of Adam and the inerrancy of the Bible.

God & Physics Conference

A few days ago I returned from England, where I attended the “God and Physics” conference at Oxford. The conference was a worthwhile experience. There were about 100 people in attendance, including John Polkinghorne, Ian Barbour, Keith ward, John Brooke, Robert Russell and many other well-known names in the science/religion field. I had many interesting conversations.

My paper on “God, Chance and Evil” went well and generated a fair bit of discussion.

God, Chance and Evil

Next week I shall be travelling to Oxford, England, to attend a conference with the theme "God and Physics". This conference runs from July 7 to July 10 and is sponsored by the Ian Ramsey Centre for science and religion in the University of Oxford. It will celebrate the 80th birthday of John Polkinghorne, a physicist-turned-anglican priest, who has written extensively about the interaction between science and religion.

I shall be presenting a paper on "God, Chance, and Evil."

Polkinghorne--and many others--believe that chance plays a large role in this world.

Douma's Doubts

Recently an interesting blog has been started by Dr. Jochem Douma, former professor at the Theological University (TU) in Kampen, seminary of the Gereformeerde Kerken Vrijgemaakt (GKV). Here Dr. Douma expresses his concern about developments in the GKV, particularly at his former seminary.

The prime issue is biblical authority. In 2009 the TU appointed Dr. Stefan Paas as professor. Dr. Paas seems to promote the modern documentary hypothesis, which stipulates that Moses did not write the Pentateuch.

Reformed Doublethink

1. Last month (April 27, 2010), Reformed Academic posted an article Reformed Academic Responds to “Ten Reasons” wherein, among other things, they defend themselves against the charge that they consider Gen.1-2 to be myth. One of their arguments is:

“Third, no resort to ‘myth’ is needed because one can hold both that the theory of biological evolution and the text of Genesis 1-2 are true by suspending judgment as to how they fit together. This is the position Dr. Jitse van der Meer takes in “Humankind: The Image of God and Animal Ancestry”.

Lectures - Reformed View of Origins

Last Thursday I completed a series of three lectures under the heading "What is the Reformed View of Origins?" The Reformed Bible College had invited me deliver these lectures, which took place on April 22, 29 and May 6 in the Abbotsford Free Reformed Church. The outlines are listed here.

Would God Deceive Us?

1. A common argument against a literal reading of Genesis is that this contradicts impressions of an apparent history as found in nature. Since God does not deceive us, the reasoning goes, such impressions must reflect actual historical truth.

Reformed Academic Endorses Evolution 2

Reformed Academic has replied to my post Reformed Academic Endorses Evolution (see the comments at that post for their full reply). Here is my response:

1. RA: "You say Reformed Academic endorses evolution. This is simply not the case; we instead simply insist upon space for the discussion of evolution, and point out that such space exists within the bounds of the Reformed confessions."

Reformed Academic Endorses Evolution

Recently, Reformed Academic has finally responded to an article “Ten Reasons Why Evolution is Dangerous and Evil” (Clarion, Jan.1, 2010), signed by five Canadian Reformed ministers.

The bottom line is that Reformed Academic considers theistic evolution (including human evolution) to be harmless, God-given, and Reformed.

1. Note, first, that Reformed Academic never speaks against evolution as such--only against atheistic versions of it, which it terms evolutionism. Although Reformed Academic claims not to be agreed on the validity of theistic evolution, Reformed Academic nevertheless always presents it in a positive light:

McGrath's Heresy

Heresy is not a popular concept. Few recent books address it. One noteworthy exception is Alister McGrath’s (2009) book Heresy. (Here is a short review). McGrath makes a number of interesting observations that are pertinent to our times.  

Good books on Genesis

Someone recently asked me what sound English commentaries or books on Genesis I would recommend. Here is a tentative list. I welcome further suggestions or comments from readers.

Accommodating Error

It is widely claimed that the Bible is accommodated to the (erroneous) cosmological and historical knowledge of the original audience. Paul Seely, for example, asserts
“The biblical Flood account is thus not accurate history. It is an accommodated Mesopotamian historical tradition revised to teach lessons of faith and morals.”  [“Genesis 1–11 in the Light of Its Second Millennial Worldview”, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (2008) 60:44-47].

Accommodation allegedly renders much of Gen.1-11 historically unreliable, its intended message being of a purely theological nature.

Dubious Dutch Connections

1. Currently the Canadian Reformed Church is being challenged by the ReformedAcademic quartet. A recent creation, global flood and the direct creation of Adam are all under fire, to be replaced by some form of theistic evolution.

Making Sense of Enns

In a previous post I discussed Peter Enns’ fallacious diagram of biblical cosmology. As you can see below, it depicts a solid, hemispherical dome (the raqia, translated as expanse or firmament), containing the Sun, moon and stars, held up by distant mountains on a flat earth. I contended that this picture was not taught by Scripture and was not even proven to be uniformly held by ancient people.

Genesis and Ancient Cosmology

Does Genesis 1 reflect ancient cosmology, which we now believe to be erroneous?

Many Christians scholars argue this to be the case. Peter Enns, for example, in a recent article, The Firmament of Genesis 1 is Solid but That's not the Point, says, "Genesis 1 and 2 tell the story of creation, and it says things that are at odds with what modern people know to be true...".  He asserts that ancient Israelites, like other ancient people, assumed the world was flat, and so it looked like the earth was covered by a solid dome (raqia or firmament of Genesis 1), and the “blue sky” is the “water above” held back by the raqia.

Socialism Illustrated

Genesis versus Dr. Tim Keller

Dr. Timothy Keller, a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), is the influential pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in New York City. As a minister of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), Keller confesses belief in the Bible as God's inerrant word. It is thus disappointing that Keller has recently posted an article “Creation, Evolution, and Christian Laypeople” at biologos, a science/Christianity blog heavily slanted towards theistic evolution.

Emergence and Miracles

A well-known cartoon by columnist Sydney Harris is often used by naturalists to chide adherents of intelligent design or creationism.

Naturalism itself, however, often has great difficulty providing completely naturalist explanations.

Can We Trust Published Scientific Data?

Can we trust the data published in scientific journals?

        The image of scientific objectivity and rationality suffered a notable setback last November. In what became known as the Climate-gate scandal, hackers released e-mails from the Climate Research Unit at England’s University of East Anglia.

Science and Religion Finally Agree?

Female Deacons and Church Unity

Should the church ordain women as deacons?

The Canadian Reformed Churches say No; the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA) says Yes.

Since the CanRC is seeking to establish ecclesiastical fellowship with the RPCNA, its Synod 2007 assigned the Committee for Contact with Churches in North America (CCCNA) to investigate the views of the RPCNA on the ordaining women as deacons.

Genesis & Dr Scott Clark

(This post follows up from the post The Framework Hypothesis & Church Unity)
I received the following comment, from Dr. Scott Clark, on a previous post. I much appreciate Dr. Clark's willingness to dialogue, since I think it worthwhile to discuss the Framework (or Analogical) View. My reply being somewhat lengthy, I decided instead to start this new post.

The Framework Hypothesis and Church Unity

It is well-known that the Framework Hypothesis (which asserts that the Genesis days are just a literary structure rather than historical days) is promoted by a number of ministers in the United Reformed Church (URC), particularly those associated with Westminster Seminary California, including Drs. Godfrey, Scott Clark, Horton, and Riddlebarger.

Seven Herbs for Suffering

Recently I re-read Richard Wurmbrand’s fascinating book In God’s Underground (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1968). Wurmbrand was a Lutheran pastor persecuted for his Christian faith in communist Romania. He spent more than 14 years in prison, enduring much suffering.

How did Wurmbrand manage to avoid despair?

He tells the following story (pp. 185-186):

        It is about a doctor of early Christian times who was

A Famous Cartoon

Here is a famous cartoon by Ken Ham

Lecture at the Reformed Seminary in Sarospatak

I have just updated my files to include a lecture I gave to faculty and students at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Sarospatak, Hungary on September 17, 2009. The seminary is one of the oldest Reformed seminaries in the world, first established in 1531. In 1951 it was nationalized by the communists; in 1990 it was again reopened as a Reformed seminary. This was a powerpoint presentation War of the Worldviews: Christianity and Its Challengers, which I rewrote as a paper for the seminary journal.

Philosophers in Athens

Last June I attended the International Conference on Philosophy in Athens. I was in Europe for other matters and thought it might be worthwhile to include this conference.

