Why Not Evolution? Or “Why The Fuss?”

In the October ’06 issue of The Lutheran (ELCA) a professor discusses the evolution versus the Genesis creation. The effects of the historical-critical method of interpreting Scripture, the method employed when he was a student at St. Olaf College, were evident in this professor’s view of things. He wrote: “I was fascinated as my professor explained the multiple authors of Genesis…” He was “fascinated,” in contrast to other students who, rightly so, “had a great deal of difficulty accepting the idea that Moses didn’t write Genesis or that there were two versions of the creation story.” Pity those poor students who had to listen to a professor explain away, via his supposedly superior knowledge, the truths they had learned from faithful parents, pastors, and teachers.

But these new revelations didn’t bother the student who one day himself would be a professor and the author of the article in The Lutheran: “Learning these things didn’t trouble me,” he said; “in fact a critical study of the Bible opened for me a deeper level of understanding…” And what is some of that “deeper level of understanding” of which he could boast? Namely, that “what the Bible suggests about how the physical universe formed is of much less importance than our understanding that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’” (John 1:14). Sounds good, doesn’t it? However, if one is to give proper honor to Him who became flesh and dwelt among us, he will honor also His view of Genesis. Jesus in no way indicated a multiple authorship of Genesis but treated it as the work of His servant Moses (Luke 16:29; 24:47; Jn. 5:46 etc.).

As some of the college faculty were visiting at coffee time, one of them said: “I just can’t understand the fuss. Why is it creation or evolution? Why can’t it be creation by means of evolution?” That reflects the mindset of many liberal Lutherans these days, because of their view of Scripture in general: Don’t believe what it says, but sift it through the sieve of science. In other words, believe only what your reason will permit and don’t take God at His word. Such thinking leads to unbelief, and that is what “the fuss” is about.

There Is No Comparison

In his M.E.M.O. column in the Christian Century Martin Marty takes issue with those who criticize the Koran for its passages which advocate violence and vengeance upon “unbelievers” (non-Muslims). His argument is that the Bible has just as much violence in it, and that the Allah of the Koran is therefore no more murderous than the God of the Bible. He cites those passages where God orders the utter destruction of the enemy, including even women and children. Because the Bible records such violence, it is Marty’s argument that Christians have no reason then to criticize the Koran for the violence advocated in its pages. They, in his words, are not to “bear false witness against thy neighbor’s God or Book [meaning Allah and the Koran], nor witness at all until thou comest clean on what thy book portrays, a holy warrior God.”

What about this argument, which says we should not criticize the Koran because there is plenty in the Bible to criticize? That is no argument. There is no comparison. One is the product of a false god, and the other is by divine inspiration from the true God. That makes a world of difference. One need not apologize for criticizing the product of a false god. However, Dr. Marty had better be warned when harboring critical thoughts about the true God. For “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9), and “the Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works” (Ps. 145:17).

Moreover, there is one surpassing difference between the Koran and the Bible, which leaves no comparison between the two. Man can search the Koran in vain for the way of salvation. There is no gracious God there, no Redeemer from sin. On the other hand, the righteous God of the Bible is also the God of grace and mercy, who sent His beloved Son to redeem the world from sin, so that “whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43), “and that believing you may have life in His name” (Jn. 20:31). Belief in the god of the Koran can only lead to eternal death. Belief in the God of the Bible leads to eternal life. What a difference!

Paul Madson is a retired pastor living in North Mankato, Minnesota.