Bible not in conflict with science

There has been a recent spate of letters to the Editor and a My Turn column on the theory of evolution. While these letters ping-pong back and forth, with many feeling that it's wasted paper with neither side convincing the other, I am compelled to write once more to elaborate my point of view.

There is no point debating scientific conclusions with most Creationists because they feel their faith requires them to dispute biological evolution and, in fact, much of geology and astronomy. Although they make certain arguments against evolution, the fact is most of their arguments are the same old arguments they have made over and over again. These "counter points" are shown to be fallacious, but someone else will step up and make the same argument all over again. (For those that do want to debate the facts and conclusions of science, go to the Internet. Google any of these topics and you will find many, many articles on them.) But it's not really about this or that scientific conclusion. They fight against modern science because it conflicts with their interpretation of the Bible. Do I really think I can change their beliefs? No.

So, to whom am I writing this letter? To all the "moderate" Christians, while strong in their faith, who are uncertain what to make of all this controversy. After all, there are many Christians and Churches who have no conflict with the theory of evolution, old earth geology, and the rest of modern science. The Creationists and other "deniers" dominate the voices of the others. While the Southern Baptist Church and Missouri Synod Lutheran Church still officially oppose the theory of evolution, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and the Catholic Church find no incompatibility between their faith and teachings and the theory of evolution. The Church of Latter-Day Saints has no official position on evolution, but as far back as 1931 the First Presidency issued the instruction to church authorities to "Leave geology, biology, archeology and anthropology, no one of which has to do with the salvation of the souls of mankind, to scientific research." In 1982, the Episcopal Church passed a resolution to "affirm its belief in the glorious ability of God to create in any manner, and in this affirmation reject the rigid dogmatism of the 'Creationist' movement."

Many Christians might think that this is a new debate, that they must fight against the hypothesis of evolution or whether the six days in Genesis are literal 24-hour days. Augustine of Hippo discussed these points around 400 AD. Yes, more than 1,600 years ago; way before the "scientific age." And, many should be familiar with the quote from Cardinal Baronio, who said in 1615 that "The Bible teaches us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go."

So why did the literal reading of the Bible become a worldview for some? While present even back in Augustine's time, it gathered strength during the Reformation. To support his arguments against the teaching and practices of the Catholic hierarchy, Martin Luther felt that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God.

So it seems over the years, to resist church authority and to empower lay people in their reading of the Bible, the idea of Biblical Scholarship is now disparaged. It seems that fundamentalists deny the validity of anything but a face-value reading of the Bible. Chris Major in his May 6th My Turn column says, "As for taking the Bible literally, how do we read the newspaper? Literally. If the writer says an event happened, we assume that the writer meant to communicate a literal event." Really? The Bible proclaims the glory of God and the Salvation made possible by Jesus Christ, and you read it like a newspaper?

To quote Robert J. Schneider: "If the purpose of the Book is to point to Jesus Christ, not just the historical person, but the ever-present living Word of God, as theologians have taught for centuries, then one's belief in the Bible needs to be based on the message of faith and salvation in Christ that it proclaims and the effect those words of truth have on one's life. All else is secondary, and no interpretations regarding its other topics, including those having to do with nature, should be held up as criteria for believing in its inspiration and authority."

Thus, my point to any of those that will listen is, if you realize that the Bible, although inspired by the Holy Spirit, was not meant to be an astronomy and geology text, then you realize there is no conflict with modern science. You can be strong in your faith and delight in the wonders of the universe as discovered by science.

James Fulton is a Post Falls resident.