Here I sit today wading through a colossal stack of comment cards! I can’t resist sharing the third card I read submitted Friday night. From Heather.

“There was a lot of reservation from many people regarding this event. I was of the understanding that this was a pro-evolution, pro-Darwin type of event, but was totally proven wrong. I think this was a wonderful opportunity and I am glad I attended. It really got me thinking about the science vs. faith debate and reaffirmed my faith in God as the sole Creator.”

Thanks for the encouragement, Heather! I’m sure you’re not alone.

Trying to get in the ring with a topic as big as creation-evolution can be pretty daunting. Even if you consider yourself a science-type, it’s a conversation that gets pretty deep, pretty fast. How can I break into it without getting slammed? Here are a few pointers that might help.

Think of it as a really huge, really messy crime scene. The universe that is! Evidence everywhere! Science discovers more and more information every second. There’s no shortage of things to look at. The key in any crime investigation is accurately reconstructing what happened by looking for clues that identify the responsible party. How clean was the crime? DNA evidence? Witnesses – lots tougher if there weren’t any. What was the cause of death? Weapons. Ballistics. Criminal psychology. Crime labs, microscopes, chemical tests… the list goes on and on.

In the wake of it all, we’ve got God – the defendant if you will. A defendant who has come forward pleading “guilty” but in the most subtle way. He’s clear enough about admitting it…but he’s going to let the CSI guys figure out the details. Some give no credibility to the guilty plea. Others are pouncing all over it eager to point out his connection to the evidence.

You would figure that a crime this big – that happened a long time ago according to any one’s reckoning – would have a lot of theories about how it happened. So, don’t be dismayed that there are so many voices trying to reconstruct what happened. That’s where your research will have to come in.

Look stuff up. Don’t just keep hitting the link to your favorite site either – spread out a bit. Read some young earth stuff, some old earth stuff and even things from theistic evolution. Find out how people are handling the evidence and what they make of it. Get informed about the various arguments for and against each perspective.

Answers In Genesis (Young Earth Creationism)
Reasons To Believe (Old Earth Creationism – Hugh Ross)
American Scientific Association (Theistic Evolution)
National Center for Science Education (Naturalism’s response to Creationism in Education)

Read some great books that will help you into the discussion… or take you deeper than you currently are. Find books that start at your level of understanding. If something seems really over your head, put it down. Look for something more basic. Some books assume a level of scientific understanding that may be beyond you. If you come to Cosmic Fingerprints, I recommend grabbing up a book or two. Books are so good because you get to hear the person out. All the way. No interruptions.

Discuss what you’re reading with others. We’ll spend time in discussion groups at Cosmic Fingerprints as well as offer the chance to sign up for follow-up reading groups. Discussion groups can help you make more mileage out of your learning.

Hold your convictions with grace. Some things you learn about will make you want to slam your lappy shut and look for the nearest adversary to pick a fight with. You might find yourself flinging a book across the room in disagreement. That’s normal! But when you’re in dialogue with others, keep it respectful and constructive. Be willing to develop your view over time instead of feeling the pressure to know it all.

Each piece of evidence you put together will help you toward a bigger view of the world, the universe and just maybe God himself. Jump in and give him your best shot!

Contrary to Dawkins, not all intelligent, sane people believe evolution is a firmly established scientific fact (sorry Rich, even when I quote you I can’t stoop to your level of vitriol). Hugh Ross would be one such gifted, informed Christian mind. Hugh’s story is a fascinating journey from science to God. As a high school student with an insatiable curiosity about the ordered universe, Hugh searched the options of mankind’s origin and landed in the hands of an all powerful, personal designer!

Here’s a quote from Hugh’s web-page you can find at:
Hugh Ross’ Testimony — My Search for Truth

“Prompted by curiosity, he studied the world’s religions and “holy books” and found only one that proved scientifically and historically accurate: the Bible. Hugh started at religious “ground zero” and through scientific and historical reality-testing became convinced that the Bible is truly the Word of God! He then observed, with amazement, the impact of describing for people the process by which he came to personal faith in Jesus Christ.”

Some may be wondering “How can science actually lead people to Christ?” Isn’t it the aim of science to disprove God or at least “cure humanity of the disease of believing in him” (Dawkins)? But Hugh himself a perfect example of how people can be drawn to faith in Christ through their seeking minds. If we can boldly venture into the public conversation about origins we’ll have a hearing with thinking people everwhere who are curious about dimensions of life and meaning that science points to beyond itself.

Make sure you visit our Cosmic Fingerprints page. Come check out what we’ve got going on later in March.