As a devout protestant and an Engineer at NASA, I’ve seen both sides of this debate and can see much of the frustration of both sides. However, both sides of this argument seem to create problems for themselves. The Genesis account is not science, but I do hold it to be the Word of God. As a Christian, Creation is foundational truth to my worldview…but not because God created in exactly 7 days. I’ve heard great arguments either way on the translation of the word, I believe, “yom” that is translated day in the English Bible. In my perspective it is a bit of a mute point. This is not my original idea (I heard it elsewhere), but as I read Genesis I can’t help think that the point is not so much on the fact that God created in 7 days, but that God CREATED. THAT fact is the crucial part of the argument for me.

I am not wise enough to expound on the intricacies of Evolutionary theory….I’m sure there are some problems. There are problems with EVERY theory, but as you said that does not take away its validity (if in fact it IS valid - science needs to keep moving). My problem with the proponents of evolution is that they, in my estimation, over step the bounds of science-based observation to that of “evolutionism” as you call it. They stop looking at the “how” and take that “how” and say that my explanation of the “why” is wrong. The concept of science is based on a certain philosophy. If I remember correctly it is something like Logical Positivism. These sort of things tend towards closed systems (i.e. no miracles), which is a fine assumption for everyday life, but the assumptions of the this base philosophy gets in the way of determining origins. When you have a sort of philosophical system that says, “I can determine things rationally by observing and assuming cause = effect without any other outside force (i.e. deities, gods)” it is hard to own up to that outside force existing, even though your system has pre-supposed that possibility away.

In the same way, Christians seem in capable of trusting those in the science community. It is as if they believe they are all evil evolutionists trying to destroy the Bible, which is simply not the case. These scientists are acting on the scientific method (which IS sometimes affected by base philosophical assumptions but not as often as some think). I know many good people that believe in evolution but also believe in God (or a “god”). One does not preclude the other. I know you probably don’t think much of Calvin, but I believe (could be really wrong here) that he said something to the effect of “All truth is God’s truth.” I might be ripping that quote out of context, but, this seems very true to me. The God I believe in, an all powerful, loving, omni-scient God, seems unlikely to be worried about us connecting the dots and coming up with a theory which we call Evolution. If such a statement is true (and if the Bible is true as well), then in the end there can be no final conflict between what we see in the world and what is in the Bible.

Intellectual diversity is needed, but we also need intellectual honesty. Why can’t both sides own up to these issues? I guess hubris strikes again.