hej everybody
i admit I do not have much experience with Christian evolutionists but I start getting an idea about it after browsing your posts.
Once someone somewhere asked me why I am an atheist. There are probably many reasons I have not introspected yet, but there is one I can single out, I think.
i am an atheist because I fully embrace the theory of evolution by natural selection. I refer here to disbelief in the God of my culture, namely the Judean God.
Some will say that there are many theists who embrace evolution, too. That is true. Most of European Christians are old earthers evolutionists. However, I do not believe they made their homework.
The picture of evolution by natural selection we get from science is an inefficient, amoral, ateleological, purposeless, wasteful way to create complex life that also depends on physical contingecies like continental drifts, earthquakes, huge meteorites and similar catastrophes. A process that led to our existence (the pinnacle of creation) after a painstaking path that led to many species getting extinct in the way.
My impression is that evolutionary theists are neither theists nor evolutionists. They deny the necessarily impersonal character of evolution and, at the same time, turn God into a being who creates by trial and error.
Therefore, I really do not see how this view (the scientific orthodox one) matches with the idea of a perfect creator who knows how toreach His goals. For a coherent evolutionist, even things like love are traits naturally selected by impersonal processes.
So, I think it is impossible to find a point of contact between the Judean God and evolution by natural selection.
i would be curious to read your thoughts about this.
ciao
- viole