Why is Christianity opposed to the theory of Evolution?

[Hattington]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

 

[joshua 1 9]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

God gave us science. He gives us artifacts and the natural evidence that Evolutionary theory is based on. Different people have different explanations for what they see in the way of evidence. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin has a different outlook then Darwin even though they are looking at the same evidence. Teilhard has a different perspective on original sin then the Church based on the information that we now have to work with.

Without sin or evil there can be no love and there can be no free will.

 

[Hattington]

God gave us science. He gives us artifacts and the natural evidence that Evolutionary theory is based on. Different people have different explanations for what they see in the way of evidence. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin has a different outlook then Darwin even though they are looking at the same evidence. Teilhard has a different perspective on original sin then the Church based on the information that we now have to work with.

Without sin or evil there can be no love and there can be no free will.

That still doesn't answer my question. I highly doubt millions of people oppose evolution because two men disagreed hundreds of years ago.
My question is: why do some Christiants refuse to accept evolution as a reasonable explanation to our becoming if the data strongly suggests it?

 

[joshua 1 9]

That still doesn't answer my question. I highly doubt millions of people oppose evolution because two men disagreed hundreds of years ago.
My question is: why do some Christiants refuse to accept evolution as a reasonable explanation to our becoming if the data strongly suggests it?

As new evidence comes along then science and religion need to re evaluate what they believe. In some cases people are stuck with their traditions and are resistant to change. Look at science. At one time a lot of babys died because the doctors did not wash their hands. When a doctor came along that advocated washing their hands he ended up getting fired for his efforts to try and save lives. So in science and religion they like to cling to their traditions and change is not always easy.

 

[TanithDaUnicorn]

That still doesn't answer my question. I highly doubt millions of people oppose evolution because two men disagreed hundreds of years ago.
My question is: why do some Christiants refuse to accept evolution as a reasonable explanation to our becoming if the data strongly suggests it?

To put it simply, the old testament proposes that the earth and life was made within 6 days, however evolution could NEVER happen in such a small space, it takes millions of years for it to occur

 

[Hattington]

To put it simply, the old testament proposes that the earth and life was made within 6 days, however evolution could NEVER happen in such a small space, it takes millions of years for it to occur

Are you following me? haha.
What you say is true.

 

[sfs]

Christianity isn't opposed to evolution; certain Christians and Christian sects (mostly Protestant, and mostly American) are. Lots of Christians were cautious about evolution, since it requires a reappraisal of our understanding of the origins, history and nature of humanity, and since it raises questions about the origins of sin. Vehement opposition to evolution, however, mostly stems from the fact that it became identified in the U.S. with the Modernist side of the Fundamentalist/Modernist split, and therefore became a marker for belonging to the wrong camp.

 

[Hattington]

Christianity isn't opposed to evolution; certain Christians and Christian sects (mostly Protestant, and mostly American) are. Lots of Christians were cautious about evolution, since it requires a reappraisal of our understanding of the origins, history and nature of humanity, and since it raises questions about the origins of sin. Vehement opposition to evolution, however, mostly stems from the fact that it became identified in the U.S. with the Modernist side of the Fundamentalist/Modernist split, and therefore became a marker for belonging to the wrong camp.

Does that mean that some Christians disagree with Creation because evolution challenges the idea?
And what do you believe?

 

[SkyWriting]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

The facts about evolution are fine.
Speculations about origins are not
good science.

 

[Hattington]

The facts about evolution are fine.
Speculations about origins are not
good science.

But it still has better evidence than creationism, so why roll in the same disapproved idea. To me it is analogous to people believing in the geocentric model when we have sufficient evidence suggesting the heliocentric model.

 

[sfs]

Does that mean that some Christians disagree with Creation because evolution challenges the idea?

No, it means that some Christians don't believe creation was anything like a naive reading of Genesis would suggest. As Dobzhansky put it, "Creation is not an event that happened in 4004 BC; it is a process that began some 10 billion years ago and is still under way."

And what do you believe?

See above.

 

[AV1611VET]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

Yes.

 

[Received]

Evolution is opposed by fundamentalism, not Christianity proper. Nobody interpreted the first few chapters of Genesis literally until fundamentalism, and original sin can be understood in a nonliteral way with this. The coming of Jesus has nothing to do with evolution given that it's a future event.

 

[Armoured]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

Most Christians accept evolution without problem. [/thread]

 

[Ada Lovelace]

It's mega late and I'm mega tired, so I'll just state for now that I agree with what SFS, Received, and Armoured have already written, and will post a few links to statements by Christian denominations about the compatibility of evolution and their creed.

http://episcopalscience.org/creation-science/
http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/theologyandworship/evolution/
http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/what-is-the-united-methodist-churchs-position-on-evolution

Catholic:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/opinion/schlumpf-pope-evolution-big-bang/index.html

 

[DogmaHunter]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

Because it was invented by people who didn't have a clue about biology.

 

[DogmaHunter]

As new evidence comes along then science and religion need to re evaluate what they believe.

Indeed. The thing is though, only science is actually doing that....

In some cases people are stuck with their traditions and are resistant to change. Look at science.

Errr... no. Look at religion.
Science books are reprinted and updated every couple of years. When's the last time a religion got revised in the same way based on actual new data?

At one time a lot of babys died because the doctors did not wash their hands. When a doctor came along that advocated washing their hands he ended up getting fired for his efforts to try and save lives.

Wut?
What is your evidence to support this wild claim?

So in science and religion they like to cling to their traditions and change is not always easy.

Science changes constantly. Religion changes, like... never. AT best, it changes some "interpretation", but still hangs on to its basic dogmatic premises and doctrines.

Let's be serious and honest about this.....

 

[ViaCrucis]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

Christianity doesn't oppose the theory of evolution. Also evolution doesn't refute any of the above.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Armoured]

Wut?
What is your evidence to support this wild claim?

Well, he's not wrong, technically. Semelweiss did have a very hard time convincing other doctors of the importance of washing hands, but it's not as though the scientific community didn't correct the error within a shorter time than any religion I can think of has altered it's holy texts.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Is it because it refutes the idea of Adam and Eve, original sin, and coming of Jesus?
Or are there any other reasons?

Well, the theory of evolution depicts animals coming out of the sea, the way the story is told, this is actually an allegory of the great beast nations and how they formed. So i'd imagine christianity innately disagrees with it, because it would almost seem like the expounding on evolution in a physical paradigm was the voice of the prophet of iron the beast that devours the earth and stamps the residue under its feet.

But I'd imagine for church goers that ended their biblical education in sunday school or the pulpit, it's probably related to the order of events being reversed from genesis.