bevets said:
The crux of the issue is 'What is your final source of authority?'
For Dr Wise, the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. If the Bible makes a claim that is disputed by science, the bible wins -- no contest -- you do not 2nd guess God.
Correction. Dr. Wise has as his authority
himself. That is,
his interpretation of the Bible. When there is a claim in
his interpretation disputed by science, then
Dr. Wise wins and you don't second-guess
Dr. Wise.
Christianity has long felt differntly and disagrees with Dr. Wise:
"If sound science appears to contradict the Bible, we may be sure that it is
our interpretation of the Bible that is at fault." Christian Observer, 1832, pg. 437
Dr. Wise's interpretation of the Bible can't be at fault. IOW, Dr. Wise can't be at fault. Sorry, Christians are supposed to worship God, not themselves.
You may not understand how the claims of the Bible can be resolved with scientific theories, but scientific theories come and go. Answers that dont seem obvious in one era become obvious with new discoveries.
However, theories that are
falsified don't change. They remain falsified. Special creation and creationism are two scientific theories that have been falsified. That will never change. However God created, it was
not by YEC.
For the 'theistic evolutionist', if there is a conflict between scientific theory and the Bible, Science wins. They are not concerned with the best intrepretation of scripture -- they are concerned with the best interpretation that fits scientific theory. Its not that they disrespect scripture -- its that they are absolutely convinced by the 'scientific evidence'
Not quite. The theistic evolutionist realizes that God really did create. That means that Creation has all the evidence of
how God created. Creation is therefore a second book of God. Written directly by God without having to go thru humans and their limitations. So, if what we find by studying Creation (science) shows that a particular interpretation of scripture is wrong, then that interpretation is wrong. God can't contradict God. But God can contradict our interpretation of scripture.
No one seems bothered by the possibility that origins may be beyond the grasp of man's intellectual inquiry.
Oh, yes, we are all bothered by it. However, until we demonstrate that origins are beyond the limits of our intellectual inquiry, we keep looking. It turns out that the scientific theory of YEC is
not beyond our grasp. We were able to show it to be wrong.
We should also remember that science will never know the mind of God, but God can make his mind known to man.
Whynot? Why can't science give us glimpses of the mind of God?
We sense God through nature, but we know God through his Word.
The problem is that creationists want to
know that God exists thru nature. You just told us that creationism is a futile exercise. Thank you.