All data, both scientific and biblical, must be interpreted together. The two realms of data do not exist in isolation from each other.
Most of us believe, though we cannot prove absolutely, that we live in a real, observable universe that operates in certain patterns or "laws," such as logic and causality. This belief allows us to do "science," attempting to understand and describe our universe as it really is. We Christians believe, though we cannot prove absolutely, that we live in a spiritual reality as well, different from and beyond the limits of the universe, made observable in the universe by Jesus Christ, confirmed within each person by the work of the Holy Spirit, and documented in the Bible.
Given these two beliefs, we Christians can construct a
consistent conceptual framework for interpreting data and
integrating data from the two accepted realities. I see five
principles as the beams and crossbars forming that framework:
1) All truth is God’s truth; therefore the natural laws are
His doing and available for His use in whatever way He chooses.
2) Scientific data (or observations) are neutral, even if those
who report them are not, and they can be useful as evidence for,
or against, the accuracy of various theories or explanations of
physical and spiritual reality.
3) Biblical data are statements in Scripture (in its originals,
which are adequately close to the modern translations), and they
can be useful in supporting or refuting the accuracy of various
theories or explanations of spiritual reality—and of
physical reality, too, because the two realities intersect in the
universe. However, because biblical data come in words, and
because verbal expression involves rhetorical forms and devices,
e.g., poetry, narrative, prophecy, prayer, parable, metaphor,
simile, allegory, irony, etc., they require appropriate
interpretation guided by God’s Spirit.
4) All data, both scientific and biblical, must be interpreted
together. The two realms of data do not exist in isolation from
each other; they overlap significantly. The physical world has
meaning beyond itself. The spiritual world finds expression in
the physical world. Humans are innately compelled to search for
meaning. God graciously chooses to reveal meaning.
5) All human knowledge is limited and tentative, not absolute. We
cannot and do not know everything about anything. God’s
knowledge is uninvited and absolute, because God is the source of
all reality. Consistency of data interpretation we call
"proof." But proof represents an interpretation
of data, not necessarily the interpretation. Therefore, we
"live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7).
I see these principles and the perspective they offer as helpful tools for resolving science "versus" Christianity issues, including (but not limited to) the creation-evolution controversy. Bio-evolution is an interpretive term for the neutral scientific data showing that life emerged, proliferated, and changed on Earth through time. It describes two mechanisms by which change can and does occur: natural selection and gene mutations. Darwinism posits that these gene mutations occur spontaneously and randomly without any "unnatural" influence and explain all of bio-evolution. Scripture states that God acted, using in one way or another the natural laws He established, to bring biological entities into existence and into the forms we observe.
Darwinism thus defined conflicts with Scripture thus interpreted, but bio-evolution and scriptural data do not conflict. Genesis One and other portions of Scripture describe bio-evolution. They also declare God’s involvement in the process, without presenting the technical details of how He accomplished it.
I propose that we Christians place the word and between creation and evolution and stop using the word versus, which only pits scientists against us and us against them. The and works much more effectively to communicate humility and a learner’s approach. The important issue, after all, is the meaning of life. Even if other life forms go extinct, He has made us humans spiritual and, thus, with a link to reality (His reality) beyond the space and time of the physical universe. And though we humans, in Adam and Eve, failed the test of perfection and lost our innocence, we did not lose our spiritual nature. According to the biblical data, God came to us in human form to make a way of reconciliation, to restore the possibility of eternal fellowship with Him for all who are willing to accept His way (John 7:17).
My concern is that we focus our energy on loving (rather than battling) people whose opinions and interpretations differ from our own. We can state our position, raise questions about others’ interpretations, and give reasons for our convictions without expressing arrogance and condemnation. God will judge men for their response to His revelation, but He will also reprove us for our judgmental attitudes (see Romans 14:1, 4, 8-12, 17-18 and Matthew 7:1-2). My hope is that we who acknowledge Christ as Lord will together make it our top priority to communicate the good news that God has opened a way for us imperfect, irretrievably (on our own) rebellious humans to be rescued, to be reborn spiritually into an unbreakable familial relationship with Him.
Dr. Dye earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Washington with a thesis on cosmic rays. After some Navy duty and teaching, he returned to the Seattle area to do research for Boeing. Today he lives near Seattle and works as a consultant in radiological physics. His book Faith and the Physical World (1966, 1970) expresses the message he has brought to youth conferences and adult Sunday school classes for many years: science and Christianity can be compatible.
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