ENDTIME
ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 162
ÒA Fresh
Look at the Creation/Evolution DebateÓ
Allen
Shepherd, M. D., Physician and Pastor
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Editorial
Comments
Samuele
Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,
Retired
Professor of Theology and Church History
Andrews
University
A NEW
YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS
The New Year date of January 1, holds a
great attraction for me, because it comes right after the winter solstice
(December 21-22) when in the Northern Hemisphere the season turns the corner
and the days start getting longer again. I find the New Year an exciting and
happy time because it always brings the opportunity for what seems a new
beginning, a chance to Òstart over.Ó
We all get to start with a Ònew pageÓ and it is up to us what we want to
ÒwriteÓ on it.
The ÒNew YearÓ gives us the chance to
jettison the mistakes, failures, and other unwanted baggage of the past year,
in order to re-focus and move forward. Paul expresses this thought saying:
ÒThis one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before (Phil 3:13). Like Paul, we can forget the failures and
dark chapters of our past life, because God forgiving grace has taken care of
them.
In
Rome, Italy, where I grew up, people used to have a ÒcrazyÓ custom. They waited
for the clock to strike midnight to open the windows of their high rise
apartments and throw out all their unwanted goods: old sewing machines,
dish-washers, furniture, pots and pans, etc. Nobody dared to walk the streets
immediately after midnight. I
remember going out in the early morning of the New Year to look at all the discarded
goods lying on the streets. Sometimes I found a toy worth salvaging.
The
New Year offers us the opportunity not only to clear our homes of cluttering,
unwanted goods, but also to do some internal moral and spiritual cleaning. It
is a time to reflect on some of the rough aspects of our character that we want
to smooth out. It is a time to consider how we want to change and improve our
lives: our spiritual exercises, our attitude toward people, our family
relationships, our professional life, our business practices, and our
contributions to the church and community.
Most
of the new year resolutions deal with self-centered needs: diet, exercise,
loose weight, pay off debts, get a better job, improve professional skills,
play more golf, look for a nicer home, travel more, etc. These are all good goals
to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 reminds us to keep these things in their proper
perspective: ÒFor bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is
profitable for all things,
having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.Ó The vast
majority of New YearÕs Resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to
Òthe life that now is, but Paul reminds us that what is most profitable is
improving our godliness, which can bless our present and future life.
When
I think of exercising in godliness, what comes to my mind is bearing the Fruits
of the Spirit: Òlove, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-controlÓ (Gal 5:22). These are the fruits that
ultimately reveal if a person is a genuine or a nominal Christian. These are
the virtues that we need most today in our stressful, rushing, and
tension-filled lives.
A
Proposed New YearÕs Resolution
Have
you faced lately road rage or even internet rage? I have. For example, during
this past year several times even Òfellow-believersÓ became extremely rude with
me because I failed to remove their email addresses from my list. One pastor
went so far as to threaten me with legal action if he would receive another
issue of the ENDTIME ISSUE NEWSLETTER.
Rest
assured that I have no desire to share my biblical research with those who are
not interested. Thirty six years of teaching have taught me that it is a pain
to have some students in the class who have absolutely no interest in the
subject. We promptly send to TAGNET, the largest internet Adventist service,
the addresses of those who wish to unsubscribe (which are very few).
Since
there are over 35,000 email addresses on the list, I asked TAGNETÕs technical
supervisor to investigate the few complaints. In practically every instance he
found that the email addresses in question had been automatically removed, but
the complainers had other email addresses through which they received the
newsletter. Once these were removed, the problem was solved.
The
point of this example is that we live today such stressful lives, that even
some of the ÒsaintsÓ have Òshort fuses.Ó They easily blow up their tops, using
abusive language in the internet, at home, in the work-place, and whenever they
feel that they have been wronged. Could this be an area where many of us could
resolve to improve by GodÕs grace during this coming year?
Perhaps
you may wish to join me in making this New YearÕs resolution: Lord enable me
daily through Thy Spirit during this new year to be more patient and loving toward people who are
irritable and accusative. Help me to control my temper by forgiving and
accepting even those who appear to be hostile toward me. May the beauty of Thy
Character be manifested in my life more fully during this coming year.
New
YearÕs resolutions often fail because they are based solely on the human
will-power to succeed. The secret is to claim daily the enabling power of the
Holy Spirit. We need to learn to live daily depending upon GodÕs enabling
power. May each one of us during this coming year claim the promise: ÒI can do
everything through Him who gives me strengthÓ (Phil 4:13).
DECEMBER
21-2006: OUR 45TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
A TIME TO
REFLECT ON OUR PAST CHALLENGES
This past December 21, 2006, my wife,
Anna and I celebrated our 45th Wedding Anniversary. It is hard to believe that
45 years have passed since our
beloved Prof. Edward Heppenstall joined our lives together in Holy Matrimony at
the Andrews University Seminary chapel on that cold, snowy December 21, 1961. I
wrote on the anniversary card to my wife that the 45 years have passed so fast,
that I could identify with Jacob experience: ÒJacob served seven years for
Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to herÓ
(Gen 29:20).
As
I took my wife out to her favorite ÒTosiÓ Italian Restaurant to celebrate our
anniversary, we spent sometime reminiscing over our past life together. I
thought some of you might enjoy reading about some of the major challenges we
have faced during the past 45 years. Some of you who have been reading these
newsletters for several years may be interested to know more about the human
aspect of our lives. Who are Sam and Anna Bacchiocchi? Let me share with you a few glimpses of
our past life, especially some of the challenges we have faced together.
Love at
First Sight
We
first met in 1955 at our Adventist Academy in Florence, Italy. I was
immediately attracted to Anna, but at that time I did not dare to date her
because a ÒjealousÓ Neapolitan was dating her and claimed her as his property.
I would have faced dire consequences if I dared to invade his turf. When later
I learned that she terminated her friendship with this fellow, I sent her a
note from Newbold College where I was studying. A romantic correspondence began
that lasted about four years.
A
few months later in August 1957, after a successful canvassing experience in
England, I stopped in Gland, Switzerland, to visit Anna on my way to Rome,
Italy, to spend a few weeks with my parents before returning to Newbold. Anna
is from Venice, but at that time she was working and studying nursing at our
Adventist Sanatorium ÒLa Ligniere.Ó
At
the restaurant I reminded my wife of that historic first walk we took together
in the woods behind the Sanatorium.
Though we had exchanged only a few letters, I broke all the rules of
courtship by asking her without any preamble: ÒAnna, will you marry me?Ó Her
face lighted up as she replied: ÒYes, I will. I believe that you are the man
God has chosen for me.Ó The conviction that God has brought us together never
left our consciousness. Please do not follow my Òbad exampleÓ by asking for a
marriage commitment at the first date. Sometimes the results can be tragic.
Our
Wedding Without Parents or Relatives
Four
long years of engagement passed before we could marry. I wanted to finish my
college training at Newbold and complete at least my first year at the Andrews
University Theological Seminary, before inviting Anna to come to America to
marry me. I wanted to be sure that I could support her.
We
both came to the USA with very few belongings. All my possessions fitted comfortably in a medium size
suitcase. Anna brought her dowry in a small trunk that I was able to fit in the
back seats of our Volkswagen bug. How proud she was of all the bed-sheet,
pillow cases, table cloths, napkins, etc, she had embroidered during the long
years of waiting for our wedding day.
