"Evolution is Great Theology!"

Somehow, incredibly, the professional skeptic Michael Shermer got tapped by Scientific American to explain why Christians should be delighted to believe in Darwin. Yes, this is the same Michael Shermer whose recent Salon interview was titled "The Joys of Life Without God." And no, he's not saying that evolution and Christianity can be compatible in a theistic evolution framework. He's saying--well, let's just take a look at what he's saying.

He asks and answers,

"Can one be a conservative Christian and a Darwinian? Yes. Here's how."

1. Evolution fits well with good theology, because it reveals the magnificence of God. (Who is he to say that?! Well, aside from that admitted ad hominem....) If evolution is an accurate depiction of natural history, then he is right; God's creation is awesome, regardless of what means he used to accomplish it. So far, so good--with that rather significant caveat.

2. Creationism is bad theology. Well, his misinterpretation of creationism certainly is bad theology. He says,

"The watchmaker God of intelligent-design creationism is delimited to being a garage tinkerer piecing together life out of available parts. This God is just a genetic engineer slightly more advanced than we are. An omniscient and omnipotent God must be above such humanlike constraints."

I don't know how he came to understand just what an omniscient and omnipotent God had to be like. Did he poll the field?

3. Evolution explains original sin and the Christian model of human nature. Umm... no, it doesn't. First, it doesn't really open up a category for "sin" at all; second (if we were to overlook that first problem), it explains sin in terms of a not yet realized ideal, which is far from the Biblical account of a fall; third, it doesn't explain or even address sin against God.

4. Evolution explains family values. Umm... no, it doesn't. At least, it doesn't explain them in anything remotely resembling the Biblical view. The Biblical view says that family is important because all individuals are important, and because family reflects on earth the relationship of a heavenly Father has with us. Shermer says,

"As a social primate species, we evolved morality to enhance the survival of both family and community. Subsequently, religions designed moral codes based on our evolved moral natures."

Shermer's wonderful theology, which he thinks Christians should gladly embrace, says moral principles didn't come from God.

5. Evolution accounts for specific Christian moral precepts.

"Evolution describes how we developed into pair-bonded primates and how adultery violates trust. Likewise, truth telling is vital for trust in our society, so lying is a sin."

Again, we don't need God in our theology any more. Isn't evolution just wonderful to religion?

6. Evolution explains free-market economics. Shermer's article is also pointed at conservatives, not just Christians. I see no need to digress with him to that topic.

He closes,

"Because the theory of evolution provides a scientific foundation for the core values shared by most Christians and conservatives, it should be embraced."

What's most astonishing about this is its proud display of ignorance. Shermer thinks he's explaining to Christians what's good about evolution. What he's really doing is showing that he doesn't know what he's talking about: he thinks he can make Christians happy by showing how we might dispense with God.

The second most astonishing thing is that Scientific American considered this publishable. This isn't just Shermer speaking. When will the science establishment discover that they're not making any sense--and they're certainly not making any points in debate--speaking about things of which they know so little?

P.S. Want a different perspective? MikeGene at TelicThoughts has a pretty funny satiric response to Shermer.

Related follow-up: Maybe It's Not All His Fault

Posted: Fri - September 22, 2006 at 10:04 AM |

Thinking Christian by Tom Gilson getCategoryName("<$CategoryUUID$>");

"Evolution is Great Theology!"

Thinking Christian by Tom Gilson