Five Positions on the Integration of Theology and Science (Pgs. 7-11)

At medieval universities, theology was often called "queen of the sciences." However, in recent times, these two disciplines have rubbed shoulders together often, usually in a negative way.

In their introduction to Three Views on Creation and Evolution, J.P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds state that Christians should be interested in science because God created us with a mind that can be used to explore the world around it and see how and why it works. However, they have different views of how to fit science into a Christian life.

Some Christians use science to prove the theological ideas that the universe was designed and didn't evolve from chance or a process of natural selection. Others think that science and Christian theology can't mix because of the "evolution problem". A third school states that science has superseded Christianity because it relies on empirical faith whereas Christianity relies on blind faith. For example, the late American philosopher Wilfred Sellars stated, "In the dimension of describing and explaining the world, science is the measure of all things, of what is that it is, and of what is not that is not" (Science, Perception, and Reality 173). In summary, science is the only thing that can explain the existence and origin of the universe. It may even explain the meaning of life...

However, Christians must be prepared to defend their beliefs against modern science and see how their beliefs fit in with the beliefs of the zeitgeist. They can't be afraid to engage in dialogue with modern intellectuals. The purpose of Three Views is to show the beliefs of the three different schools of origins theories: Young Earth (YE), Old Earth (OE), and Theistic Evolution (TE). But before diving into this, Moreland and Reynolds briefly discuss five models for integrating theology and other academic disciplines, especially science.

The first view is Two Realms. This view states that theology is completely separate from every other discipline. For example, infant baptism doesn't matter in quantum physics.

The second is Complementarity View. Science and theology can work together, but they answer different questions. For example, science can deal with the particular (how an eye works?) whereas theology deals with the universal (who or what created an eye?). If one takes this view to its logical conclusion, it can mean that theology and science are both useful, but they must never interact. Some theistic evolutionists use this view to integrate evolution and creation

The third view is Direct Interaction. Science and theology can work together and can either support or go against the other. The theory of evolution can hurt a literal reading of Genesis 1, but the Big Bang theory can also support the Biblical view that the universe had a clear first cause. Many Old Earth and Young Earth creationists hold to this view.

The fourth is the Presuppositional View. Theology can support the presuppositions of science and vice versa. For example, some presuppositions of science (an ordered world with laws) support Christian theology, and some presuppositions of Christian theology (an imperfect world) support presuppositions of science (thermodynamic property of entropy).

The final view is Practical Application.  Theology can help an understanding of other subjects and apply principles of that subject. For example, in psychology, the principle of not provoking children to anger (Eph. 6:4) can help aid psychological principles of family structures and the root causes of anger.

Which view do you hold to or it is a mixture of a few? Next post: It gets controversial... creation vs. evolution!

"For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the not-worth-knowing."- Henry L. Mencken

Introduction to New Book Blog: Three Views on Creation and Evolution

Sorry people, but I haven't done much blogging except for the mad man's rant a couple weeks ago. At my college, there has been much debate over which theory of creation is correct and what impact does that have on one's theology as a whole. My Old Testament professor, along with a majority of students at my college, hold to the young Earth view that the world was created in six literal days. I am in a minority and hold to the view that the world was created in six "epochs" (day age theory) because the word yom doesn't always mean literal day in Genesis 1-2, no young Earth creationists have been able to answer how starlight can scientifically travel to the Earth in one 24 hour period, and that there were no "markers" for days and seasons until day four. My girlfriend Kendall once held to the theistic evolution model, but she has since switched over to the young Earth camp, and there are no theistic evolutionists (that I know of) at my college.

The purpose of this blog will be my personal journey through Three Views on Creation and Evolution written by Paul Nelson (Young Earth), John Mark Reynolds (YE), Robert C. Newman (Old Earth/OE), and Howard J. Van Till (Theistic Evolution/TE) with responses from other theologians. I will flesh out the points and arguments made by each theologian and add a short response at the end.

Enjoy! Soli Deo Gloria! Comment down below with your view of the origin of the universe.

"Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe- the starry heavens above and the moral law within."- Immanuel Kant

Random thoughts

I couldn't get any bleeding rest on the last day of Outreach Week, so here's a blog. Sorry, for the stream of consciousness style. So, life's all about identity right? We wear tons of different caps. I'm a Christian first and foremost, saved by grace through faith. Going through trials, like losing my Grandpa, my dad's affairs, and switching schools, have really solidified this faith.

Another identity I wear is geek or nerd or otaku. OK, scratch that last one. I'm not that much into anime. (Do have a couple shows like Blood+ and Gun X on my Netflix Instant Queue though and enjoyed the Wolverine Anime and the random, yet hilarious comedic stylings of Bobboobo or however you spell his name). For example, I would rather have a 12 hour LOTR marathon in my dorm room with a small, select group of people than go out to the beach with a BUNCH of people, like two whole dorms combined. Hobbits and pizza> sand, surf, loud Jesus pop . This is why a RiffTrax Thor/ Super Smash Bros. party appeals to me more than an all night kegger. Maybe, the kegger would be cool if Felicia Day, Joss Whedon, Brian Michael Bendis, and an undead  Steve Jobs were there...

Quick follow up: You know you're a geek if you say something completely random on the spot, and people take it as canon. Take Harry Potter for example. A dude at a post-Outreach Week dinner plucked out three of my dainty ginger hairs. After doing that, I said, "If you mix those hairs with eye of newt and toad broth, you can become invisible." The norms bought it hook line and sinker even though I basically ad-libbed my quip off Macbeth. (Good old Will Shakes)

But how do I mix my faith, geekdom, love for more highbrow culture (mythology, history, literature, dabblings in philosophy), and identity as a citizen of a polis (United States) into one cohesive brew? Right now, I have no idea. Faith, geekdom, and academia are easy. As long as glorify God through my passion for comics, film, gaming, TV, fandom etc. and thirst for knowledge, everything works out in the end. (I really think there were be scholars in Heaven...) However, being a citizen is different. I like to stay reasonably politically informed through BBC, Huffington Post etc, but I think I'm falling into the same partisan trap that I point out in other people.

Despite my heart to help the poor in society through homeless ministries in my college, I feel distracted by a need for identity. I know I'm a Christian, but at the Christian college I go to, my debates aren't about the big stuff (was Jesus God?, is the Bible inerrant, does the gospel really save?), but about the small stuff (Old Earth vs. Young Earth, can a Democrat be a Christian (shoot me) ). I haven't even mentioned that I think that Hell is an emotional state after death, not a literal hot pit. How can fire and complete darkness coexist, literally and logically speaking?

But, despite my struggles, I've decided to weather the small storms and carry on. I really love the diverse ethnic environment at my college, especially coming from WASP-y Roanoke, Virginia. Hopefully, I can build some strong relationships with the professors in my department. Extremely pumped to hang out with Dr. Horner next Friday, which could have been Wednesday if it wasn't for my general ed Math mandatory money lecture.

That comes to my final rant. Money. Money really ticks me off because you can't live with it or live without it. Money can help you satisfy your basic needs (food and water) and complex wants ($40 philosophy books, weekly comic book run), but it can also lead men and women to sell their souls to profit. It would be cool if the ideal of pure socialism could actually work, and people didn't care about how much private property they had and their salary size and concentrated on being creative and improving culture and civilization, but that will never happen until Heaven or the millennial kingdom, depending on your eschatological view which I don't have currently. Sorry, back up preacher guy at PCB who tried to sell me on pre-millenialism. I must study Revelation personally and try not to hold dogmatic views on that book like a guy named Calvin who didn't write a commentary on it and didn't let his preachers preach on it. Since I moved to CA, I literally have heard three sermons on the Book of Revelation, probably more than in my entire life time.

So, really sorry about this mostly incoherent post about money, identity, faith, school, being a geek, politics etc., and I'll leave you with this quote from Plato. (whose theory of Forms does really float my boat, but the boat is beginning to sink)

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Nota bene: Plato probably didn't say this, but he is a boss...