The megachurch where I co-lead the Creation Science ministry has a challenge in as much as the church has a mix of TE’s, OECs, and YECs. The church was once upon a time only 300 members large until Lon Solomon became pastor. During his tenure, the church grew to 13,000 and meets in a 100 million dollar complex funded by influential internet moguls that were Christians. Lon Solomon had an undergrad in chemistry from Carolina, an MS in Near Eastern studies from Johns Hopkins, and a PhD in a theological discipline from some religious school.
His conversion to theism is described here, and was because of his study of enzymes:
His conversion to Christianity about 6 years later is described here on Fox News:
Because of his scholarly background he became a Young Earth Creationist and was probably instrumental in the Apologetics Ministry at McLean Bible Church (MBC) where I teach.
In the audience of my monthly talks are some very well educated people. PhD scientists at the NIH, professors of physics. The two physics professors are YEC/YCCs, the NIH guys are OECs. One TE is a lawyer.
Church politics as well as my own view is that Christians of all 3 viewpoints need to be welcomed in the church. However, on the other hand this poses a dilemma as so much of Christian apologetics in the 21st century highlights the Design Argument of Paley as well as many of the anti-evolution arguments by OECs and YECs. My last talk, I pointed out Nobel Prize winner Richard Smalley eventually became an OEC.
So, I’m in the position of actually teach anti-evolution arguments while trying to make TE’s feel welcome. I haven’t necessarily figured out how to do this, but if I may relate something on a personal level…
I was raised in a Roman Catholic home and was a TE till about age 16. Then I became an OEC (while turning protestant a little later), and remained an OEC for about 20 years until I became a YEC. The point being, I was welcomed in Christian churches for a long time independent of my view on origins. I think that’s the way it ought to be…
On the other hand, because anti-evolution arguments based on theoretical and empirical criticisms (not theological criticisms) of abiogenesis theory and evolutionary theory, that I found the idea of special creation appealing, and hence remained in the Christian faith after nearly leaving it. So I think anti-evolution arguments are valuable to Christianity even though it is at odds with the TEs in the church.
I’ve been dis-invited by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship when I suggested evidence of the Bible could be argued through anti-evolution arguments. I got a cold welcome at a conference of Christian Biology Faculty where I was an invited speaker because I mentioned I was associated with John Sanford!
We could either avoid the topic of evolution altogether at MBC or find a way to maintain a dialogue. Two of the 3 viewpoints (TE, OEC,YEC) are wrong as a matter of principle. Yet people holding these views are vital to the church in general – John Sanford was a TE for about 10 years, and it was good he was welcomed in the church. Same could be said for many YEC/YCCs.
What I can only do is say YEC/YCC is my view and belief, and that the importance of the Creation Ministry in McLean Bible is to have a place where the discussion about the facts available to us right now can take place, even if we don’t have all the facts we want to settle the matter from an empirical and theoretical perspective.
BUT, I’m thinking at the next meeting, I’ll raise these hypothetical set of questions:
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Do you think evidence of the improbability of life would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ?
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Do you think evidence and theoretical considerations against evolutionary theory would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ?
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Do you think evidence of a literal Adam and Eve would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence of genetic entropy would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence of a recent global flood would favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence of the fossil record being young would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence of the Earthy being young would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence of the Planets of the Solar System being young would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
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Do you think evidence and theory explaining long and intermediate term radiometric dates
and distant starlight such that even the Cosmos itself would be favorable to your personal belief in Christ
Ok, so the OECs would probably be on board with a good number of the questions above, and in fact, in my experience, most OECs have told me they would like to be YEC/YCCs if they could find better arguments for YEC/YCC. I believe them because I was there myself.
So if a good number of those questions are answered by my group in the affirmative, it would seem, the church is a good a place as any to be talking about this, and it shouldn’t be avoided to the extent we have evidence that may count toward the affirmative.
Some churches avoid the topic altogether in the hopes that it will avoid conflict. However, imho, I think first and foremost by doing this it is avoiding the search and exploration of truth, and that’s not good! We may not have all the facts we want to settle the issue today, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying to learn more, and if God made the universe, Romans 1:20 promises that the facts will ultimately point to Him.
Lon Solomon preached on YEC topics, but he has since retired. He’s been succeed by David Platt who might be a YEC (as far as I know), but the question of whether YEC will be taught from the pulpit is still open!
We don’t know if YEC can even be taught in Sunday Schools regularly. I’m advocating discussion and examination of the facts available like detectives. The church doesn’t have to take an official stand on one viewpoint over another, but I think could take a stand on having the members explore the facts available at the present, and in the future, the facts that are available in the future.
Here is David Platt this year. To give an idea how much we have to walk on egg shells on various topics, many people left the church over what happened in connection with this photo: