Category Archives: Creation

What does the Bible mean by “formed”?

Posted on 02/12/2013 by Jon Garvey

This is mainly an Old Testament word study prompted by, but conceptually quite removed from, my last two posts on formal causation. Such categories of Greek philosophy were, of course, quite unknown to the Old Testament writers. The English word “form” is often used of God’s creation, but is less often thought about than words like “create” or “make”. Getting a feel for what the Bible’s vocabulary means will help us to decide whether the “Statistical Deism” of modern theistic evolution is actually compatible with it.

Posted in Creation, Theology | 4 Comments

Hanging’s too good for it: public dissection of a false analogy

Posted on 30/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

The question of God’s oversight of evolution has come up yet again on BioLogos, as it must so long as it’s denied there. Bren, in defending evolution as a substantially undirected process, raises again the analogy of evolution being like a child given freedom to make mistakes by its parents. It’s a superficially plausible idea, and was used on me by Darrel Falk a couple of years ago, so maybe its origin is in one of those popular theistic evolution books in which theology is done by buzzword. But since it is being used to overthrow the fundamental monotheistic doctrine of universal providence, it had better have some pretty good … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Science, Theology | 5 Comments

On the integrity of forms

Posted on 28/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

I don’t suppose any of my American brethren will be posting on Thanksgiving Day, so have a good one! Here’s a conversation that Werner Heisenberg said changed his life: Heisenberg: “We cannot observe electron orbits inside the atom…Now, since a good theory must be based on directly observable magnitudes, I thought it more fitting to restrict myself to these, treating them, as it were, as representatives of the electron orbits.” “But you don’t seriously believe,” Einstein protested, “that none but observable magnitudes must go into a physical theory?” “Isn’t that precisely what you have done with relativity?” I asked in some surprise… “Possibly I did use this kind of reasoning,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Philosophy, Science, Theology | 3 Comments

A history of providence, part two

Posted on 27/11/2013 by James Penman

The Theology of St John Chrysostom St John Chrysostom (347-407) is generally hailed as the most eloquent preacher in the Greek language among the early church fathers. The doctrine of divine providence saturates his sermons and treatises. This is particularly interesting, in that sometimes a strong doctrine of providence is associated with Augustinian theology.

Posted in Creation, History, James Penman, Theology | 12 Comments

Jimi Hendrix on Aristotelian causation

Posted on 26/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

August 1970 – It was the end of my gap year, men had walked on the moon twice and I saw Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight Festival just a couple of weeks before he died.

Posted in Creation, Philosophy, Science, Theology | 4 Comments

New Thoughts on an Old Story

Posted on 24/11/2013 by Merv Bitikofer

Much attention has been given to the subject of how to properly read Scriptural narrative, whether it must be historical before it can lay any other claim to truth, or if a Christian can see some of it as mythology and still be considered a faithful student of the Word.  These are worthy subjects in need of continued attention; but in this essay I will set these questions aside and focus on an old story that not only taught Truth about peoples long ago but, I propose, may still be unfolding today.

Posted in Creation, Merv Bitikofer, Science, Theology | 13 Comments

Bats, theistic personalism and Frankenstein

Posted on 20/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

Let me present three apparently disparate themes and then show that, together, they give some useful theological insights.

Posted in Creation, Prometheus, Science, Theology | 6 Comments

An Enlightening Evening.

Posted on 19/11/2013 by Sy Garte

I have just returned home from a small after dinner gathering of Christians at the home of one of the members of the Washington area chapter of the ASA (The American Scientific Affiliation). The guest of honor, was Denis Lamoureux, a well known evolutionary creationist, whose books include “I love Jesus, and I believe in Evolution”, and “Evolutionary Creation”. I have known Denis for a few years, and he is a gifted speaker and teacher. I don’t agree with everything he says. He does not believe in the existence of Adam, and would accept none of the 6 possible interpretations of Adam that Jon so ably presented us with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Science, Sy Garte, Theology | 11 Comments

Evolution, function and meaning

Posted on 16/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

This piece arises from some discussion on the last post about the mathematical predictability (lack of) in evolution. Question: Is this the image of an insect, or not?

Posted in Creation, Science | 18 Comments

God, reason, science, proof

Posted on 15/11/2013 by Jon Garvey

One of the bitterest points of contention between many TEs and ID supporters is whether God’s existence or activity can be detected by science, granted that it is real. The bitterness shows that there are ideological issues lurking behind what ought to be just an intellectual question. But I want to leave those aside to ask what Christian biblical teaching actually says on the matter.

Posted in Creation, Science, Theology | 68 Comments