Our
wedding was very simple. We were two lonely birds, without parents or relatives
to honor us with their presence. Yet, the Seminary Chapel was filled with
classmates and community friends. Sister Heppenstall and their lovely daughter
arranged for a nice reception in the lower Seminary Chapel. They even saved in
their freezer the top layer of the wedding cake which they gave it back to us a
few years later. What a gracious people!
We shall never forget their kindness to us.
The
Challenge of Our Honeymoon
Our
life has not always been a bed of roses. We have faced numerous challenges
during the 45 years of our marriage. Let me share some of them with you. For
example, we spent our honeymoon painting a run-down small apartment—the
only one that I could find. Housing was a real problem in those early days of
the Seminary. We spent our the honeymoon trying to make our little apartment
look more attractive. That was not Òthe American HoneymoonÓ my wife had dreamed
about. But we never allowed the unpleasant surrounding to dampen our spirits.
What counted was the fact that we were together.
The
apartment belonged to a very mean ÒAdventistÓ who refused to pay for the cost
of the paint we bought for painting the discolored walls. He had absolutely no
concern for the welfare of his renters. His only concern was to collect the
rent on the day it was due. For him it was more important to give money to the
church than to be caring toward his renters. After all the church commended him
for his generous contributions, but nobody would praise him for acts of
kindness to his renters. As Adventist we need to remember that we serve the
church when we serve people, because in the Bible the Òchurch—ecclesia—Ó
is people, not an
institution. I may prepare a newsletter on the biblical view of the church.
The
Challenges of our Mission Service in Ethiopia
Upon
finishing my M. A. and B. D. degrees, we left at Andrews University on February
1964 to visit our parents in Italy, before proceeding to Ethiopia, where we
served for five and a half fruitful years as teachers at the Ethiopian
Adventist College. In Ethiopia I almost lost my life when an anti-tank bullet
exploded on my right hand, cutting off my index finger, leaving me with a
bloody face and shells embedded in various parts of my body. Some of the shells
have never been removed. This happened when I tried to weld a hook to what
looked to me like plumb-bob to which a string is attached to provide a vertical
line for bricklayers.
My
father had came to spend a month with us at Christmas. He needed a plumb line
to check the walls of the room he added to our mission home. Since the only
plumb line owned by the school was being used, I decided to improvise one by
welding a hook to what looked like an old 2 inches wide plumb bob without the
screw needed for attaching the string. When I started welding a hook, the inner
charge of the bullet exploded, sending fragments all over the workshop. Truly I
can say that the Lord spared my life for a purpose.
My
wife faced a different challenge in Ethiopia. She contracted the hepatitis C
virus which has been largely responsible for the migraine headaches she is
still suffering today. Let us never forget that mission service can be costly.
I vividly remember the day when we buried the wife of one of our missionaries.
She died because of the same hepatitis my wife contracted.
The
Challenges of Studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University
From
Ethiopia we returned to Rome, Italy, on June 1969. We spent there five busy but
enjoyable years, close to our family members, while I was pursuing a doctorate
in Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The challenges I
faced at the Gregoriana were unique.
Being the first non-Catholic to be accepted in 450 years of the
University, I faced the challenge of being accepted by my classmates who were
priests and monks belonging to different religious orders and coming from
different countries. Truly I can say that though I was admitted as Òa separated
brother,Ó they accepted as a Òreal Christian brother.Ó
The
greatest challenge I faced at the Gregoriana was the topic of my dissertation,
namely, A Historical Investigation of the Rise of Sunday Observance in Early
Christianity. In many
ways my dissertation is a response to several recent scholarly studies which
attempt to prove the Apostolic origin of Sunday. One of them is the doctoral
dissertation of Corrado Mosna on the origin of Sunday (Storia della Domenica
dalle Origini Fino agli Inizi del V Secolo) which was published by the Gregorian University Press in
1969, at the very time when I enrolled at the University.
MosnaÕs
dissertation was directed by Prof. Vincenzo Monachino—the same professor
who later spent two years supervising my dissertation. Mosna attempts to prove
that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday by the authority of Christ and the
Apostles in order to celebrate ChristÕs resurrection by means of the
eucharistic celebration.
The
challenge I faced was to prove to the satisfaction of my adviser, Prof.
Monachino, that the origin of Sunday observance was a post-apostolic
development, influenced by the Church of Rome, and not an apostolic initiative
promoted by church of Jerusalem. As we took time to re-examine the relevant
biblical and historical texts, gradually Prof. Monachino came to accept the
possibily that Sunday originated after the departure of the apostles largely
due to the influence of the Church of Rome.
Prof.
Monachino acknowledges my thesis in the PREFACE he wrote to my dissertation:
ÒWe gladly mention the thesis that Bacchiocchi defends regarding the
birth-place of Sunday worship: for him this arose most probably, not in the
primitive Church of Jerusalem, well-known for its profound attachment to Jewish
religious traditions, but rather in the Church of Rome. The abandonment of the Sabbath and the
adoption of Sunday as the LordÕs Day, are the result of an interplay of
Christian, Jewish, and pagan factorsÓ (From Sabbath to Sunday, pp. 7-8).
The
successful defense of my dissertation and its publication by the Gregorian
University Press with the Catholic imprimatur—approval, did not prevent the eruption of
a controversy over the legitimacy of my the academic awards and of the
publication of my dissertation.
Currently I am facing the challenge of responding to the false
allegations made against me by officers of the Gregorian University.
As
you have read in the newsletters No. 159-160, the General Secretary of the
Gregorian University denies that I received summa cum laude, a gold medal donated by Pope Paul VI, and the imprimatur for the publication of my abridged and
unabridged versions of my dissertations. In a few days my formal response to
these false allegations will be sent to the Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian
University as well as to other University officials. I will keep up updated on new developments.
Some
Challenges at Andrews University
The 26 years I spent teaching in the
Religion Department of Andrews University were most rewarding, but not without
some challenges. In the Bible and Church History classes I taught, the major
challenge was to get all the students excited about the subject. This is not an
easy task, because some students take their Bible classes because they have to,
not because the want to. Over the years I tried different methods to generate
more interest for the subjects I taught. Overall the studentsÕ response has
been very gratifying.
The
greatest challenge I faced at Andrews University, came not from teaching, but
from writing a dozen of books, some of which proved to be controversial.
Perhaps the most controversial book I wrote was Women in the Church: A
Biblical Study on the Role of Women in the Church. The book came out in 1985 when the issue
of women ordination was hotly debated in our Adventist Church as well as in
evangelical churches in general.
Women
in the Church shows that
while Scripture excludes the appointment of women to the representative roles
of priests, elders or pastors, it does include them in the supportive
ministries of the church and in the participation in public worship. Such a distinction is based not on the
cultural conventions of Bible times, but on the distinctive and yet
complementary roles for men and women established by God at creation.
Women
in the Church has been
favorably reviewed by numerous scholars and adopted by several theological
seminaries. I am told that the book influenced the decision of the Southern
Baptist Convention to reverse their decision on women ordination. But in our
Adventist Church it stirred up considerable controversy, largely due to the
influence of the feminist movement.
Some accused me of being an ÒItalian ChauvinistÓ who wants to keep women
subordinate to man. Nothing could be further from the truth. My wife is a most
liberated women. She spends all my money without ever asking me. I trust her judgment. Suddenly I became
a persona non grata. Most
of our campus churches where the feminist movement was strongest, no longer
invite me to speak, but God opened many more doors for my ministry.
