Reasons Newsletter - 2009 - July/August

• The “E-Word:” A Parent’s Guide to Kids and Evolution by Krista Bontrager
• What about the Dinosaurs? by Hugh Ross
• Remembering Apollo 11 by Dave Rogstad
• Stewardship

The “E-Word:” A Parent’s Guide to Kids and Evolution

By Krista Bontrager

Emily looked up from the picture in her library book. “Mommy, did we come from monkeys? I thought God made me.”

Gulp. The “E-word.” Evolution. My daughter’s trusting gaze pierced me. I hadn’t expected to deal with this so soon. Now what?

No matter where a child is educated, questions about evolution can’t be escaped. How can Christian parents help their children make sense of this cultural hot button in a way that upholds Scripture and encourages them to search for truth about God’s creation? Kids deserve good answers.

Let’s face it.

Avoiding the topic isn’t realistic—or helpful. Peter instructs believers to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Parents don’t need to be rocket scientists to help their kids appreciate science in a way that honors the Creator. The best efforts involve a few simple elements.

1. Promote discussion and trust.

Foster an atmosphere at home that welcomes questions about faith and Scripture’s reliability by encouraging discussion and by speaking positively about science and scientists. We want to be the ones who coach our children on how to think through tricky topics like evolution.

2. Engage in science.
Most libraries and bookstores are filled with materials on scientific subjects kids find fascinating. Watch videos together. Take field trips to museums or zoos. Prepare your kids for the trip by researching together the things you expect to see on your visit. Along the way, if a few of these activities credit evolution for the wondrous natural world, look at it as an opportunity to awaken their senses to the Creator.

3. Model a respectful attitude.
Peter’s admonition also tells us that Christians’ attitudes when defending our faith should reflect “gentleness and respect.” Kids follow our cues. Parents can inadvertently vilify science by focusing on the negative aspects of evolution or attributing conspiratorial motives to scientists. Turn the conversation around by pointing out how scientific discoveries actually help build a positive case for the Bible’s accuracy.

4. Find a mentor.
Children learn by role modeling. Maybe there’s a scientist hiding in your church who would be thrilled by an invitation to mentor your child. Another source of inspiration could be testimonies of Christian scientists like those mentioned in the book Scientists Who Believe.

Equipping our kids to face evolution’s challenge to our understanding of the biblical creation account helps prepare them to explain rationally and respectfully their faith to nonbelievers and to bring hope to those who have none.

Resource: For more advice on helping your kids think through science and faith, check out Krista’s blog, [“Old-Earth Creation Homeschool.”]

What about the Dinosaurs?

Adapted from The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Even individuals who feel no particular fondness for reptiles describe an almost irresistible fascination with dinosaurs. These large (and a few small) reptile species dominated Earth’s land and sea life from around 250 million to 65 million years ago. Their creation probably belongs to the fifth creation day in Genesis 1.

Perhaps because of dinosaurs’ sheer enormity and longevity, people have difficulty imagining that the Bible wouldn’t give them special mention. However, we must take into account not only the theme of the text but also our own historical context.

The theme of the account is the preparation of Earth for Adam, Eve, and their progeny. From a historical perspective, only a few of the people to ever hear or read the Bible would also possess any awareness of or interest in dinosaurs’ existence—people living mostly in Western cultures since the nineteenth century.

“Terrible Lizards” in Job’s Story?

Some Christians assert that the Bible does speak of dinosaurs. They see the “behemoth” and “leviathan” of Job 40–41 as references to such fearsome creatures as Triceratops or Tyrannosaurus. One problem with this interpretation, which proponents would call “literal,” is that no creatures on Earth, alive or extinct, fit the literal descriptions. No dinosaur, for example, ever breathed fire or smoke or had bones of iron and brass.

The author of these descriptions indicated they are to be taken figuratively. The comparative words as and like appear in this passage fifteen times in the New International Version and seventeen times in the New American Standard Bible. The point of the passage is to convey the impression that these creatures struck terror in the hearts of humans who may have encountered them.

A look at the Hebrew language gives further insight. The Hebrew word for “behemoth” appears in its singular form, behema, as part of the description of certain land mammals created on the sixth creation day. Because dinosaurs were reptiles, not mammals, “behemoth” probably wouldn’t refer to them.

Two animals present on Earth today strike terror and cause mayhem matching the descriptions in Job 40–41: the hippopotamus and the crocodile. In some parts of Africa these species account for more human deaths than all the other large animals combined.

If we consider God’s purpose for the biblical creation accounts—to communicate a memorable and concise report to all people throughout history—the dinosaurs’ importance dims.

Resource: Adapted from The Genesis Question, available for purchase at our webstore.

Remembering Apollo 11

By Dave Rogstad

Forty years ago this July 20, two astronauts aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the surface of the Moon. It was “a small step” for a man to move from the spacecraft to the surface, but “a giant leap for mankind” to carry off such a monumental mission.

Two particular incidents occurred during the years of the Apollo program that gave me the impression many Christians were involved in America’s missions to the Moon. Apollo 8, the first manned mission where the spacecraft orbited the Moon and then returned to Earth, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve of 1968. In a live television broadcast, the three astronauts—Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders—spoke of “the vast loneliness” of space compared to life we enjoy on Earth. They ended by taking turns reading from the creation story in Genesis 1–2.

Then on Sunday, July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on the Moon, as Michael Collins remained in the command module orbiting the Moon, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin actually walked on its tranquil surface. What few people may know is that Aldrin, an elder of a Presbyterian church in Houston, had brought along a small Communion kit.

The morning of July 20, he radioed, “Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM [lunar module] pilot speaking. I would like to invite each person listening in, whoever or wherever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the last few hours, and give thanks in his own individual way.” Privately, he took Communion and read from Scripture, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.” Reflecting on this event sometime later, he said, “It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the Moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the Communion elements.”
In the years to come it’s not totally unlikely we will see humans walk on the surface of Mars, perhaps providing further opportunity to reflect on our Creator. If the past is any predictor, we will discover abundant new evidence for the Bible’s truth and more reasons to believe in the God Scripture reveals.

Stewardship: More Ways To Give

Are you a federal employee? If so, then you’re eligible to take advantage of an opportunity called the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). As the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, CFC allows federal civilian, postal, and military donors to pledge gifts to nonprofit organizations that provide health and human benefit services throughout the country and internationally—organizations including Reasons To Believe (RTB)! Once you’ve made your pledge, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will see that your designations are honored and distributed to the charitable organization of your choice. Federal employee donations to RTB are tax deductible. Contact your human resources or accounting office to find out if your company participates in CFC. Reasons To Believe’s CFC identification code is 73873. Please look us up!