Three simple and profound words. However, they spark controversy as those who instead believe in the theory of evolution argue with an evangelical passion that in today’s advanced world, no-one with any semblance of intelligence can surely believe in creation. Science has disproved it!
Well I for one am happy to stand up and say “Yes” I do believe in creation. What’s more I dispute the notion that science has disproven it. Evolution remains a theory not fact. True it rides high on a tide of populism, but that doesn’t make it correct. Neither does the theory of evolution have an answer to many pressing scientific questions, preferring instead to dismiss them as irrelevant.
Last month we had an inspirational church retreat. Prof Andy McIntosh reminded us how a Biblical view of creation is central not just to the origins of the world we live in but to all the key tenets of our faith. One thing I found particularly helpful was the distinction he drew between adaptation within a species as a result of interbreeding and natural selection on the one hand and the premise within evolution that one species became another.
I also appreciated Andy reminding us that how we got here was in fact less important than where we are going! God knew us before we were created and chose us to be with him in eternity. As he has created eternity, I can’t begin to imagine what it will be like when we are with him!
The fundamentals of our faith can’t be diluted or become part of an optional menu even where we don’t necessarily fully understand them. The public onslaught in the media, schools and society against creation is going to continue and I suspect get more intense. What should our response to that be? This I suggest. Stand firm in the belief that the God who created us, who loves us, demonstrated this to the highest degree possible by sending his son Jesus to die for us, is and will always be the God of this universe forever.
Many of you know I occasionally write Christian songs or extra verses for existing ones. The recent focus on creation has encouraged me to do so again to the tune of the Hallelujah chorus originally sung by Leonard Cohen. Let me finish by whetting your appetite with the first verse:
In seven days God framed the world
From chaos to an ordered globe
And took time out to marvel at creation
He separated light from dark
One he called day and the other night
Combining them, he formed creation’s first day
[Chorus] Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Kevin Borrett
Elder
July 2017
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