The
conclusion of my investigation is that from a Biblical perspective men and
women are ontologically equal but functionally different. That is to say, men and women are equal by virtue of
creation and redemption, but different in terms of function. Men have been
created to function as fathers and women to function as mothers. This
distinction applies to the home as well as to the church. The role of a pastor
is that of a spiritual father and the role of a woman-elder (shepherdess) is
that of a spiritual mother. It is as simple as that.
To accept the notion of functional interchangeability promoted by the
feminist movement, means to open the door to accept sexual interchangeability, that is, to open the
door for the ordination of lesbian and homosexual as ministers. When I made this prediction 20 years
ago, I was accused of being a scarecrow. Today I am no longer a scarecrow. Major splits have occurred in the
Lutheran, Methodist, and Episcopal churches over the issues of ordination of
homosexuals. Even last week (Dec 17, 2006) eight Episcopal congregations in
Virginia voted overwhelmingly to break away from the mother church over the
ordination of a gay bishop.
Some
Challenges Stemming from Endtime Issues Newsletter
During the past 8 years I have posted 161
Endtime Issues Newsletters addressing a variety of issues from a biblical
perspectives. Overall the response from readers have been very encouraging.
Every week I receive hundreds of messages of appreciation as well as new
subscriptions. The messages of encouragement that I receive, motivate me to
continue this ministry of addressing current issues from a biblical perspective.
Islam in
Prophecy
A
few newsletters posed a challenge because I dared to propose a fresh
interpretation. For example, in the newsletter no. 86 ÒIslam and the Papacy in
Prophecy,Ó I proposed to expand the prophetic role of the Little Horn/Antichrist
of Daniel 7, by including Islam as well. After all both the Papacy and Islam
arose after the collapse of the Roman Empire, and both of them have persecuted
GodÕs people and promoted false worship.
The
Papacy influenced the Western Part of the Roman Empire while Islam gradually conquered and uprooted
Christianity in the Eastern part of the Empire: Egypt, all the North African countries, Palestine, Syria, Asia
Minor (today Turkey), and it continued its expansion in the Far East (Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Indonesia, etc.). Both of them changed GodÕs Holy Day: The
Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday and Islam changed Sabbath to
Friday. If you are interested in this subject, feel free to ask me for the CD
with the study on ÒISLAM IN PROPHECY.Ó I will gladly mail it to you.
Several
subscribers protested against my expanded interpretation of the Antichrist.
They feel that this interpretation weakens the prophetic role of the Papacy.
They asked to have their addresses immediately removed from the list, which we
promptly did. My intent has never been to weaken the prophetic role of the
Papacy which promotes idolatrous worship, but simply to propose expanding the
prophetic role of the Antichrist, to include other Satanic agencies.
The Mark
and Number of the Beast
Another
newsletter that stirred up considerable controversy was the one (no. 139) on
ÒThe Mark and Number of the Beast.Ó This study was commissioned by two Seminary
Professors (Jon Paulien and Ranko Stefanovich) who are our foremost Adventist
authorities on Revelation. I shared my initial findings in their three
Revelation Classes, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. The same has
been true at recent workersÕ meeting in Australia.
Eventually the two hours lecture delivered with 200 powerpoint slides,
was professionally recorded before a live audience at the Andrews University
Towers Auditorium. If you have
not seen DVD recording yet, we will gladly mail you the album. Just click here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/BeastAD/ This live, visual lecture will help you
understand more fully this central prophecy of the book of Revelation on the
endtime showdown over worship.
In
many ways the DVD lecture explains why the Adventist church in recent years has
abandoned the traditional application of 666 to the PopeÕs title Vicarius
Filii Dei and adopted
instead the symbolic interpretation of that number. The reasons were briefly
given in the Sabbath School Lesson of June 1-7, 2002. In many ways my study expands what has been presented in the
Sabbath School Lesson and other major Adventist studies.
A
few concerned brethren reacted very negatively to my newsletter. For several
weeks I was flooded with negative messages, accusing me of departing from the
traditional interpretation proclaimed over the years by leading evangelists.
The fact is that our Adventist church papers have warned against the
application of the number of the Beast 666 to the popesÕ title Vicarius
Filii Dei, allegedly
inscribed in papal tiaras. The reason is that Adventist investigators sent to
the Vatican, have never found such
an inscription in authentic
tiaras.
The
only tiaras with the inscription Vicarius Filii Dei, has been fabricated by clever Adventist
artist. He took a genuine photograph of a plain tiara and lettered upon it the
three words Vicarius, Filii, and Dei—one on each of the three
crowns. This fraudulent
picture was published as genuine
for several years in Uriah SmithÕs Daniel and the Revelation, until the General Conference ordered its
removal.
In
an article entitled ÒDubious Pictures of the Tiaras,Ó published in The Ministry, November 1948, the editor, LeRoy Froom,
wrote emphatically: ÒIn the name of truth and honesty this journal protests any
such use [of fraudulent papal tiaras] by any member of the Ministerial
Association of Seventh-day Adventist denomination (our worker body), of which The
Ministry is the official
organ. Truth does not need fabrication to aid or suppress it. Its very nature precludes any
manipulation or duplicity. We
cannot afford to be party to any fraud.Ó
In
spite of this stern warnings, the traditional application of 666 to the numeric
value of the letter Vicarius Filii Dei, is still used by some, because it provides a neat
interpretation hard to abandon. It has been a formidable challenge for me to
expose the problem and propose a symbolic interpretation that we can
legitimately defend. I have received a lot of ÒhateÓ mail from Òconcerned
brethrenÓ who accuse me of defending the papacy, rather than Adventist
teachings.
A Tribute
to My Wife
Living with a husband often embroiled in
controversies is not easy, especially for my wife who has been blessed with a
peaceful nature. Over the years she has constantly urged me to stay out of
controversial research. She takes criticism more personally than I do. For me criticism is part of life. After
all I grew up in Rome in a climate of constant confrontations for my faith. But
for my wife is different. She suffers emotionally when she learns about the
criticism and the attacks I am facing.
I wish to honor my wife for her willingness to suffer with me and for
me.
Especially
I wish to honor my wife for devoting her life to bring up our three children in
the fear of God. It seems that my life has always been extremely busy with
teaching, researching, writing 17 books, articles, newsletters, recording, and
lecturing in different parts of the world. This means that my wife has carried
a much heavier load in the moral and spiritual upbringing of our children. The
fruits of her motherly devotion are evident in the life of our three children.
Daniel,
our older son, is a successful architech/builder, serving as financial adviser
to the Andrews Academy. He has
developed a passion for designing and building in needy mission fields. While I
am writing this newsletter, he is in Mexico, spending his Christmas vacation
with his wife Michelle and their two children, Christian and Lauren,
supervising two building projects.
Loretta,
teaches in the Nursing School of the Florida Hospital, and is involved in all
sorts of church programs. She leads out in young-adult study groups, teaches
a Sabbath School Class, and
participate in a radio Health Talk.
Gianluca
is a very successful corporate lawyer, serving as elder of his beloved Burr
Ridge SDA Church, in Chicago.
Together with his wife Silvia, they teach the Sabbath School and are
actively involved in church programs. Occasionally, they both preach on Sabbath
morning.
