Editor,
Regarding Matt Grocott’s column “Doubting Darwin” May 24, of course God created the heavens and the earth in six days, but you don’t know how long the days were. Hebrew, Greek and English frequently use the word “day” or “days” to refer to longer than 24-hour periods (Gen 6:4, John 8;56, Gen 6:4, and dozens of others).
Once you accept this, you can begin to harmonize, albeit approximately, the biblical and scientific accounts of creation. Read through Genesis 1: The first day could be the Big Bang, the third day the formation of stars and galaxies, the subsequent days the creation of creatures on Earth, the last being homo sapiens. This is called Day-Age Theory and was propounded by such eminent theologians as Charles Hodge, Benjamin Warfield and Wilson Albright. Well of course there are still some hoops to jump through, but it’s a lot better than ancient pagan creation myths (Mayan, Sumerian, etc) in which the gods had a battle and one god died, so the other gods made the universe out of his body.
But to maintain, along with letter writer Mr. Cody (June 4) that “God has evolved” because “human morality has changed” is nothing more than rank unbelief. Human morality may change: but God does not change. He is not a figment of our imagination. His mercy endures forever. His justice endures forever.
So come on, Mr. Cody. Confess that you’re an atheist. I won’t judge you. That’s God’s job, not mine. And frankly, I don’t want that job.
Clayton Rich
South San Francisco
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(7) comments
Clayton... thanks for a great letter.
Yes, the Hebrew tradition from earliest times accommodates modern day scientists who advance the big bang theory with these simple words... "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." Genesis 1:3
That had to be quite a show...
And how on flat Earth would they know???
Of course, it is all made up, like most of the other bible stories.
Hello, Jorg
Thanks for acknowledging your choice to censor content you don't like and being honest about it. A long time ago, while defending your use of pejoratives to describe conservatives you asked me how I would describe people who disagreed with me.
Neighbor
Check out Luke 10:29-37 NIV... it'll be the best one minute of your day.
So what, Ray? And what would YOU know about my day and what were the best minutes? What nonsense!
Did you read the selection? You can be Christian, Muslim or an atheist and still benefit from the richness of the lesson.
A Jewish man and a Samaritan were from tribes that hated each other. Yet when the the Jewish traveler is left for dead it is his enemy, the Samaritan, that comes to his rescue. They were from different tribes but they could still be neighbors. If we find ourselves in a time of great need like the traveler, does it matter who offers their hand to help?
Jorg... in the words of Fred Rogers... "Won't you be my neighbor?"
Mr. Rich, thanks for your letter. Great last paragraph. Let’s hope you haven’t stirred a hornet’s nest.
Thanks for sparking what can be an illuminating conversation about faith and science! One of my favorite people is an astrophysicist Christian and we've had some incredible conversations. Your point about God not evolving, though.... after the great flood, God did say that God would never do anything like that to the planet again. Could one not consider that an evolution of thought on God's part?
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