Foolish CrossEngaging culture with the foolishness of the cross.

An anti-evolution group is capturing headlines with its plans to distribute a special edition of The Origin of Species to tens of thousands of college students at secular universities next month, hoping that an introduction that promotes creationism will change the views of those who read it.

But while that group is fighting for the hearts and minds of students at secular colleges and universities, there is also a theological and scientific struggle taking place at Christian colleges. Some professors, with support from prominent scientists, are trying to defend the teaching of evolution and to make it safe for those who teach biology and the Bible to talk about ways in which belief in evolution need not represent an abandonment of faith. Many Christian colleges have statements of faith — which in some cases must be followed by all students and faculty members — that endorse the literal truth of the Bible or of specific parts of the Bible (six literal days of creation, for example, or that Adam and Eve are the parents of all humans). So teaching evolution as scientific fact, which would just be taken for granted at many non-Christian colleges and universities, raises all kinds of delicate issues.

This is an interesting and complicated debate. I fear, however, that it will ultimately prove to be disruptive and destructive. Unfortunately, we Christians haven’t mastered the art of loving and disagreeing at the same time. When the dust settles, will the Christian community be marked by even more division? To what extent is this distracting from the most important issue at hand – the Gospel?

And finally, what does this say about those “evil,” state-funded, public institutions of higher education which have been teaching evolution as fact all along? Might they become a more acceptable option for Christians if evolution is also taught in Christian colleges?  What would the implications of a trend like this be?  I suppose we might see more Christians living their lives among the lost on “secular” campuses. All Charles Darwin and evolution talk aside, I kinda like the sound of that…