I
view the devotion of our children to God and His church, as a living monument
to my wifeÕs dedication to their moral and spiritual upbringing. Most the
credit goes to her because unfortunately all too often I have been an absent
father. I can only thank God for having blessed me with a goodly wife and mother.
A WORD OF
INTRODUCTION TO THIS NEWSLETTER
At the beginning of a New Year, I thought
it would be fitting to reflect upon the very beginning of life on earth:
Creation. The popularity of the theory of evolution, has cause many Christians
to reject the credibility of the biblical account of creation. Today, however,
numerous scientists acknowledge that there are serious problems with the theory
of evolution.
It
is not easy to find an article which presents in a simple and accurate way the
pros and cons of creation and evolution. This is why I am please to post this
essay ÒA Fresh Look at the Creation/Evolution Debate,Ó Allen Shepherd, M. D.
His article was published in the November 2006 issue of Perspective Digest, a publication
of the Adventist Theological Society.
When I read it, I was impressed by the fact that it is profound in its
content and popular in its style. I thought many readers of our newsletters
would appreciate this update on the creation/evolution debate.
Dr. Shepherd is a medical doctor who has
spent the last 20 years of his life reading major studies on the creation
and evolution research. In his essay he offers an informative survey of the
major arguments for and against creation and evolution. If you find the essay
helpful and wish to express your appreciation to Dr. Shepherd, his email address
is: <[email protected]>
My personal observation is that
evolutionists refuse
to allow theology to inform them.
They insist on believing only what can be demonstrated in a laboratory.
By so doing they choose to trace their roots downward from biological
specimens rather than upward
from the image of God.
Ultimately, this leads a person to believe in nothing else but himself.
The
tragic consequence of evolutionism is that it empties life and human history of
ultimate meaning, leaving both life and history with no divine beginning or
destiny. Life is reduced to a biological cycle which by chance alone determines
its own beginning and end. Thus the ultimate reality is not God but matter, which
historically has been viewed as eternal or as evil.
The
creation story with its Sabbath-memorial, challenges this nihilism, urging each
generation, whether burdened with scientific facts or with mythological
fantasies, to acknowledge that this world is a creation and a gift of God
entrusted to man, whose life is meaningful because it is rooted in God.
ALL THE
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF WEEKEND SEMINARS AND
THE SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFERS ARE PLACED AT THE END OF THIS NEWSLETTER
ÒA Fresh
Look at the Creation/Evolution DebateÓ
Allen
Shepherd, M. D., Physician and Pastor
While
I was in my teens, my father subscribed to the journal Scientific American.
I loved science and read it avidly and continue to read it to this
day. However, the magazine
uniformly condemns Creationism, a cherished tenant of my faith. John Rennie, the editor, characterizes
creationists as irrational, superstitious, benighted, ignorant, and
obstructionist.1 He
also likened us to ostriches with our heads in the sand fearing we might see
something that conflicts with our faith or shatters our treasured beliefs. Recently he wrote an article describing
15 ways to expose ÒCreationist Nonsense.Ó2
Is
that how we as Seventh-day Adventist creationists come across? Do we indeed stop thinking when we read
our Bibles or enter the doors of the sanctuary? Are we afraid of the truth? Or do we have a reason (not mere conviction) for the hope
within us (1 Peter 3:15)? In the
following essay, I share how I personally have dealt with this dilemma. I am a physician, untrained in biologic
sciences except medicine, though I do have a BA in Chemistry.
Objectives
of this Essay
This essay represents many years of
thoughtful reflection on the Creation versus EvolutionÕs debate. It is laid out
in two parts. In the first part I will present my reasons for believing in a
God who created the universe, in contrast to atheism. The second part examines the evidences pro and con for the
two theories of the origin of lifeÕs diversity: Divine Creation versus Darwinian
Evolution.
REASONS FOR BELIEVING IN A DIVINE CREATION
Just
how many have fallen for this Òirrational, superstitious, nonsense?Ó The vast
majority of Americans believe that God created the heavens and the earth. About 50% hold to a literal 7-day
creation though this theory is excluded from the schools and ridiculed by the
media and scientific community.
Another 35% believe in God directed evolution. About 10% do not believe that God had a hand in it, and
another small percentage did not know.3
Atheism
or Theism?
Among
scientists, the percentage of believers is less, but even among them, 40 %
believe in a God who answers prayer.4 Throughout history almost all humans have believed in a god,
whether Babylonian mystics, Baal worshipers, Greeks thinkers, human-sacrificing
Mayans, or fundamentalist Christians.
It is as if it were (to put in evolutionary terms) selectively bred into
us. Atheism has held little
attraction to the vast majority.
But
perhaps this huge multitude simply longs with all its heart to believe, and
only Òbrave new worldÓ atheists are the ones willing to face the cold hard
facts of reality.5 Are
the rest of us just attempting to ameliorate the anxiety caused by the harsh
meaninglessness of the universe? Or are there evidences for belief in a
Creator? Despite what several
prominent members of the scientific community say, there are logical reasons
for believing that God created the
heavens and the earth. The most
amazing are the characteristics of our universe favoring human existence.
The Fine
Tuning of the Universe
Over
the past century it has become apparent that the universe is finely tuned to
the needs of life on earth.
Although several have written on this topic, called the anthropic
principle, a recent and easily readable book is Just Six Numbers by Martin J. Rees.6 He lists six qualities of the universe
described by six fundamental physical constants. Each seems to have been honed to the finest of tolerances so
that humans might exist.
The
most amazing is Ω, (Omega), the number describing the expansion rate of
the universe, or the balance between gravity and outward expansion. This number is accurate to one in a
million billion! (1,000,000,000,000,000) (Pag. 88). This is incredible
precision. Rees discusses this astonishing finding, and how each of the numbers
impacts life on our planet. We
could not exist without this accuracy.
Rees
does not subscribe to belief in a deity, but his reason for skepticism is
telling (pages 148-150). He gives
no logic for his rejection of this idea, but merely states a preference, and
begins to speculate about Òmulti-versesÓ (other universes besides ours). However, there is no evidence
presented to support the existence of other universes. In fact we are unable to know of them,
even if they do exist. So his
thinking is based on speculation he chooses to believe, and a presupposition
that eliminates God.
Aside
from Scripture, this fine tuning is the strongest evidence for GodÕs
existence. Order, elegance, design
and the big bang also point to a Creator.
Order and
Elegance
There
is much order seen in the universe and in living organisms. The laws of physics and life show
thoughtful synthesis. But I find
most impressive the order inherent in the Periodic Table of the Elements. This arrangement of the 90 naturally
occurring atoms (along with the several man made ones) was discovered by
Mendeleyev in the mid 19th century.
He grouped the families of elements together from lightest to heaviest
by examining their shared characteristics, and realized there was a repetitive
sequence. He then placed them in
an order that predicted some that had not yet been discovered. Discovery of these confirmed the
tableÕs truth.
The
whole material universe has is made of these elements. We humans are of the same stuff as the
stars. The elementsÕ electron
properties allow for the construction of a wonderful array of chemical
compounds (as especially seen in the chemistry of life: proteins, DNA
etc). While characteristics of the
nucleus allow fusion to release massive amounts of energy giving light and
warmth (The stars burn Hydrogen in their nuclear reactors forming Helium and
heavier elements).