It was an interesting experience. There were about 60 people present, presumably (almost) all philosophers. I did not meet any other theists. There was a philosopher from Notre Dame University, whom I thought would probably be Roman Catholic. However, when I chatted with him, it turned out that he was in fact a lapsed Roman Catholic; it was the problem of evil that drove him to atheism.

Evolution and the Fall

How can natural evil, such as natural catastrophes, disease, suffering, predation, and biological death, be reconciled with a good God?

According to the traditional Reformed view of Calvin, Kuyper, and Bavinck, there was initially no natural evil in God’s “very good” creation. All natural evil is a result of Adam’s fall, which brought about a drastic corruption of nature.

Reformed theologians contra Copernicus

Dr. F. Oosterhoff at reformedacademic.blogspot.com writes:

“…there was a time when believers adopted a more relaxed attitude in dealing with scientific theories that they were uncomfortable with. Both Calvin and Luther were unhappy with the idea of a sun-centred solar system, but they did not in the end reject it. The Roman Catholic Church did. …Reformed theologians have tended to be less dogmatic, then and later. …I have further shown that young-earth creationism was the brainchild of a North-American Seventh-Day Adventist prophetess.”

The implication is that, since in the past Reformed theologians have adapted their reading of Scripture to the science of their day, so we likewise should adapt our reading of Genesis 1-11 to accommodate current secular science.

The Cost of an Old Earth: Is it Worth it?

Until recently, most Christians believed that the Bible teaches us that the earth was only a few thousand years ago. This contradicts mainstream science, which holds that the earth is billions of years old. Consequently, many Christians, have modified their reading of the Bible accordingly.

At first sight, this may seem rather harmless. The age of the earth hardly seems to be a doctrine essential to the Bible's main message of salvation.

Yet, much more is at stake than first meets the eye.

An excellent resource: Coming to Grip with Genesis

I recently bought an excellent book:
“Coming to Grip with Genesis: Biblical authority and the age of the earth” (Master Books: Green Forrest, AR, 2008, 485 pages), edited by Terry Mortenson & Thane Urey.

This book has 14 chapters, each dealing with some aspect of Gen.1-11. The last two chapters address the origin of natural evil. It is well researched, with many footnotes.

Is the Traditional View of Genesis Reformed?

In his article "Is Creation Science Reformed?" Dr Jelsma opposes the notion that Genesis teaches creation in six historical days, a Fall that had any significant effects on animals, and an anthropologically universal flood. He asserts that such a reading of Scripture is contrary to Reformed principles of interpretation; it was not inherited from our spiritual forefathers in the Netherlands. On the contrary, he contends, such views are to be attributed to Creation Science, which allegedly has its roots in Seventh Day Adventism.

Is this true? Let's examine the evidence Dr Jelsma presents for his case.

The Bible: History or Myth?

Thus far in my exchange with Dr. van der Meer I have maintained that a Reformed worldview entails that we accept the traditional, historical reading of Genesis 1-11, and that we reject those scientific theories that contradict it. Dr van der Meer, on the other hand, insists that we should accept the evolutionary view of origins, including the evolution of man, and re-interpret Genesis accordingly.

In his response to my "Is Reformed Academic Reformed II?" his prime objection boils down to:

Material by John Byl on science/religion

Books:

The Divine Challenge: On Matter, Mind, Math & Meaning. (2004) Edinburgh: Banner of Truth
- deals with Christian worldview versus naturalism & relativism

Is Reformed Academic Reformed? II

Allow me to respond to Dr van der Meer's reply to my "Is Reformed Academic Reformed?":

1. Does Reformed Academic accept the naturalist myth of origins (from Big Bang to the evolution of man)? Dr vdM denies that RA accepts naturalism or its myths.

My concern is that RA promotes the origins account of mainstream science, which is driven by naturalist presuppositions.

Is Reformed Academic Reformed?

[The following post was originally posted at Reformed Academic. ]

I have been invited to reply to Phillip Broussard’s articles on scientific realism. Rather than respond to details, I would instead like to address the deeper underlying issue of how science should relate to Scripture. Since Broussard’s view seems similar to that of Reformed Academic (hereafter RA), let me comment more widely on my reaction to RA:

1. I applaud the aim of RA to discuss “academic issues on the basis of Scripture and the Reformed confessions” and to promote the “Reformed tradition” originating with Calvin and Luther”.

2. Given RA’s stated goal, I am dismayed that its actual starting point seems to be a rather uncritical acceptance of the naturalist myth of origins