1. Theistic Evolution
Creation/Evolution

2. Last week we talked about…
The universe had a beginning
God must be the creator of the universe
3 views Christians can faithfully hold: Old-Earth Creationism, Young-Earth Creationism, Theistic Evolution
Different Young/Old Earth Views
Was Adam a real person?
What does “day” mean in Genesis 1?
Dating methods/Noah’s flood/fossil record

3. Naturalistic Evolution Intelligent Design Theistic Evolution
Was there an intelligent agent involved in creating the universe?
Is the intelligent agent the God of the Bible?
Did God create humans directly (without evolution)?
Does the Bible indicate that God created the universe less than 10,000 years ago?
YES
YES
YES NO NO NO
Naturalistic Evolution
Intelligent Design
Theistic Evolution NO
YES
Old-Earth Creationism
Young-Earth Creationism

4. Naturalistic Evolution Intelligent Design Theistic Evolution
Was there an intelligent agent involved in creating the universe?
Is the intelligent agent the God of the Bible?
Did God create humans directly (without evolution)?
Does the Bible indicate that God created the universe less than 10,000 years ago?
YES
YES
YES NO NO NO
Naturalistic Evolution
Intelligent Design
Theistic Evolution NO
YES
Old-Earth Creationism
Young-Earth Creationism

5. Evolutionary Creationism
Theistic Evolution
Also known as:
Evolutionary Creationism
Fully Gifted Creation

6. Defining Theistic Evolution
How do we define theism? Does theism require a God who actively and intimately guides the development of life? Or does it allow a passive God who may not even know how the development of life will ultimately turn out? How do we define evolution? Does evolutionary theory require an undirected process? Or can evolution include a process guided to specific ends by an intelligent cause?

7. Did God guide the process?
Some say that God was active in guiding the process, but how he guided it is hidden from us
Others say that God did not actively guide it, but the process carried out naturally; God may not have even known what would happen (too extreme)
All theistic evolution views state that God performed at least 1 miracle: the creation of matter at the beginning
Many views state that he performed more than 1 (the creation of life, virgin birth, resurrection, etc)
Minimalistic theistic evolution believes he only performed 1 miracle

8. Was Adam a real person?
Most theistic evolution views believe that Genesis 2-4 should be read metaphorically and allegorically; it did not actually happen, but is a representative story
The cultural context Genesis was written in allows for this; the Fall of Man did not occur as recorded in Genesis
There are some who still believe that Adam and Eve were real people. Humanoids existed before them, but did not have souls. Adam and Eve were the first “humans” who God chose to represent the rest of humanity, about 10,000 years ago.

9. Common Beliefs
All theistic evolutionists believe that the Earth is as old as scientists say it is
They believe that the scientific evidence from many branches of modern science would make little sense apart from common ancestry and evolution
They believe that death existed before the Fall of Man (either the Fall did not happen as recorded, or it existed before Adam and Eve)

10. Naturalistic Evolution

11. Intelligent Design

12. Resources
BioLogos - Theistic Evolution Faith and Evolution - Intelligent Design, Theistic Evolution, Naturalistic Evolution Discovery Institute - Intelligent Design learning-about-creation-and-evolution-views/ General Overview

13. Defending our beliefs well

14. 1 Peter 3:14-16
 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

15. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 Colossians 4:6
And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:6