But
these diverse elements with all their amazing combinations and derivations are
concocted using 3 forms of matter: protons, neutrons, and electrons, and three
forces: the weak and strong nuclear and the electromagnetic forces. A few basic laws govern their actions. This is an elegant order. Such beauty and complexity from such
simplicity!
During
my career as a surgeon, I have seen some who operate with finesse, and others
who, shall we say, perform with lesser skill. I know the thinking and planning and experience it takes to
make an operation look easy. It
does not happen by accident. It is
deliberate and intentional. And we
praise surgeons who devote their lives to the perfecting of their craft in the
service of others.
The
elegance and beauty in the order of the very atoms of our being does not give
the appearance of the workings of chance.
But rather that of careful thought and intention, like a well planned
operation. I see this as strong
evidence for a Creator, who knew the nature of His medium, and used it with
grace and skill.
The Big
Bang
Although
not all would agree with various details of the Big Bang theory, it has been
accepted by most cosmologists as a fairly accurate description of the origin of
the universe. It has a very
interesting feature: a beginning.
This theory of origins, is consistent with Genesis 1:1. It also argues against an eternal or
cyclical universe This makes
atheists uncomfortable.
Arthur
Eddington, a British physicist and atheist who experimentally confirmed
EinsteinÕs general theory of relativity in 1919 said, ÒPhilosophically, the
notion of a beginning to the present order is repugnant to me. I should like to
find a genuine loophole.Ó If the
universe has a beginning, who initiated that beginning? A Creator outside the universe itself
is a logical deduction.
Design
The
biological realm shows amazing design.
The eye has most often been cited to demonstrate this property of
nature. But there are many
examples: wings, hands, social structures etc. Dickinson in the Scientific American of June, 2001, reviews experiments on
insect flight.8
This extremely complex skill is carried
out by a creature with the proverbial brain of a fly. And yet these tiny living machines can maneuver like nothing
else known to man. How did they
develop the ability to do these astounding feats? The belief that this could happen by gradual change through
natural selection (There is no explanation mind you, but merely assertion) is a
true act of faith.
Skeptics
have claimed that the design argument is of itself not strong enough to support
belief in the existence of God. I
do not hold to that view. As my
partner in practice said, ÒThings just looks to good to have happened by
chance.Ó In combination with the
order and accuracy seen in the deep realities of the universe, a very strong cognitive
position can be taken and defended.
Three
Further Points
Some
atheists, after listening to these points, have said, ÒWhy doesnÕt God reveal
himself to us? Why doesnÕt he just
show himself, (as one suggested) by writing his name in the sky so that we
could know? Why isnÕt it simple?Ó
God
has reveled himself in nature and scripture, and has given us minds to see and
eyes to read. The example of the
Israelites at Sinai warns us (Ex 32).
They saw the smoke and fire and heard God speak, but in 40 days they
were worshiping a golden calf.
Jesus cautioned those that were looking for a sign (Matt 12:39) and said
that they would not believe even if someone rose from the dead (Luke 16:19-31). Apparently God feels that men must
decide on the basis of evidence and the witness of another who writes what he
has seen. And who said life would
be simple?
Some
have said, ÒHow can we know which God this creator is? There are many gods, how do you know it
is the Christian God who creates?Ó
The implication is that since it is impossible to know, it is of no
consequence.
This
is shallow thinking. Man has
explored the atom and sent probes deep into space. Is he unable to search out
the most significant Being in the universe? Besides, we can simplify the quest by considering only those
gods that claim to be Creator.
Even the Phoenician sailors taking Jonah to Tarshish knew that the
Creator was of a different order.
Let questioners examine the various godsÕ claims. I think it will be clear.
And
third, some have said, ÒWell then, who created God and who created GodÕs
creator, etc.? This is called an
endless regression and it sidesteps the issue. The question under consideration is whether the universe
shows signs of intentional creation or the mere workings of chance. It shows the characteristics of
intention by its fine tuning and design. From our experience in daily life with cause and
effect, only one entity we know can be intentional, a mind. Therefore it is the product of
Mind. If we have established this,
then we can discuss by what means and where the Mind came from etc. However, these musings do not change
the answer to the primary question: the appearance of intention.
Conclusion
This
evidence leads me to believe in a Creator, one who possesses consummate
ability. I have excellent evidence
for this belief, and can stand without shame when called on by my God to do
so. I do not fear the purveyors of
purposelessness that some in modern science would endorse.9
ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON
CREATION VERSUS EVOLUTION
The
first part of this essay dealt with the evidence for theism. We have seen that there are good
reasons for believing in a Creator God, including the order and fine-tuning of
the universe and the evidence from design. Einstein (no dummy) believed an intelligence had made the
cosmos.10 Defending
this proposition is not difficult nor does it involve the denial of the
scientific evidence. The evidence
indeed points to a Creator.
God
has called Adventists to take a Biblical position: We are to warn the world of
the near coming of our Lord, admonishing them to return to their Creator and show their allegiance by
keeping the 7th day as a memorial of a literal 7-day creation. Holding this ground requires something
more than scientific evidence, for even believing scientists by and large
subscribe to an ancient earth, and DarwinÕs theory of evolution. The Catholic Church and most Protestant
bodies no longer accept the literal truth of the story in Genesis 1.
Can
we defend our position logically?
Below I present evidences pro and con for each theory. Although not exhaustive, I have tried
to look at the issue from many perspectives. Creation will be presented first, followed by the DarwinÕs
theory of evolution followed by my conclusions.
There
are some who hold to various combinations of these two systems (Theistic
Evolution for example). Any
combination will share in the strengths and weakness of each, and may involve
internal contradictions. I have
therefore chosen to view them separately so that the contrasts will be cast in
sharp relief.
For
those interested in a very candid discussion of the problems facing
Creationists, Ariel RothÕs book Origins11 is the best I know. He gives a thorough presentation of the weaknesses and
strengths of each position. The
book by Leonard Brand, Faith Reason and Earth History also takes a creationist stance.12
Creation:
Pro
The
Bible supports this theory. Although this may
seem elementary, the Bible has great persuasive power, so much so that it
stands, in spite of the assaults of atheists and agnostics for centuries. As mentioned in the first essay, about
50% of Americans believe in a literal 7-day creation,13 despite the
reported evidence against a literal reading of Genesis 1, and though the media
and most scientists reject it.
Two
pillars of objective reality support the Bible: The changed lives of those who
believe,14 and the fulfillment of prophetic predictions, such as
those found in Genesis 12, Daniel 2 and 7 and 9, and those describing the
character and work of the Messiah.
Jesus,
the disciples and Paul assumed the truth of this theory.
(see Matt 19:4-6, Mark
10:6-9, Acts 17:24, Col 3:16, 17, Heb 11:3, II Peter 3:3-7, Rev 4:11 and
14:7) For some Christians and
Jews, their endorsement is pivotal.
The
story of redemption seems to make no sense without the stories of Genesis 1-3. Bultmann in his small book, New Testament and Mythology, noted the close relationship between
the story of the fall and the need for salvation. If there were no fall, why need there be salvation and
atonement?15 By
rejecting a creation and fall, DarwinÕs Theory undermines the doctrine of
salvation.
