Image via Wikipedia
This is part of a series of posts based on the Churches Together in England publication one light: one world. If you click on the link you will find the biblical texts. This post of the same name covers the purpose of this series.
Genesis 1:26-31
I have written a great deal in this blog about evolution and there is more to come! If we understand conversation to be a primary act, then we need to see it in all things; the conversations between churches are but one example.
The views of creationists and neo-Darwinians focus on the idea of design. I find this a static and unhelpful understanding of evolution. Design implies the sort of effort a human being puts into making a watch. It has a purpose and designs for watches (or bicycles or cars or computers) are largely convergent, we soon learn what works and so continue to design along similar lines. When we look at the design of a watch we see geometrical shapes, which we cannot see anywhere in a kitten, for example.
I prefer to think in terms of a conversation. Evolution is an ongoing conversation at many levels between living organisms and their environment. The theist might wish to add to that conversations between God and the material world. I've no time to explore this further but will return to it in the future I am sure.
Verse 31, seems to be evidence of this. God speaks earlier in the narrative and now God sees the effects of his words; how has creation responded? If God were the all-powerful designer, as neo-Darwinists seem to imagine, why would God need to look? Creation would be perfect because it had been designed by a perfect designer. These words 'it was very good' seem to be God's judgement on a creation that is not essentially predictable because it has freedom to grow and develop in its own way.
We are in danger of thinking God has a design for the church. But if the liberation of the Holy Spirit is real there cannot be a design; we are free to develop our relationships as we see fit. The spirit calls us to base relationships on love and they grow out of love not some heavenly prescribed design
Comments