Evolution

The Bible Affirms that God is our Maker (Creator)The Bible Affirms that God is our Maker (Creator)

Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come…”

The Bible Affirms that God is our Maker (Creator)The Bible Affirms that God is our Maker (Creator)

Isaiah 43:1 “ But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you …. He who formed you…”

But we were made through a process.But we were made through a process.

Did God create you?Did God create you? Or did your parents make you? Or did your parents make you? (through a Natural process)(through a Natural process)

What the Bible is telling us is that God still createsWhat the Bible is telling us is that God still createsthrough processes. through processes.

God has made Nature and all its processes, so in the past and today, he creates and maintains things through natural processes.

How does God Create?How does God Create?When the Bible refers to God When the Bible refers to God

creating things, this can mean creating things, this can mean God making things from God making things from nothing or through processes nothing or through processes that He uses and maintains that He uses and maintains (like He creates today through (like He creates today through reproduction). God’s creating reproduction). God’s creating could be instant or over a could be instant or over a period of time though natural period of time though natural processes.processes.

Evolution: Process Creation With ModificationEvolution: Process Creation With ModificationGod has created and continues to create through physical and biological processes. If evolution is understood as just a biological process by which organisms change slightly from generation to generation, then evolution can be seen as a process used by God to create new slightly changed forms of life over many generations. Slight changes in a type of organism over time is commonly referred to as microevolution. Microevolution is small-scale changes in a kind of organism over many generations.

The Microevolution of West Coast Stickleback FishEarlier than 13,000 years ago in British Columbia, the marine 3 spined stickleback would feed on plankton (microscopic plants and animals) and smaller fish in ocean waters along the edges of land. They swam up freshwater rivers and streams to reproduce. G. aculeatus is from 6-8 cm long.

The Microevolution of West Coast Stickleback Fish

As the glaciers that used to cover British Columbia completed their melting about 13,000 years ago, the land was uplifted or rebounded since the weight of the overlying ice had melted away. This rebounding and uplifting effect continues to this day.

The Microevolution of West Coast Stickleback Fish As the land rose, some lakes that were connected by streams to the ocean were cut off from the ocean. In six British Columbia lakes (4 on Texada, 1 on Lasqueti and 1 on Vancouver Island). 3 spined sticklebacks were isolated from each other and ocean sticklebacks as the land rose.

The Microevolution of West Coast Stickleback FishDuring the past 13,000 years, the single kind of 3 spined stickleback developed into two different types in each of the 6 lake locations – a smaller, lighter type feeding in the open waters on plankton and a larger, darker type feeding on bottom invertebrates like snails, clams and dragonfly nymphs.

The Microevolution of West Coast Stickleback FishGenetic studies have shown that independently in each lake, the marine 3 spined stickleback has changed into two distinct species that do not normally interbreed (so remain separate). This means that from one species (the marine form), six separate species have evolved. This is an example of microevolution.

Different meanings for the word, evolutionThe word evolution can refer to microevolution but it also has 4 other uses. It can refer to the different forms of a type of organism that are found in the fossil record (2). Macroevolution or large-scale evolution is the idea that all present day life forms have had common ancestors in the past (3). Evolution can also refer to a theory of how populations of living things change over many generations (4). Evolution is also used to describe an atheistic worldview in which mankind is an accident and there is no meaning or purpose to existence (5).

The Theory of Evolution and MicroevolutionMicroevolution is thought to occur through the processes of random mutation and differential reproductive success.

Differential Reproductive SuccessDifferential reproductive success means that some organisms are better suited to their environments which will enable them to survive better and on average to produce more offspring as they attract mates more successfully. This is sometimes referred to as natural selection or survival of the fittest.

Random MutationSections of DNA called genes in the nuclei of an organism’s cells control the body features and behaviour of that organism. Mutations are changes that occur in these genes. Mutations happen at random at very low but steady rates. Most mutation are neutral and have no effect. Many mutations are harmful but some are beneficial. Beneficial mutations help an organism to survive better and are the basis for changing the features or behaviour of an organism over time.