The
story gives purpose. In Genesis 1 and 2, God works with
intention and deliberation to make a world suitable for the crown of creation,
humankind. They have a role to
play, and God has given them a work to do, and a place under the sun. They are the children of the Most High,
rather than the offspring of the scum of the earth. They are legitimate beings, not an accident. God comes at eventide each day to speak
to the man and woman. He talks
personally to them at the fall.
All this shows more than casual concern.
This
contrasts starkly with the purposelessness at the foundation of the
evolutionary theory, where there is only chance and ultimate meaninglessness.16 Stories of redemption are present
throughout all great literature and have an appeal to all that is good and great
in the human spirit (See Huston Smith, Why Religion Matters)17
There
is a certain incompatibility between evolutionary theory and the character of
God revealed in Scripture. Natural selection
ruthlessly culls the infirm and weak, while Jesus stoops to care for the Òleast
of these: my brethrenÓ. Millions
of years of death by an uncaring universe, contrast with numbered hairs and
heavenÕs interest in fallen sparrows.
Notice
that these ÒprosÓ are not based on evidence that is strictly scientific in
nature. But there is other
evidence besides that which can be tested using the scientific method. The claims of God in the Bible are of
such a character. God challenges
the other gods to tell the future (Is 41: 21-24) This is evidence can be checked against history, but does
not fall under the rules laid down by science. The testimony of a changed life is outside the ways of
science, yet remains a powerful incentive to belief.
Creation:
Con
The
creation story in Genesis is not really a scientifically stated theory. It is, rather, more like rhythmic prose. It does not lend itself to dissection
by using the scientific method, as this technique was not practiced by the
ancients. Moses knew nothing of
radiometric dating, fossils, sedimentary layers hundreds of feet thick, or
pseudogenes. Of course no one was
present at the beginning, so that each theory is not demonstrable, nor in the
strictest sense, refutable (A scientist has to repeat an experiment to tell
whether it is true or false). All
arguments on each side are inferences from the data.18
There
is, however, one statement in the creation story that can be tested: God said
that all the animals and plants would produce after their kind. The Theory of Evolution disputes this
statement asserting that over long periods of time, a ÒkindÓ will gradually
change into another: it will become a different Òkind.Ó Strictly speaking, the fossil record
seems to support the creationist view. In other words, few transitional forms
are found (macro-evolution has not been demonstrated).
Geneticist have been exploring the very edges of some ÒkindsÓ genetic
makeup, (we used fruit flies in biology lab) to see if they can show where
transition into another ÒkindÓ occurs.
Yet they come to a boundary that they cannot cross.19
The
Creation theory has minimal explaining power. For example,
an occasional whale is caught that has vestigial legs.20 These do not seem to have a specific
purpose. Creationists would say
that God just made them that way, while evolutionists would postulate that the
ancestors of whales must have had useful legs and walked on land. The theory of evolution thus has power to explain something that seems
strange, and unaccountable according to the creation theory.
Situations
such as this put creationists in a defensive position. There have been some successes here, but the overall impression is a
kind of tentativeness and jerry rigging that makes for embarrassment.21 Michael Behe argues that we cannot plumb
all the reasons why a Designer would do what He does and therefore cannot use so
called design flaws or apparent abnormalities to postulate the lack of a
Designer.
The
earth appears old. Huge layers of fossil containing
sediment, moving continents, radiometric dating, fossil magnetic imprints, etc.
all seem to speak of an ancient earth. In his book, Origins: Linking Science
and Scripture, Ariel A.
Roth gives an excellent creationist answer to this problem (Pages 233-261).
Almost
no scientists accept a literal six-day creation as a viable theory. The intellectual elite of the world do not even consider
creation a ÒrealÓ theory Even
believing while working in an unrelated area of science has caused Òbanning.Ó22
Evolution:
Pro
The theory is accepted as truth by the
scientific establishment. There
is a broad consensus that there is no other explanation for the facts of
biology. If one therefore accepts
this theory, he can avoid conflict with scientific thought and literature. I have not seen a mainstream scientific
article defending creation.
The
many evidences for the great age of the earth agree with the theory. A long age for the earth is no problem
for the evolutionary theory.
There
appears to be a continuity of life or common descent.
The plants and animals all
have the same genetic code and use the same basic molecules to construct their
bodies, trunks and fibers etc.
Creationists would say that God did it that way, while evolutions point
to this as evidence that all came from a simple common ancestor.
The
geologic column suggests progression. The fossils begin as
less complex organisms at the deepest layers and become more complex as one
ascends to shallower levels. There
seems to be a more or less orderly progression. It is not smooth, but it does not seem to be random, nor
does order progress from more complex to simpler.
If
geologists could find a dinosaur bone firmly and unmistakably embedded in the
Precambrian layer (one of the earliest fossil layers, the dinosaurs are to have
lived hundreds of millions of years later), it would be strong evidence that
both existed at the same time.
This would destroy the theory.
As far as I know, no one has found such a fossil.23
Evolution:
Con
This
theory tends to support materialism and atheism.
Dawkins, the prominent British evolutionist, feels it became much easier
to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist after DarwinÕs theory. Those theists who accept this theory
accept a God who is more distant and peripherally involved in his creation. Atheists will enquire of them, why do
you need God, if it all works without him?
Some
might argue that philosophy is irrelevant to this discussion. This is not so. Atheism and materialism are not
attractive, in spite of what their proponents say. These theories when taken to their logical conclusion
embrace a purposeless existence or fatal relativism. Governments with the worst human rights records have been
atheistic (the French Revolution, Communism, and Nazism).
Atheists
have often accused theists of grave atrocities not without some justification,
but their own hands literally drip with blood. The world has seen no greater and more efficient murderers
than atheists in power. The
Marxist and Nazi experiments of the 20th century are sobering evidence of the
bankruptcy of atheistic social theory.
Evolution
has no explanation for the origin of life. Evolution has
no theory for the origin of life.
Much speculation is presented as if it were true, but there is no good
theory. Speculation abounds.
An
article in the April 2001 issue of Scientific American25 demonstrates this. The author, Robert Hazen, argues that
certain minerals may have been essential in the formation of life. He suggests one of them, calcite,
as a catalyst that would have helped sort the amino acids in the primordial
organic soup. But careful thinking
shows that this mineral is inadequate for the task. There is no way that more than one protein could form by the
chance sorting of amino acids.25
A
creationist has responded: ÒWhat do you get after cooking primordial soup for a
billion years? Very old primoridal soup.
There
is nothing wrong with speculation.
It has opened up vast areas of knowledge unknowable without these
flights of imagination. But the
above idea has strong arguments against it. However, whenever the popular scientific press reviews new
ÒevidenceÓ on the origin of life, —from Stanley MillerÕs bell jar
experiments in the 50Õs to HazenÕs ÒMineral Stars in the Movie of LifeÓ in
2001—there is wild optimism about the ÒbreakthroughsÓ that have been
made. These are uniformly
overstated.
There
is evidemce of design.
Darwinians tell us that we are not using our minds when we believe that there
is a Creator. But they must deny
the use of their senses when viewing the cosmos. The universe and the life on our planet have a purposeful
look. They appear as if they were
made the way they are for a reason.26
Social
Darwinism has failed. A few years after Darwin, Herbert
Spencer described ideas to harness the theory to improve the human
species. If the rule is: Òsurvival
of the fittest,Ó why not help survival along with a little cognitive
input. Thus we saw the birth of
Eugenics and the ÒSuper Race.Ó
This thinking was one foundation of HitlerÕs social program to
exterminate Òdefective races and individualsÓ
2
Peter 3:3-7 seems to describe the doctrine of uniformitarianism that has been
held by many scientists since the beginning of the 18th century and is a basic
assumption of DarwinÕs thesis.
