Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Prologue
- CHAPTER ONE Darwinism
- CHAPTER TWO Christianity
- CHAPTER THREE Origins
- CHAPTER FOUR Humans
- CHAPTER FIVE Naturalism
- CHAPTER SIX Design
- CHAPTER SEVEN Pain
- CHAPTER EIGHT Extraterrestrials
- CHAPTER NINE Christian Ethics
- CHAPTER TEN Social Darwinism
- CHAPTER ELEVEN Sociobiology
- CHAPTER TWELVE Freedom and Determinism
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
Epilogue
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Prologue
- CHAPTER ONE Darwinism
- CHAPTER TWO Christianity
- CHAPTER THREE Origins
- CHAPTER FOUR Humans
- CHAPTER FIVE Naturalism
- CHAPTER SIX Design
- CHAPTER SEVEN Pain
- CHAPTER EIGHT Extraterrestrials
- CHAPTER NINE Christian Ethics
- CHAPTER TEN Social Darwinism
- CHAPTER ELEVEN Sociobiology
- CHAPTER TWELVE Freedom and Determinism
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Can a Darwinian be a Christian? Absolutely! Is it always easy for a Darwinian to be a Christian? No, but whoever said that the worthwhile things in life are easy? Is the Darwinian obligated to be a Christian? No, but try to be understanding of those who are. Is the Christian obligated to be a Darwinian? No, but realize how much you are going to foreswear if you do not make the effort, and ask yourself seriously (if you reject all forms of evolutionism) whether you are using your God-given talents to the full.
Early in this book, I gave you my pledge that I would try to be honest, not dodging the difficult issues but aiming always to see how a fairly full-blooded version of Darwinism can compare and connect with a fairly traditional and no less full-blooded reading of Christianity. I have tried to stay true to my promise, structuring the discussion by going from revealed religion, through natural theology, and on to the nature and foundation of moral issues. Some areas, even though they may rate high on the public visibility scale, seem not to be matters of great strain or tension. Obviously, if you are a fundamentalist Christian, then the Darwinian reading of Genesis is going to give you major problems – insoluble problems, I suspect. But, as I have pointed out, biblical interpretation is a topic that Christians have been discussing and refining almost since their religion began.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Can a Darwinian be a Christian?The Relationship between Science and Religion, pp. 217 - 220Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2000