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
It must be so self-evident as to be axiomatic that there are two distinct
realms in God's universe. One is the realm that contains the Creator, and
the other that which contains His creation. Of course, if we are
pantheists, we will not admit that classification; but those who believe
and accept the Word of God are not pantheists.
It is inevitable, therefore, that the facts, the verities, the truths of
the universe should be classified according to their realms; those having
to do with the Person and relationships of the Creator being separable into
one realm, and those having to do with His creation into another.
That this classification is universally recognized, is a matter of common
knowledge. That class of truth which has to do with God we call
supernatural, or spiritual, truth, and that which relates to His creation
we call natural, or scientific, truth.
It is precisely because of this classification that there are two separate
institutions in the world, each of which is working in one of these realms.
The =Church= accepts it as her function to receive and propagate spiritual
truth, as God has revealed Himself in His character; while the =Schools=
accept it as their function to study and teach scientific truth, as God has
revealed Himself in His works. This is the entire logic of the existence in
the world of these two separate institutions, both of which are engaged in
the investigation and propagation of truth.
But although the Church and the Schools are entirely separate institutions,
and although they are engaged, one in the spread of spiritual truth and the
other in the diffusion of scientific truth, yet =truth is an eternal
unity=. This must be so, in the nature of things, for all truth proceeds
from and reveals the one and only God Who is its Source and of Whom it is
the consistent and perfect expression.
Conflict between these two realms of truth is, therefore, eternally
impossible. Men talk of a conflict between science and the Bible, but no
such conflict exists. If there is any contradiction, it is not between the
statements of Scripture and the facts of science, but between the false
interpretations of Scripture and the immature conclusions of science.
Herbert Spencer was right when he said:
It is incredible that there should be two orders
of truth in absolute and everlasting opposition.
Not until God begins to contradict Himself will these two realms of truth
ever be in conflict with each other.
The Church and the Schools, then, can never be in conflict until some
abnormal condition creeps into the one or the other; for, although working
in different realms of truth, each is yet receiving revelations of the one
God who can never be in conflict with Himself.
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