This theory states that the processes we see active on earth today are
the only ones that have operated in the past. Many scientists now include some forms of catastrophism
(such as meteors striking the earth.), though few believe in a universal flood. These verses tell us that in the last
days, men would be scoffers saying the world had lasted a great length of time
and that the flood was a myth.
They thus seem to confirm the description found in scripture.
Darwin
said: ÒIf it could be demonstrated
that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by
numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break
downÓ (quoted by Patterson page 117.)
Behe seems to have demonstrated this with irreducible complexity.27
Putting
it All Together
I
have met God. I have seen him work
in my life and in the lives of others.
I particularly remember experiences as a colporteur in central
California between my first and second years of medical school. GodÕs Spirit appealed to the people
through us as we went from door to door.
This answered any lingering doubts in my mind about his existence. The reasoned responses to atheismÕs
arguments came later, but confirmed my experience.
I
have seen God speak to the most basic human needs through His Word, the
Bible. There is a solace there
that exists nowhere else. I have
also seen that if the church had only adhered firmly to scripture, much error
and many conflicts could have been avoided. This is not an anti-intellectual position, for
study of the Bible requires careful thought, and its deepest secrets open only
to the diligent seeker.
I
have seen how the theory of evolution has shaken the faith of old and young
alike in the truth of the Bible.
Some recover and rethink their doctrine of the Bible, or adjust their
view of science. But others are
unable to do this, and leave the church in body or if unable to do so, in
mind. This theory causes
such destruction of faith that I cannot see that it is part of the truth of
God.
I
therefore give more weight to the evidences for creationism and set aside those
interpretations of science that support DarwinÕs theory. I have made a conscious decision to
give greater weight to arguments supporting scripture than to the findings of
science that conflict with revelation.
I have not ignored science nor denied it findings, but accept revelation
as a higher more complete knowledge.
This is an informed decision, after looking at all the evidence
including that of the scientists and my own experience.28 There have been days and nights of
prayer and struggle.
Both
theories have gaps in their science that must be bridged by belief in something
that cannot be proved. Creation
has difficulties with the apparent age of the earth, the continuity of life and
the geologic column. Evolution has
problems with the origin of life, the order seen in living things, and the
origin of the laws of the universe, (molecular laws etc.).
Both
are logical if certain assumptions are accepted. Each depends on a leap of faith of some kind. The Bible is up front about this. It confesses that belief in creation is
an act of faith (Heb 11:3). There
is evidence, but faith is required.
Many scientists are less transparent, refusing to see that their
position also requires faith:
faith that science will in the future be able to answer all the
questions of life for which it has no answer now.
For
those struggling with science, John, in his first letter describes Christ as
One seen, heard and touched, that is, scientifically examined. He then writes his thesis on the
findings: God is light and there
is no darkness in him (1John 1:5).
And
what is the conclusion of the skeptics after all their careful research? ÒThe universe that we observe has
precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no
purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.Ó29
I
have chosen a life colored by faith.
Habitual faith is a treasure I have fought for. It requires exercise to become strong
and to remain healthy. We cannot
let the world rob us by its sophisticated arguments and caustic ridicule.
The
majority of evolutionists would not be convinced by these arguments, but I
think it is clear that creationists are still using their brains, in contrast
to Mr. RennieÕs contention. Not as
atheists use theirs, but using them nevertheless.
Endnotes
1.
ÒA Total Eclipse of Reason,Ó Scientific American, (October, 1999), p. 124.
2.
ÒFifteen Answers to Creationist Nonsense,Ó Scientific American, (July 2002), pp. 78-85.
3.
Gallop Poll Web site. The most recent poll on this topic was February of
2001. The question asked was
regarding the origin of humankind.
4.
Edward J. Larson and Larry Witham, ÒScientists and Religion in America,Ó in Scientific
American, (September 199) pp. 81-85.
5. John M. Robinson, Editor, Origin and Evolution of the
Universe: Evidence for Design? (Montreal, 1987),
pp. 23-25. This is a
compilation of rather ponderous essays by scientists who wish to explain away
the evidence for design and the very small probability that the universe could
have occurred by chance. At the end, at least one (Hugo Meyness) allows that
all the speculation might not stand to OckhamÕs razor (page 255).
(Ockhams razor: the best explanation of an event is the one that is the
simplest) However, the essays show
the thinking of an atheistic group addressing these issues. The pages noted are the conclusions
reached by Robert H. Haynes in his essay: The ÒPurposeÓ of Chance in Light of
the Physical Basis of Evolution.
6.
Martin J. Rees, Just Six Numbers: The Deep Forces That Shape the Universe (New York, 2000).
7.
Cosmology
8.
Michael Dickinson, ÒSolving the Mystery of Insect Flight,Ó in Scientific
American, (June, 2001),
pp. 48-55.
9.
See 5 above
10.
John Robson, editor, Origin and Evolution of the Universe: Evidence for
Design? (Montreal, 1987), pages 273-275.
11.
Arial A. Roth, Origins: Linking Science and Scripture, (Review and Herald Publishing Assoc.
1998).
12.
Leonard Brand, Faith Reason and Earth History, (Andrews University Press, Berrien
Springs MI, 1997).
13.
Gallop Web site. Poll of 2001
regarding human origins.
14.
Armand M. Nicholi, Jr., The Question of God, (New York, NY. 2002). A fascinating book by a Harvard
psychiatrist comparing the lives of Freud the atheist and C. S. Lewis the
believer.
15.
Rudolph Bultmann, New Testament and Mythology (1941).
16.
Richard Dawkins, ÒGodÕs Utility Function,Ó in Scientific American, (Nov 1995), p. 85.
17.
Huston Smith, Why Religion Matters, (NY, 2001). A
fascinating book by the son of missionaries to China. He describes the conflict in worldviews between science and
religion. See particularly
chapters 3, 12 and 14.
18.
Colin Patterson, Evolution (NY, 1999) p. 45.
19.
Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, Punctuated Equilibria: The Tempo and
Mode of Evolution Reconsidered, Paleobiology, Vol 3, pages 115-151. 1977. Though evolutionists, these two
scientists showed that the fossil remains do not record smooth transitions
between groups. Rather each
species was distinct. They
postulated that evolution occurred rapidly in isolated groups that were not
preserved. This explained the lack
of transitional forms in the fossil record.
20.
Kate Wong, ÒThe Mammals that Conquered the Seas,Ó in Scientific American, (May 2002), pages 70-79.The chart on page 74 of this
article shows the various purported whale ancestors, but documents no
transitional forms between the fossil species.
21.
Michael J. Behe, DarwinÕs Black Box, (New York.
1996), pp. 222-227.
22.
Ibid., page 237.
23.
Roth in Origins has a
good discussion of this problem from a creationist viewpoint. See pages 147- 175.
24.
Freeman Dyson, Origins of Life. (Cambridge University Press, 1999).
25.
Robert Hazen, ÒLifeÕs Rocky Start,Ó
in Scientific American (April 2001), pp. 77-85.
26.
See Roth pages 94-112.
27.
Behe, DarwinÕs Black Box.
28.
