Creationism vs Evolution
School boards around the country are trying to force science classes to teach creationism as equally valid as evolution. The media portrays this as a sensational either/or struggle, and people on both sides have names and labels for those on the other. It seems like once again science and faith are at war with each other, and people feel the need to argue over the minds and souls of our students. Unfortunately, the whole debate is nonsense when portrayed as this type of an epic struggle. This portrayal makes it extremely challenging for sensible people to think carefully and talk civilly about what's really going on.
As in all complex, far reaching topics, the whole thing resolves itself into the paradox of both/and. Every mystic and spiritual thinker from East and West, classic, indigenous, new and earth-based faiths has announced some version of "God, the Divine, as creator." Whatever this force is called, it's a powerful mystery, and it's the impulse and reason for creation. There is little agreement, however, as to how this creation happens.
In the meantime, scientific thinking and experiments in physics, biology, geology, anthropology, psychology, astrophysics, and quantum physics, to name just a few, have all demonstrated that life evolves, develops, grows and adapts. Inherent in the very nature of the physical universe is the notion of the process we have come to label with the overarching term of "evolution". We can trace the history of how both plant and animal species evolve and develop in adaptation to their ever changing environment, or they disappear. Starting with the Austrian Monk, Gregor Mendel, we have discovered that we can participate in this adaption/development process and can evolve new species. In addition, we have seen the evolution of an individual life, of society, culture, business, and in virtually every arena of life. However, there seems to be little agreement about why life is and what the purpose of consciousness is.
When we bring these two sides together as mutually complimentary, we begin to see that evolution is the "how" creation happens, and "God, or the Divine" is why life is and why it evolves. Joining these two ideas, we can see that consciousness is not the side-product of random atoms smashing into each other, but is actually the Divine, incarnating in life as life itself. In addition, we don't have to throw out the scientific evidence toward evolution, but rather can see it as the natural process designed by Life for life to learn and grow. Scientists have peered into the atom and the vast reaches of space, and seen evidence of an intelligence or consciousness, call it God if you will, looking back. And mystics of all ages have peered into the heart of God, and rejoiced in seeing the Divine Presence in every bird, tree and flower and in the vast beauty and majesty of creation itself.
Perhaps rather than participating in the struggle over either science or creationism, we can lend our voices to the middle way, the paradox, of both science and faith walking together into the future.
- 1 year ago
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