Old-earth Or Evolutionary Creation?: Discussing Origins With Reasons To Believe And Biologos

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Christians confess that God created the heavens and the earth. But they are divided over how God created and whether the Bible gives us a scientifically accurate account of the process of creation. Representatives of two prominent positions - old earth creation (Reasons to Believe) and evolutionary creation (BioLogos) - have been in dialogue over the past decade to understand where they agree and disagree on key issues in science and theology. This book is the result of those meetings. Moderated by Southern Baptist seminary professors, the discussion between Reasons to Believe and BioLogos touches on many of the pressing debates in science and faith, including biblical authority, the historicity of Adam and Eve, human genetics and common descent, the problem of natural evil, and methodological naturalism. While both organizations agree that God created the universe billions of years ago, their differences reveal that far more is at stake here than just the age of the earth. Old Earth or Evolutionary Creation? invites readers to listen in as Christian scholars weigh the evidence, explore the options, and challenge each other on the questions of creation and evolution. In a culture of increasing polarization, this is a model for charitable Christian dialogue.

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Discussing Origins with Reasons to Believe and BioLogos Edited by Old-Earth Old Earth oror Evolutionary Creation? Kenneth Keathley, J. B. Stump, and Joe Aguirre InterVarsity Press P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 ivpress.com [email protected] ©2017 by Kenneth D. Keathley, BioLogos Foundation, and Reasons to Believe All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press. InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges, and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, visit intervarsity.org. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Cover design: David Fassett Interior design: Jeanna Wiggins Images: Illustration representing evolution of organisms with correlation to geologic eras / De Agostini Picture Library / Bridgeman Images Bible: ©eurobanks/iStockphoto Earth: ©leonello/iStockphoto ISBN 978-0-8308-9264-8 (digital) ISBN 978-0-8308-5292-5 (print) Contents Acknowledgments | vii Introduction: How Did We Get Here? | 1 | 8 Hugh Ross, Deborah Haarsma, and Kenneth Keathley 1 Boundaries: What Views Define Your Organization? Robert Stewart, Deborah Haarsma, Hugh Ross, and Kenneth Samples 2 Biblical Interpretation: What Is the Nature of Biblical Authority? | 27 Steve Lemke, John Walton, and Kenneth Samples 3 The Original Couple: What Is the Range of Viable Positions Concerning Adam and Eve? | 49 Ted Cabal, Loren Haarsma, and Kenneth Samples 4 Death, Predation, and Suffering: Is “Natural Evil” Evil? | 68 James Dew, J. B. Stump, and Hugh Ross 5 Divine Action: How Does God Interact with the Natural World? | 85 John Laing, J. B. Stump, and Jeff Zweerink 6 The Scientific Method: Methodological Naturalism or Natural Theology? | 105 James Dew, J. B. Stump, and Jeff Zw