Evolution and the Christian Faith: Theistic evolution in the light of scripture

Philip BellSKU: ECF6073 ISBN: 9781846256073

Price:
£10

Description

Debate over the opening chapters of Genesis has continued for over a century and a half since Charles Darwin advanced his revolutionary ideas. Arguments that once raged between liberals and evangelicals are now mainstream evangelical debates. Was there a historical Adam and Eve? An actual Fall (original sin)? What about suffering? And how did the New Testament writers, including the Lord Jesus Christ himself, treat Genesis? Does theistic evolution enhance our understanding of origins and Christian doctrine? Or does it hinder it as some maintain? This book sets out to explore these questions in detail. It assesses the impact of evolutionary thinking in society at large and whether or not theistic evolution is compatible with
core Christian doctrines.

About the Author:

Philip Bell trained in the natural sciences (zoology and geology) in the 1980s, then worked for nine years as a postgraduate biomedical scientist in cancer and leukaemia research in Bath. Following teacher training, he taught secondary school science. His work in creation/science apologetics since 2001 has seen him speak in churches throughout the UK and at numerous venues in many countries overseas. The CEO of the Creation Ministries International  UK/Europe) since 2007, Philip is also a church elder and an occasional lay- preacher. He is married, with five (mostly adult) children

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Customer Reviews

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Nick Fuller
Evolution and the Christian Faith — Theistic evolution in the light of Scripture

The creation / evolution debate still rages, and many Christians believe it is both scientifically untenable and scripturally naïve to accept a literal account of the beginning of Genesis. Some even charge creationists with pushing a teaching that is a hindrance to conversion. In this excellent and very readable book, Philip Bell investigates how theistic evolution (TE) squares with Scripture. Successive chapters assess TE in the light of biblical teachings on the attributes of God, Christ’s manhood and deity, the problem of evil, the nature of mankind, and the doctrines of sin, death, salvation and the new creation, concluding with the impact of TE on mission and on society. He shows powerfully that TE belittles and hides God’s ‘eternal power and divine nature’. He quotes atheists who have cited evolution as a reason for their unbelief. Bell shows that TE, with its millions of years of death, must logically (though contrary to Scripture and reason) place sin, suffering and death in God’s ‘very good’ creation. God then becomes the author of evil, and is not good. Bell stresses that even atheists can see that for God deliberately to engineer evolution as the process of ‘creation’ is totally incompatible with him as good and loving. This is a must-read for those who think that TE is compatible with Scripture and the Christian faith, or who think that this is an insignificant secondary matter. Bell reveals the gravity of the issue.

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Ben Short, Pastor of Providence Baptist Church, Surrey
Trying to square the circle

This book seeks to address the matter of whether a belief in theistic evolution, namely that God used the process of evolution in the design and making of life, can be legitimate given what the Bible teaches. The author is writing from an unashamedly non-evolutionary creationist viewpoint, which he (and I) believe to be the faithful way to understand what the Bible teaches about how God made this world and its diversity of life. Chapters deal with a wide range of aspects of how theistic evolution relates to different Christian doctrines, as taught in Scripture; eg 'Evolution and the attributes of God,' 'Evolution and the problem of evil, 'Evolution and the doctrine of salvation,' to name just 3 of the 11 topics. It is very thorough, exploring these various areas in much depth, and as such provides a compelling argument as to the incompatibility of theistic evolution viewpoints with Scripture. The author's purpose is not to interact with scientific research. He confines himself solely to the question of what the Bible says and how theistic evolution bears up under this. He does quote extensively from different authors and commentators in the scientific sphere, but this is done with the aim of showing that, 'even the atheist evolutionists will tell you that you can't square evolution with the Bible.' Overall the book is very helpful, being written for the layperson. This book is a thought-provoking and compelling case for rejecting theistic evolutionary ideas.

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NM
Evolution and the Christian Faith: Theistic evolution in the light of Scripture

Theistic Evolution is the view that God brings about evolution but He does it using only natural processes, chance mutations and the necessary colossal periods of time. The author contrasts this with the Scriptural account of creation. God is central to the Genesis account and He repeatedly intervenes in creation.Theistic Evolution sidelines God, reducing Him to a mere cosmic force operating behind the scenes.The author goes on to show that Christ and the Scripture writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, do not speak of creation in theistic evolutionary terms.The Genesis account is theistic. Evolution is consciously atheistic. Evolution is an alternative explanation of the origin of our world without invoking divine intervention. So Theistic Evolution is a marriage of two contradictory concepts. This brings us to the problem of the origin of evil and suffering. Evolution is merciless in its dealing with the weak - 'survival of the fittest'. Indeed evolution has been used to justify ruthlessness in dealing between human beings - 'murder of the weakest'. The Bible describes a very good creation, tracing the origin of evil and suffering to the Fall. To deny the historical Adam and Eve is to deny the Fall and the Biblical explanation of suffering and evil. We recommend this book. You will not find in it the standard scientific arguments against evolution. You will however find how evolution undermines the Gospel whether you tack on the adjective 'theistic' or not.

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Philip Robinson
Hard not to see the problems with theistic evolution

This is a well researched and written book with plenty of revealing quotes from theistic evolutionists about what they actually believe. The book is well structured into 12 chapters covering the various theological aspects that theistic evolution differs on from the Bible. Phil Bell presents serious theological challenges to theistic evolutionists throughout, while giving the reader more than enough Biblical material to explain and strengthen the Biblical Creationist position. If you really want to push on your thinking on this topic then this is the book for you.

Phil Robinson, Chairman, Creation Outreach Ministries

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