Answer by Diane Eager and Ed Neeland
School chaplains need to know that Biblical creation and evolution are mutually exclusive explanations, so let’s make a clear separation. The evolution model does not need to invoke God (ask any atheist). The Almighty God doesn’t need to use evolution. Combining the two is a desperate and unnecessary union. Why do we say this?
The contrast is best seen in the fact that evolution is a process of chance, struggle, disease and death that supposedly produced life. Genesis tells us that God created everything and it was very good. That means there was no struggle to survive, and neither disease nor physical and spiritual death existed before man sinned, for the Bible is emphatic that suffering sickness death etc are all the result of human sin which brought God’s judgement on man and on the planet. Therefore, it is important that Christian Chaplains really believe the word of God is true history, and to teach this to school students, because the troubles that require Chaplains to offer counselling and help in this world actually do serve as a constant reminder of our need for salvation . So rather than undermining our faith, teaching belief in the Creator and His reliable account of the creation from Genesis is foundational to the Christian faith.
Yes it is true that this is indeed a faith issue, but we the faith that is likely to be lost lies entirely on the evolutionary side. Let Ed Neeland explain:
As a scientist (a synthetic chemist), I see complete harmony between the evidence in our world and biblical account of creation. If I can inform students that that the Genesis account of creation is consistent with the evidence, none of us need to trade a fully functioning explanatory model based on Biblical creation with an inferior model, such as evolution.
Comparing both models with students actually does encourage critical thinking which is something we all want. There will be two clear winners: firstly the biblical creation model, and secondly, the students who will learn to analyse evidence which will help then in any aspect of life they pursue. The specific evidence to support a Biblical creation model and refute the evolution model is legion, so I encourage discussion of discuss the evidence with no restrictions, and let students draw conclusions.
What evidence you ask? Here is some that could be used.
Troubled by ‘a young earth?’ Consider then the presence of Carbon 14 in “old” objects where it should not be, such as in fossil dinosaur bones, plus helium in rocks, and the fact that comets which are wearing down at a measurable rate still actually exist. These all support a young earth/universe timeline consistent with biblical creation and not evolution. The fossil record is strong evidence for organisms reproducing after their kind and as a science professor, I honestly can’t think of one example of any fossil which demonstrates an evolutionary transition showing one kind evolving into another kind. Furthermore, it’s a fact that complex information always comes from a mind. Why don’t you just show students the myriad of molecular machines which exist in the cell (yes scientists call them machines). Ask students if there is any mechanism for how these machines might have arisen naturally. I suppose it is ironic that our best and brightest scientists can’t duplicate these machines (remember Ed Neeland is a synthetic chemist whose job it is to make complex compounds which don’t happen by themselves), and yet we are asked to believe they evolved spontaneously. This is madness. Only a superior mind could create such nano-machines. Of course, there is more (much more) evidence supportive of Biblical creation and directly contradictory to the evolution model, but suffice it to say that teaching students that God used evolution is completely unnecessary and indeed, is inconsistent with the evidence.
Rather than losing their faith in Christ and the Bible, such an honest comparison of each model (rather than fusing the two) with the evidence will strengthen their faith in the Bible’s reliability and deepen their walk with Lord. It has with me.
So is there anything true about the statement: “Unless we teach them God used evolution, they will lose their faith,”? For sure, if you do teach them God used evolution to create, they will definitely lose their faith in the Jesus who is the way the truth and the life, who told us the truth about Himself as the Creator in Genesis who is the Saviour of John’s Gospel.
The reverse is correct also. When students become convinced of the Biblical Creator and creation, they will definitely lose their faith in Humanistic Science and the evolutionary morality it is designed to impose on all.
School chaplains i.e. the ones who claim to be Christians and are employed by educational institutions or churches to work in private or public educational institutions, should be taking heed of the Apostle Paul: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12: 2) School chaplains therefore have a wonderful opportunity to encourage students to use their minds and search for truth. There is plenty of evidence supporting Biblical creation and contradicting evolution.
If school chaplains really want to build up students in their faith they should actually be teaching them the Biblical history of the world, i.e. the world has gone from Good to Bad to Worse which is the reason we all need Salvation.
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