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TechnoratiReasons to Believe (RTB) – a science and faith think tank which believes that the world was created in “ages” that correlate to Genesis’ six “days” – has taken the middle ground, believing in a billion-year-old earth while at the same time dispelling evolution.
The focus of its scientists when discussing the new Creation Museum is to look at the commonalities that Christians share and not get too caught up in the Genesis argument. Christians should not break fellowship over that issue, they say.
“One might expect mutual hostility between Answers in Genesis (the ministry behind the Creation Museum) and RTB since we fall into two different and disparate creationist camps,” explained RTB president Hugh Ross and group of scientists in a statement to The Christian Post. “However, from a Christian perspective, we have more in common than we have areas of disagreement. This statement does not gloss over the significant differences between each view or minimize the importance of working through those differences. It simply highlights the ‘in-house’ nature of this creation debate that God calls us to resolve in a manner that honors Him.”
A question that arises amid all of the debates is whether or not one type of creation model will discourage a person’s faith. If someone was told that evolution was true, for instance, would it drive them away from the Bible?
“Maybe there’s someone out there – but I haven’t met anybody yet – who because we told them to believe the six literal days and believe what the Bible has written, has left Christianity,” argued Ham. “But I sure have met many, many people, even just in the conference I was at in Washington, D.C., because of what they were taught years ago about evolution, that they learned not to trust the Bible.”
Collins, however, says he has seen the opposite occur. He has seen many youth leave the church, because they were told that the literal creationist model was the only one that they could follow.
“They have been led to believe that acceptance of those facts (for evolution) would mean the collapse of their faith,” Collins explained to The Christian Post. “They feel they are being asked to choose between science and faith. And yes, to my great sadness, quite a few of them choose science and walk away from their faith. How terribly tragic, and how terribly unnecessary.”
Despite their disagreements, all three camps of belief came to agreement when it came to this point: that what truly saves is the grace of God and belief in Jesus Christ. Through that, humans gain life.
To emphasize this conclusion, Collins shared a statement from one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity, St. Augustine.
“In matters that are so obscure and far beyond our vision, we find in Holy Scripture passages which can be interpreted in very different ways without prejudice to the faith we have received,” wrote the fifth-century Christian theologian. “In such cases, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search for truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it.”
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