The Church, the Schools and Evolution — John Shaqi
The Church, the Schools and EvolutionConant, J. E. (Judson Eber)
Religion
The Church, the Schools and Evolution
Conant, J. E. (Judson Eber)
Evolution; Religion and science
"The evolution doctrine itself is one of the strangest
phenomena of humanity." It is "a system destitute of any
shadow of proof, and supported merely by vague analogies and
figures of speech, and by the arbitrary and artificial
coherence of its parts." And he concludes that it is
"surpassingly strange" that such a theory should find
adherents.
To this list might be added such names as those of Professor Henslow,
former President of the British Association; Prof. C. C. Everett, of
Harvard; Dr. E. Dennert; Dr. Goette; Prof. Edward Hoppe, the "Hamburg
Savant"; Professor Paulson, of Berlin; Professor Rutemeyer, of Basel; and
Prof. Max Wundt, of Leipsic.
After all this contrary testimony on the part of such unquestioned
authorities, we are forced to conclude not only that the testimony for
evolution is far from unanimous, but also that the theory is altogether
unproven, and that it is therefore utterly unscientific to teach it as a
fact, especially when those who do so furnish us with no direct evidence
whatever.
So long, therefore, as there is an unbridged gulf in the sub-organic realm
between nothing and matter, in the organic realm between the non-living and
the living, and in the super-organic realm between animals and man, the
Church cannot be blamed for being scientific enough to refuse to accept
such an unproven and discredited theory, at least until a few =facts= are
forthcoming. Until then we must conclude that all the proofs the scientists
can furnish rest altogether on inferences and assumptions.
When evolutionists can produce =matter= from nothing or increase =energy=
by any natural means known to man, or bring forth the =living= from the
non-living, or bring into existence even one new and distinct =species=,
then they will be in a position to compel the Church to listen to proofs;
but until then the Church is forced to reject evolution.
The most serious aspect of the controversy, however, lies in the second
objection mentioned above.
=II. The Logic of Evolution Is Destructive.=
It is destructive of all the fundamental doctrines the Church was sent into
the world to preach.
1. It destroys the doctrine of the =inspiration of the Bible=, by denying
its inerrancy and infallible and final authority.
Over and again in the early verses of Genesis we are told that God created
the various species to reproduce =after their kind=. But evolution says
that this is not true, for as a matter of fact, the various species have
continuously evolved from one to another all the way to man.
To a mind that is working normally, these two propositions are mutually
exclusive. And so those who retain their intellectual integrity and
consistency, and who therefore cannot accept two contradictory propositions
at the same time, are compelled to =make a choice= between them.
Huxley saw this when he said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account