COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
It’s not about intelligence. It’s about ideology
When I was in my early 20’s, my faith was rekindled. It became clear to me that I ought to investigate the possibility of becoming a pastor. As an evangelical Christian, I was warned about Charles Darwin. His views, I was told, were corrosive to faith. All kinds of negative things were associated with Darwin’s theory: Naziism. Social Darwinism. Atheism. Eugenics. Evolution, I was told, tears the heart out of the Bible and destroys its authority. In 1975, in my first semester as an undergraduate at Simon Fraser University, I enrolled in Archaeology 100. At one point, the professor raised the subject of the age of the earth. He quoted Bishop Ussher who, using Biblical genealogies as his guide, calculated that creation took place on October 22nd, 4004 B.C. The professor used that information to poke holes in young earth creationism. In a course assignment, I took issue with the professor. I did my best to defend a young earth view.
Suffice it to say my arguments received a less-than-positive assessment. I received a “D” for my efforts. After university came seminary. I was preoccupied at that stage of my life, with a series of challenges, but my interest in science continued. When things began to settle down, I embarked on an intellectual journey that continues to this day – studying the relationship between science and religion. When I read a book, I highlight portions of text, and sometimes make notes in the margin. It’s interesting to look back at those notes now, considering that they go as far back as 1990. At that time I knew, in a general way at least, what my church believed about the theory of evolution. We were against it. But exactly why was another question. As each year went by, I became more convinced that the scientific consensus was correct. I could see it in the ancient vastness of the cosmos and stellar evolution. I could see it in the biological reality of descent through modification and the resulting speciation. I could see it in the geological reality of deep time.
Research demonstes that, although the default perspective for most evangelicals is young earth creationism, a great deal of ambivalence remains. Many evangelicals aren’t sure what they believe. That was my own situation at that point in time. I have seen evidence of that ambivalence in my discussions with laypeople and some clergy as well. For many of our young people, evolution is a non-issue. They have no problem with it. What they do have a problem with is the way the church denies it. They have a problem with not being told the whole story. Christians must learn to trust one another. “Safe zones” are needed – places where we can leave fears and polemics behind and get on with establishing the truth of the matter. Christian leaders must initiate dialogue. They must encourage people to do their homework – to read widely – to think critically – and to reserve judgment until all the facts are in. It’s true. Evolution is the E-word. It’s a subject that, for many, is too hot to handle. I follow a few science and religion groups on Facebook. What surprises me is how nasty people can be with one another – belittling, impugning the intelligence of others.
But it’s not about intelligence. It’s about ideology. It’s about Biblical interpretation, otherwise known as hermeneutics. This is God’s world. He created it. And he decided which method he would use to accomplish that. Thankfully, He’s left a great deal of evidence behind. Social media has allowed me to get in touch with international experts in the field – experts who are most often people of faith – incredibly strong and vibrant faith. I value the friendships I have acquired. I now know – and rejoice in the fact – that it’s possible to be scientifically literate and, at the same time, a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. As I said in the preface, “If, at the end of the day, our interpretation of the scriptures is more accurate, our doctrines have been appropriately reviewed, our respect for science has grown, and our personal faith has been enriched, then the excursion described in this book has been worthwhile.”