The Biblical Explanation: Part Three – Biblical Evolution
BOOK III: The Enigmatic Mystery (Science & Religion) – Consideration #177
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Tuesday February 25, 2025
Natural selection can only select what is present. It can never create what is absent.
– Dr. Edgar Andrews
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
For the most part, the “first day” of the universe is essentially the same in both the scientific and Biblical explanation of realty. It is almost self-evident that they are referencing the same event: a sudden expansion, or explosion, of pure energy, or light. However, once time enters the narrative there are distinct issues that arise between these two explanations, particularly related to the concept of a literal twenty-four-hour day. The essential problem centers around a scientific theory commonly known as Evolution.
The first problem was that the Theory of Evolution proposed that life evolved on the earth based on “natural selection.” The Bible proclaimed that life was created by God. The second problem was that the theory also suggested that the earth had evolved, and that its evolution could be measured through empirical evidence found in the fossil records. These fossil records indicated that the earth was much older than the age calculated by Biblical scholars. Evolution was the root of not only the schism between science and religion, but also a schism among believers themselves.
“the Genesis story generally follows the evolutionary process…”
Taken literally, the Genesis narrative cannot be reconciled with the Theory of Evolution. However, taken as a rational analogy or metaphor it is no longer incongruent. As a general description describing the “process” of evolution, the Genesis story generally follows the evolutionary process as the theory proposes. While many Jews, Christians, and others embraced this opportunity for reconciliation, many were not ready to give in to science so easily.
There is no doubt that the Bible specifically references a twenty-four-hour day in the six steps of creation, each day ending with: “And there was evening, and there was morning.” However, it also specifically states that the sun and the moon, which are needed for a traditional twenty-four-hour day, are not created until the fourth day. So, there appears to be some inconsistency within a strict interpretation of what, “And there was evening, and there was morning,” actually indicates in this context.
Let’s begin by considering a typical example of how the Genesis story might work as a rational analogy that fits logically with the scientific explanation.
CONSIDERATION #177 – Biblical Evolution
The Genesis story works amazingly well with evolution theory and the scientific explanation of the universe if you make two very simple adjustments. 1. Change the concept of “day” to the concept of “time” by replacing the word “day” with the words “first” and “next.” 2. Move the “fourth day” to the “second day.” This move also solves the problem of having a twenty-four-hour day before there is a sun and a moon. These two adjustments give you the following outline of “creation.”
First, God creates light. (The Big Bang)
“Let, there be light, and there was light”
– Genesis 1:3 (The First Day)
Next, God creates the Universe and Solar Systems (Time Begins): planets, suns, moons, and stars. (The formation of universal empirical objects such as planets, suns, moons, and galaxies along with the laws of physics)
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
– Genesis 1:14-19 (The Second Day – Originally Day Four)
Note that time begins with the Sun and the Moon and that they are specifically created for the purpose of establishing time: days, seasons, and years. Suggesting that the empirical objects of the universe essentially manifest or “generate” time. It also reestablishes that “days” are the measure of “evening” and “morning” which are determined by the sun and the moon.
Next, God creates planets capable of sustaining life. (Planetary Atmospheres within Solar Systems begin to develop)
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.”
Genesis 1:6-7 (The Third Day – Originally Day Two)
Next, God separates the land from the water; vegetation begins to grow on the land. (The necessary conditions for higher life to evolve on earth)
“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.”
– Genesis 1:9-11 (The Fourth Day – Originally Day Three)
Next, God creates life in the seas, or oceans. Water is necessary for life to occur on earth. (Animal Life begins in the oceans)
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”
– Genesis 1:20 (The Fifth Day)
Next, God creates land animals. (Life evolves into more complex life-forms, such as mammals)
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.”
– Genesis 1:24 (Early the Sixth Day)
Next, God, creates “mankind” in “his” image. (Life evolved from simple cells, to sea animals & birds, to mammals & land animals, to human beings; with human beings as the most evolved animal on earth, so far. Because we are “rational” animals capable of “rational” thought; we are unique from all other animals on earth.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
– Genesis 1:26-27 (Later the Sixth Day)
Next, God rested. (Some Deists see this as the evidence that God no longer involved Himself with the empirical process – The Bible does not directly explain exactly what this “rest” is.)
