The Teaching Corner

Ever since Charles Darwin’s work on evolutionary theory began to be commonly accepted among the scientific community, there has been controversy among Christians and a great debate has gone on between “Creationists” and “Evolutionists.”  As some Christians fought this theory with more and more vehemence, seeking to defend at all costs a strictly literal interpretation of scripture, a branch of quasi-scientific inquiry called “Creation Science” developed.  As part of their work in opposing the theory of evolution, “Creation scientists” have sought out whatever proofs they can that the earth is not billions of years old, but instead thousands of years old.  If this so called “young world” theory could be proven, it would undercut the vast timeframe needed for evolutionary theory to work.  Therefore the intellectual side of the creation/evolution debate has developed into a debate over the age of the planet.  This whole creation/evolution debate has caused much bitter fighting both between and among Christians and Christian denominations.

Some Christian groups have officially embraced Creation Science as the only correct way of understanding the origin of the earth and its life.  These groups without exception hold a view of biblical inerrancy and literal interpretation.  The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) has no official position in the creationist/evolutionist debate as it is currently defined.  The reason it has no official position on this debate is the same reason the ELCA, the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the majority of mainline Protestant denominations have no official position on millennialism (a thousand year reign of peace that is to occur either immediately prior to Christ’s return [post-millennialism] or immediately after Christ’s return [pre-millennialism]).  These views require an understanding of scripture that can be problematic and easily lead to missing scripture’s main point.

Unfortunately the term “Creationist” has become so corrupted in the course of the evolution/creation debate, that it is almost impossible to talk about maintaining a creationist view of the universe that is not inherently opposed to evolution, yet this is what most closely resembles the view of the ELCA and many other churches.  All Christians are creationists in the sense that we believe God is the creator and originator of the entire universe.  But exactly how God accomplishes this, whether through six literal days or a form of change and development over time that could be called evolution, remains a mystery and is unimportant.  The purpose of the stories of creation in Genesis is not to tell us the history of the beginning of the world, but to tell us something about the nature of creation, our place in it, and our relationship to God.  In the end, whether you find yourself more convinced by “creationists” or “evolutionists” is up to your own discernment.  It doesn’t change the very real fact that everything we have, everything we are comes from God—our source of life, well-being, and salvation.