See Behe, pages 232-253 for a discussion on choosing oneÕs philosophical
foundations.
29.
Dawkins, page 85
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is a one-time incredible NEW YEAR offer valid only until January 15,
2007. Several have asked me to
extend the offer from Dec. 31, 2006 to Jan 15, 2007, because they were away during the Christmas holiday.
You can see the
picture of all the SIX ALBUMS and read a detailed description of them, just by clicking at this URL address:
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/holidayoffer.htm
You can order the
complete package of 6 DVD and CD Albums for only $100.00,
instead of the regular price of $700.00, in four different ways:
(1)
Online:
By clicking here:
(2)
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/holidayoffer.htm
(2) Phone: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to
give us your credit card number and postal address.
(3) Email: By
emailing your order to <[email protected]>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number, and expiration date.
(4)
Regular Mail: By mailing
a check for $150.00 to BIBLICAL
PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 4990, USA. We
guarantee to process your order immediately.
SPECIAL
NEW YEAR OFFER ON THE PACKAGE OF ALL THE 18 BOOKS BY DR. BACCHIOCCHI FOR
$150.00, INSTEAD OF $455.00
The package consists of 18 books which
represent Dr. BacchiocchiÕs lifetime of research and writings. The 18 books are offered for only
$150.00, instead of the regular price of $455.00. Several books in the package make a
perfect Holiday Gift. For example, you may wish to give The Marriage
Covenant to a couple who
is facing marital conflicts. Many
couple claim to have been reconciled after reading this book.
You
may to give Wine in the Bible to people with drinking problems, It is a powerful book that helps
people understand the reasons for the biblical imperative of total abstinence.
You
may wish to give Christian Dress and Adornment to people who wear even to church very
revealing clothes. It is a timely
book that helps people understand the biblical teachings regarding our outward
appearance.
You
may wish to give The Christian and Rock Music to people who are addicted to rock
music. It is a compelling
symposium by 7 international scholars who help people understand the mental,
physical, and spiritual impact of rock music.
In
the package of 18 books you will find ideal books to give to people who need
help in various aspects of their lives.
By buying them as a package you pay only $8.00 per book, instead of the
regular price of $25.00. Just think how many gifts you can make at a bargain
price with the whole package of the 18 books.
You
can see the picture of all the 18 books and read a detailed description of
them, just by clicking
at this URL address:
You can order the
complete package of the 18 books for only $150.00,
instead of the regular price of $455.00, in four different ways:
(1) Online: By clicking here:......
(2) Phone: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to
give us your credit card number and postal address.
(3) Email: By
emailing your order to <[email protected]>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number, and expiration date.
(4)
Regular Mail: By mailing
a check for $150.00 to BIBLICAL
PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 4990, USA. We
guarantee to process your order immediately.
CD-ROM
WITH PROF. JON PAULIEN BOOKS &
ARTICLES
Prof. Jon
Paulien is one of the most respected Adventist scholars. Besides serving as the
chairman of the New Testament at Andrews University Theological Seminary, he
writes and lectures extensively in many parts of the world.
Until now
Prof. Paulien books and articles were available only in a printed form, often
unavailable at local ABC stores.
In view of my indebtedness to Prof. PaulienÕs scholarship, I have
offered to help him to place all of his books and articles on a CD disk. This makes it possible with the ACROBAT
global search, to locate immediately what he has written on biblical texts or
current topics.
The newly released CD-ROM contains more than a dozen of books and
scores of articles written by Prof. Paulien during the past 20 years of
research. You will find in this
collection a priceless resource to enrich your understanding and experience of
biblical truths. Prof. Paulien examines fundamental biblical beliefs in a
profound and yet popular way. He
is a recognized expert on the book of Revelation. Several of his books will
help you to unlock the secrets of Revelation.
The special
introductory offer of the newly released CD-ROM ALBUM with all of Prof. Paulien
books and articles is only $35.00 instead of the regular price of $50.00. The
price includes the airmailing expenses to any overseas destination.
To order the
newly released CD ALBUM with all of Prof. Paulien books and articles, simply
click here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/PaulienAD/
If you have
a problem ordering online, email us your order at <[email protected]>,
giving us your address, credit card number, and expiration date. You can also
order by phone, calling us at (269) 471-2915.
We will take your order by phone.
INCREDIBLE
NEW OFFERS ON HITACHI PROJECTORS
Lately
HITACHI has given an additional discount on their projectors to help especially
our churches and schools in developing countries. This is the special offer on
the following three models:
CP-X260
HIGH RESOLUTION 2500 LUMENS - Only $1095.00
Previous SDA
price for the 2500 lumens was $2595.00.
CP-X444
HIGH RESOLUTION 3200 LUMENS - Only $1795.00
Previous SDA
price for the 3200 lumens was $3295.00.
CP-X1250
HIGH RESOLUTION 4500 LUMENS - Only $3795.00
Previous SDA
price for the 4500 lumens was $4900.00.
WARRANTY:
The above prices include
a 3 years 24/7 replacement warranty that costs about $285.00.
You
can order the HITACHI projectors by calling us at (269) 471-2915. We will be able to quote you the
latest offer from HITACHI and take your order by phone.
NEW
TOSHIBA LAPTOP TECRA A8-EZ8312
This
is the latest TOSHIBA laptop desgned for professionals who want speed and
reliability. These are the specifications: Duo processor 1.66Hz, Memory size
512MB, Monitor size 15.4Ó, Resolution 1280x800, Hard drive 60GB, Optical drive CD-RW/DVD-Rom, Wireless,
3-USB ports. The special price is
$895.00, plus shipping expenses.
You
can order the TECRA A8-EZ8312 in four ways:
(1)
Online: By clicking here:
(2)
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/Toshiba/Notebooks.html
(2)
Phone: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give
us your credit card number and postal address.
(3) Email: By emailing your order to <[email protected]>.
(4)
Regular Mail: By mailing
a check to BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES,
4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs,
Michigan 4990, USA. We guarantee to process your order immediately.
THE
MOST POWERFUL REMOTE PRESENTER
If
you are looking for an outstanding REMOTE for your PowerPoint presentations,
you will be pleased to know HONEYWELL has just come out with the smallest and
most powerful remote in the market.
The
size of the transmitter is smaller than a credit card. You can stick it inside
the palm of your hand and nobody can see it. I tested the remote in an open
environment, and the radio signal can go up to 400 feet of distance. IT IS
INCREDIBLE! The transmitter has three button: forward, backward, and laser.
You
can order online the new POWERPOINT
PRESENTER simply by clicking here:
If
you have a problem ordering online, simply call us at (269) 471-2915. We will take your order by phone.
You
can also email us your order at <[email protected]>,
giving us your address, credit card number, and expiration date.
DOES YOUR
CHURCH OR SCHOOL NEED A SCREEN?
If
your church/school is looking for a screen, the DA-LITE SCREEN COMPANY, the
largest manufacture of screens in the world, has agreed to offer their line of
screens to our Adventist churches and schools at a about 30% discount.
The procedure is very simple. Visit the DA-LITE SCREEN COMPANY website
at http://www.da-lite.com. You will see
hundreds of models of screens with their respective prices. Once you find
the screen that you need, give us the model number by phone (269) 471-2915
or email your request <[email protected]>
We will forward your order immediately to DA-LITE that will ship the screen
directly to your address. You will receive the screen at about 30% discount.