Can a Darwinian Be a Christian?

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Can a Darwinian Be a Christian?

Posted Jun 12th 2008 4:35AM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Science, Christianity, Atheism

When Richard Dawkins published The God Delusion, philosopher Michael Ruse was quoted as saying that the book "makes me embarrassed to be an atheist." What especially galls Ruse is Dawkins' pig-headed insistence that anyone who embraces the Darwinian account of evolution cannot remain a Christian.

Ruse is a noted philosopher at Florida State University, an atheist champion of evolution and Darwinism, and author of several critically acclaimed books including Can a Darwinian Be a Christian?

I've been reading Ruse's book, and in it he counters Dawkins' simple-minded argument that God has been proven irrelevant since chance and natural selection now constitute "the blind watchmaker." Ruse writes, "It still leaves open the option of God's designing at a distance. Perhaps God put His design into action through the medium of unbroken law. Perhaps a God who works in this way is superior to a God who has to intervene personally and miraculously."

But doesn't evolution contradict a literal reading of the first chapter of Genesis? Yes, but Ruse points out that there are only two groups of people who insist on reading Genesis in a close-mindedly literal way. The first group is ignorant fundamentalists. And the second group is ignorant atheists like Dawkins.

By contrast, Ruse shows that from earliest times thoughtful Christians like the church father Augustine read the creation account figuratively. And for nearly two thousand years the Catholic Church has followed in this tradition. Ruse adds that while Calvin was a bit more literal-minded than Luther, both leading reformers also allowed for non-literal understandings of creation. Indeed Calvin introduced his doctrine of "accommodation" in which he argued that the Bible is sometimes written in a form as to make itself intelligible to people who are not well educated and don't have a sophisticated understanding of science.

Ruse 's conclusion introduces subtleties that seem entirely beyond the capacity of Dawkins. "Is the Christian obligated to be a Darwinian?" Ruse answers no, but urges Christians to take evolutionary biology seriously because they don't want a Christianity practiced in the dark. "Is the Darwinian obligated to be a Christian?" Again, the answer is no but Ruse adds this advice: "Try to be understanding of those who are." Finally Ruse gets to the big one. "Can a Darwinian be a Christian?" To which he offers the resounding answer: "Absolutely!"

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Reader Comments ( Page 29 of 115)

Previous 15 Comments | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

421. "Tell us, Peter, what really happened that made you so hateful of religion." - emendozajun

It's a big mistake to think that I'm hateful of religion. I simply have zero tolerance for fools who think that being stupid believers is actually wisdom when it's clear from even simple understandings of objective reality that your beliefs are FALSE. You mythical god can't be. The laws of nature prevent him from existing - your minion leader Dinesh even agrees that your mythical god is immaterial!!! Quite funny that.

Peter at 5:01AM on Jun 14th 2008

422. goddess1, have you ever read Newman's An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine?

http://www.newmanreader.org/works/development/index.html

Jesse at 6:43AM on Jun 14th 2008

423. "It's a big mistake to think that I'm hateful of religion. I simply have zero tolerance for fools who think that being stupid believers is actually wisdom .." Peter
--------------

So, for this atheist it's the ol'
Hate the Sinner,
And
Not the Sin.
So to speak.

Michael at 8:05AM on Jun 14th 2008

424. Goddess, thanks for the clarification post last night. I always wondered why you had the knowledge you do on religious histories. To have that depth of understanding and history about religion...you truly are a goddess!

Peter, please chill before you post a flaming response to what you think is a slam against you. I did not think Goddess or Ryan needed to post an apology, because their posts were very clear, to me.

That said, we've all mistaken the "flavor" of someone's response here. And since you've been in the tit-for-tat posting scenario with Preterist for a long time, I can see why you want to respond quickly and firmly to things that appear to be addressed to you - - he can get so maddeningly thick-headed, you just want to flame away.

brandon at 8:11AM on Jun 14th 2008

425. MY MY, thigs have gotten spicy here. Amazing how D'idiot makes everyone go insane. I think it may be his masterplan after all.

Best news story of the day in moronaram Jesus Mythology. Gov Jindal (on the short list for McCain VP) has stated that he once contributed in the performance of an exocism!

