Here are a few brief notes and links from some of the sessions I
attended at the National Conference on Christian Apologetics. I chose several
sessions related to biology because that is what my first degree was in and I
still enjoy it. It was an encouraging and educational time.
1) God’s Crime Scene: Evidence for God’s Existence from the Fine-Tuning
of the Universe- J. Warner Wallace (Cold Case Christianity)
Can the finely tuned systems of
our universe be explained by something within the universe? No, there are far
too many variables for chance to have created the universe as we know it. There
had to have been an outside force that was both purposeful and powerful. The
existence of morality implies that the force was also personal. The answer to
our questions is not a “what” but a “Who.”
2) The Age of the Earth: A Charitable Approach- Eric Gustafson
(Southern Evangelical Seminary)
Though there are many areas for
disagreement, old earth and young earth Christians should be able to agree on these points:
a) Biblical interpretation-
Creation passages are historical rather than metaphorical, though not scientifically
precise.
b) Scriptural genealogies refer
to real people in real history, but are not necessarily comprehensive (ie.
generations may have been skipped). Genealogies are not intended to provide
exact details but key people.
c) Death before the Fall- Only
humans are endowed with a spiritual nature. No humans died before the Fall;
however, animals were most likely mortal from creation.
d) Presuppositionalism- Can
non-believers correctly interpret general revelation? God’s general revelation
properly interpreted will never contradict His special revelation properly
interpreted.
3) It’s Time to Do Biology as if Darwin Had Never Been Born- Randy
Guliuzza (Institute for Creation Research)
Darwin essentially said that
changes in environments cause changes in organisms, thereby making adaptation
externalistic. He said that the changes in organisms were copious, small,
undirected mutations over long periods of time. However, ongoing research
disproves that theory. A single species without any changes in DNA can adapt
different characteristics based on how it senses its own environment through Continuous
Environmental Tracking. These changes can take place within a single generation
and are predictable, not just genetic drift and survival of the fittest.
4) The God Who Wants Us to Test Him: Testing Genesis with the Latest
Science- Hugh Ross (Reasons to Believe)
From an old earth perspective, scientific
research continues to reveal that the order of events in nature corresponds
with the order as outlined in the Bible in Genesis 1 and Job 37-39. Previously
assumed disparities have been disproved. For example:
- Vegetation fossils have been found which prove that plants existed before animals.
- Fossils continue to show no transition species.
- Continents emerged more quickly than originally believed.
- Genetic diversity of closed populations increase faster than predicted, so we could have all come from two original humans.
© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright
free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect
the views of my church or employer.