Given that this was written as an explanation of “reality” to a “non-scientific” audience over 3,000 years ago it is really not a bad “scientific” synopsis!
Despite the epic battle between Christianity and Evolution, the truth is that the Biblical account in the Garden of Eden very much follows the evolutionary process. After God creates the universe (Big Bang), He focuses on one particular planet called earth. First, He creates an atmosphere. (Genesis 1:7-8) Next, the conditions for simple and advanced life are manifested; land and oceans. (Genesis 1:9-10) Vegetation and plant life begin to grow on the earth. (Genesis 1:11)
“It is interesting to note that scientists now believe that dinosaurs are genetically related to birds…”
Animal life begins in the oceans. Starting as single-cell organisms and evolving into various sea-life. (Genesis 1:21) It is interesting to note that scientists now believe that dinosaurs are genetically related to birds, which appear with sea creatures before any other non-aquatic animal in the Bible. Some sea animals evolve into land animals. (Genesis 1:25)
Eventually human beings evolve from the lower animals. Because of their unique ability to reason and use language, they become the dominant species on earth. They are the peak of the evolutionary process.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
If we consider the Biblical explanation to be correct, then the scientific explanation is to a great extent supported by it. And if we consider the scientific explanation to be correct, then the Biblical explanation is to a great extent supported by it. Therefore, regardless of belief, to a great extent these two stories support each other and reflect the same basic process of creation and evolution.
Yet these two sides often see each other as the enemy of the truth.
POSTSCRIPT
There is a reason why these stories reflect the sequential structure of modern scientific theories; the rational logic of science was developed through the rational logic of theology and Greek metaphysics. Western religion is the root of Western science. (Think Aristotle – Descartes; Pythagoras – Kepler, etc.) This sense of linear logic in Genesis reflects a general western logic that evolves into “modern science” during the Renaissance and Enlightenment.
“Science and religion are directly connected to each other…”
Science depends on a Rational Universe created in a logical way that displays its rationality through its very manifestation; allowing it to be understood by “rational” minds; such as human beings. Making the discipline of science possible. This is why “Western science” did not develop in the “East.” Science and religion are directly connected to each other; many people have forgotten this.
Religion and science are so connected that ironically, many supporters of the Biblical explanation use science itself to bolster their Biblical argument. One prominent argument is that actual fossil records suggest that a dynamic flood (Noah) displaced the natural fossil record, which actually indicates that the Biblical explanation is really more accurate. This “theo-scientific” argument is built on the same rational structure and follows the same logical reason as any other scientific theory.
“The fossil record is often touted as solid proof that the Theory of Evolution is true, while Creation and the Flood are false. When one examines the evidence, the opposite is found to be the case. The three major traits that characterize the fossil record-abrupt appearance, stasis, and extinction- contradict evolutionary predictions and verify Creation/Flood predictions…
Clearly, the Theory of Evolution does not fit the physical evidence. Many of its most fundamental predictions are consistently falsified through observation of the evidence left for us in the fossil record. Evolution, therefore, has been effectively falsified. Upon assessing the evidence, it seems that one must be determined to ignore it, blindly holding to naturalism, to accept evolution. Biblical Creation and the Flood fit the evidence.”
– Jeff Miller, Ph.D., Does the Fossil Record Support Creation and the Flood?
However, for many Jews, Christians, and Muslims the point is moot; there is no need for reconciliation because a demand for objective proof and a total acceptance through spiritual faith are inherently irreconcilable experiences. Religion is an expression of faith; it has no need or desire for empirical proof. Although perhaps the seemingly unending chasm between scientific and religious truth may not be as wide and as deep as first thought.
Next week we begin a consideration regarding the Paradox of Abstraction in both science and religion…
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“First, God creates light. (The Big Bang)”
My contention is that the Big Bang is not synonymous with the creation of Light. Because light is a wave or particle quantum, it could not coexist with the Big Bang — which burst into darkness. Particles of light, e.g., photons, had to be created subsequently as forces of released energy created the first particles of matter, i.e., hydrogen, helium, etc. Therefore, it follows that darkness reigned until photons “came to light” (so to speak) in the universe. IMHO, the phenomenon of the Big Bang pre-existed the appearance of light —which did not occur until God said “Let there be light, and there was light” …afterwords.
P.S. The duality of light and darkness “in the beginning” concurs more with Eastern than Western philosophy.