This a brief excerpt from another Beliefnet.com blog, called Science and the Sacred, by Darrel Falk. OK, we're all really proud that Falk begins by giving kudos to RJS for her posts on science and faith on Jesus Creed.
I have been a biologist for a long time, and I hope I never stop getting shivers in my spine when I think about the beauty of how we come to know things in biology. Biologists make predictions, then they go out into the field or the lab to see if their predictions hold up. When hundreds of predictions of this sort are fulfilled, a theory reaches the point where it becomes certain, at least on a broad level. And that is where we are with evolution.
In this space, our purpose is not so much to try to persuade as it is to explain why we are so certain God created this way. If you wish to join us as we explore the ramifications, we would love to have you with us in the coming days. If you think that all of biology has it wrong, that is your prerogative. You're still welcome to read and think along with us. A great place to start is the book by Neil Shubin--it is very accessible to the general audience regardless of science background. Once you've read that, irrespective of what you personally believe, you'll understand why most Christian biologists view evolution as being God's way of creating life's diversity. It is my prayer that you may even see why the beauty in all of this draws us to our knees in worship.
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Darrel Falk's book "Coming to Peace with Science" (IV Press, 2004) is an excellent account of his own journey in reconciling his faith with the evidence he sees in nature as a PhD biologist, and also an excellent (and readable for the non-scientist) explanation of the main lines of evidence for common descent. Highly recommended.
I like the detail that Falk adds in his post about the mechanism for bone formation. It is a fascinating and complex system.
Well, I read the linked post, but to me it does nothing more than re-enforce my belief in common design. The mechanism he describes for bone formation seems so amazingly complex that it makes more sense to me that God designed this to be common across different species rather than inherited through common descent.
It's not clear whether the sentence "the beauty in all of this draws us to our knees in worship" refers to the mechanisms like bone growth that he talks about, "evolution as being God's way of creating life's diversity", or the making of and confirming of predictions that the scientists do, or all of the above.
I can certainly relate to the first option and it doesn't surprise me that creation speaks of the glory of God all the way down to the level of micro-biology (in fact it seems to speak louder the finer grained we go). I can also relate to the third option since Scientific method only really makes sense because God is not capricious and "changeth not". But I confess I do not understand the second option.
When I hear people say things like (to paraphrase) "understanding evolution makes me even more amazed at how God works" I don't get it. I can see how one might be just as amazed, but not more amazed than if the work of creating life happened abruptly rather than evolved. But perhaps that's not the kind of thing he meant anyway.
Wow, I wish I could be as succinct as this:
"Biologists make predictions, then they go out into the field or the lab to see if their predictions hold up. When hundreds of predictions of this sort are fulfilled, a theory reaches the point where it becomes certain, at least on a broad level. And that is where we are with evolution."
Short and to the point. I copied it for future quoting. (I promise to reference and link it.)
Oh, one thought. Jesus said that you'll know a prophet by his fruit. In other words, you'll know who's teaching the truth by the results they get.
That quote can be rephrased as, "Biologists have good fruit."
I think, anyway.
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