Evangelicals And Evolution: An Analysis Of The Debate Between The Creation Research Society And The American Scientific Affiliation -- By: William Lane Craig

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 17:3 (Summer 1974)
Article: Evangelicals And Evolution: An Analysis Of The Debate Between The Creation Research Society And The American Scientific Affiliation
Author: William Lane Craig


Evangelicals And Evolution: An Analysis Of The Debate Between The Creation Research Society And The American Scientific Affiliation

William Lane Craig*

The evolution controversy has often generated more heat than light among Bible-believing Chrishans, and the average believer often finds himself confused and uncertain of just what he should accept. Now two groups composed of Christian men and women within the scientific community claim to be offering the light needed to understand the evolution issue. This paper shall seek to explain, compare, and contrast the respective positions of these organizations as found within their journals: the Creation Research Society Quarterly and the Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation.

History, Organization, Purpose, Goals

The Creation Research Society (hereinafter referred to as CRS) was organized in 1964, and from an initial group of ten men, it has grown to a membership of 400 persons with graduate degrees in the sciences and 1,300 non-voting members.1 Centered in the state of Michigan, the society is solely a research and publication organization; it holds no meetings. Its eventual goal “is the realignment of science based on theistic creation concepts and the publication of textbooks for high school and college use.”2 The society has now authored three books, including a high school biology textbook. The creedal statement of the organization is Exodus 20:11 and appears on the cover of each quarterly: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is and rested on the seventh.” More specifically the society subscribers to a four-point statement of faith:

1. The Bible is the written Word of God, and because it is inspired throughout, all its assertions are historically and scientifically true in all the original autographs. To the student of nature this means that the account of origins in Genesis is a factual presentation of simple historical truths.

2. All basic types of living things, including man, were made by direct creative acts of God during the Creation Week described in Genesis. Whatever biological changes have occurred since Creation Week have accomplished changes only within the original created kinds.

3. The great Flood described in Genesis, commonly referred to as the

*A graduate of Wheaton College and currently completing an M.A. in Philosoplly of Religion at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.

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