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/06/jindals_exorcism.html

And then people wonder why I rail about seperation of Church and State and how it is only a thin line about saying hate the sin love the sinner to picking up a pitchfork and a torch.

T.Brough at 9:07AM on Jun 14th 2008

426. Peter sasid,

hate to be the one to tell you goddess1prevail but NO ONES PRAYERS are ever answered. It's only your delusional minds that makes you interpret events that was. It's simply your world view of magic and spirits that has you believing in miracles and prayers.
--------------------------------

This guy must be stupid.

Peter, Goddess 1 does not pray...

Did you read all of her comment?
It could not be any clearer.

Her comment on prayer was in reference to a comment I had made about people who prayed, and did not receive an answer to their prayer.

Observant at 9:10AM on Jun 14th 2008

427. I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE ACCEPTANCE OF EVOLUTION HAS TO DO WITH RELIGIOUS FAITH. WHAT A CONCEIT IT IS TO THINK WE CAN KNOW THE MIND OF GOD OR HOW HE CHOSE TO CREATE US. RELIGION IS GENERALLY BUNK--THEY ARE EITHER USING IT TO HURT OTHERS OR TO WORSHIP COWS OR RATS OR TO JUSTIFY WHATEVER OPPRESSION THEY WISH TO PRACTICE. SO ACTUALLY BEING RELIGIOUS IS UNRELATED TO BEING A MEMBER OF A RELIGION.

mary melcher at 10:44AM on Jun 14th 2008

428.
Peter is such a genius he doesn't recognize humor?

I wonder if this asshole has ever smiled?

Talked to a child? Smelled a rose, a wonderous rose?
I wonder if his fanaticism allows him human Qualities?

mac at 11:00AM on Jun 14th 2008

429. Hi Mary,

Please turn your caps off. All caps are e-speak for shouting. Not sure that you meant to shout.

:)

Lloyd the Lurker at 10:51AM on Jun 14th 2008

430. Dinesh - You get mired down in big impotent words. Your post was like a book report. Doesn't the Bible tell us that all Christians fall short of the glory of God? What defines us as Christians is not one area of inperfection (whether we believe in evolution or not), but many would agree it's a belief that Jesus is our Lord & Savior who died on the cross for our sins & is the son of God.

The question I wonder is whether the book you read is relevant. Reading your post, I am just not sure if it is recommended reading or not. I would like to know more about how early Christians interpreted the Bible, but everything else Dinesh is unclear gobblygook.

GeorgiaCEO at 11:11AM on Jun 14th 2008

431. I wonder what time Peter gets up? I feel like I need to get a few posts in before he comes on shift. Hopefully Mac, he's out smelling a few roses today, although he seems to have a 'Spocklike' disregard for such trivial human pursuits. Hey LtL, funny how the LARGE CAPS never come back to say thanks, or THANKS!

fanman at 11:11AM on Jun 14th 2008

432. ".. MY MY, thigs have gotten spicy here.."
T. Brough
-----------

Spicy yes.
DD's fault.
No.
We are the excercisers of our own emotions/behavior.

Sorry, curse words, misinterpretations of posts, the quickness to react before thinking and breathing, the name calling, the rash judgements and all of the hate and skewed bitterness spewed by a few atheists on this blog is no one's fault but their own.

Just think how childish and stupid it sounds, T. Brough,

"DD (or insert any name here) made me do it!!"

LOL!

Chris at 11:25AM on Jun 14th 2008

433. "...I wonder what DD's gets? Any suggestions so we can all wish him a good one too? (keep it clean; it's fathers day)." fanman

fanman,
my suggestion is a day at the Disney park if he has little ones. with lots of hot dogs + burgers and ice cream.

Chris at 11:58AM on Jun 14th 2008

434. Psssst- Chris, it's business as usual here.

Come on guys, only 78 posts to go (for me to win again!).

(Caveat) You gotta break 500 by Father's Day, 0000hrs EST. Don't let me down!

Laughingly,

Robert

Robert at 11:33AM on Jun 14th 2008

435. OOOOPS! Bad math typo! 70 (as of this post)

Robert at 11:34AM on Jun 14th 2008

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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.