Microevolution Visible With Fast-Reproducing Organisms For organisms with fast reproduction cycles (like bacteria), microevolution has been observed. Over many generations, populations of bacteria have become immune to drugs like penicillin that used to kill them. Mutations in these drug-resistant bacteria have made them able to survive these drugs. Thus the microevolution of new strains of bacteria has become a health hazard for us.

Microevolution of Pesticide Resistant InsectsIn a population of insects, different individuals have different genes. Those individuals with genes resistant to insecticides survive and reproduce which makes succeeding generations ever more resistant to chemical poisons.

Microevolution of Herbicide Resistant WeedsIn a population of weeds, some individuals have genes for herbicide resistance. Continued spraying increases the number of resistant weeds since they reproduce in greater numbers.

Cichlid Fish MicroevolutionAbout 3,700 years ago, a bay of Lake Victoria in Africa was closed by a sandbar creating Lake Nagubago.

Cichlid Fish MicroevolutionA number of Cichlid fish were then isolated from their parent stock in Lake Victoria. Since their separation from the Lake Victoria Cichlids, the Lake Nagubago Cichlids have microevolved into five new species differing in coloration and mating rituals so that they do not interbreed with each other.

Microevolution of SparrowsSparrows were introduced by Europeans into North America. Differences have developed between northern and southern sparrow populations. Northern Sparrows tend to be larger, an advantage in cooler weather since it reduces the surface area to volume ratio which causes less radiation of heat, helping larger sparrows to survive the cooler temperatures better.

Domestication: Human Selection Causing Microevolution

Humans have domesticated types of animals and by selective breeding have produced many different types.

Domestication: Human Selection Causing Microevolution

Humans have domesticated types of animals and by selective breeding have produced many different types.

Domestication: Human Selection Causing Microevolution

Humans have domesticated types of animals and by selective breeding have produced many different types.

Domestication: Human Selection Causing Microevolution

Humans have domesticated types of animals and by selective breeding have produced many different types.

Evolution as “Pattern Of Change Over Time” (2)Modern species of animals/plants look somewhat like recent fossils, less like similar species in the distant past. Fossils of a given type (like reptiles) show a change over time (in higher fossil layers). This is an observation of the patterns of changes that are found in the fossils, but does not provide a reason or mechanism by which these changes might occur.

Example of Horse Evolution From Fossils

The lowest fossils of horse-like animals are small with a number of toes. Moving up the fossil record, fossil horses are larger and show a larger middle toe with smaller side toes as well as larger molars for grinding the grasses that they grazed on.

Example of Camel Evolution From Fossils

Like early horse fossils, the earliest camel fossils (in the lowest strata) are small and get progressively larger. Their feet begin with several toes and end up with just two toes.

Evolution as Common Ancestry (3)When the word, evolution, is used to describe common ancestry it means that modern forms (like dogs, wolves and bears) had an earlier common ancestor (Amphicyon major) and this ancestor had earlier common ancestors with other groups.

Macroevolution: All Organisms Are Related

If there are common ancestors for present day organisms and these ancestors had earlier common ancestors then if a person goes back far enough in time, all living things are related to each other through evolution. Common ancestry is commonly represented with an evolutionary tree.

Common Ancestry or Creation Pattern?Vertebrates all have similar limb bones and fingers. This would be explained if all mammals developed from common ancestors or if a common creation pattern was used by God to specially create each mammal form.

The Theory of Evolution (4)The modern theory of evolution has to do with populations, not individual organisms. In a population there is genetic variety due to different genes and to mutations of these genes in different individuals. Some genes or gene mutations help organisms to survive better. Organisms that survive better have a better chance at reproducing and passing on their beneficial genes. Over time, a population’s genes change to meet changing survival challenges. The change in a population’s genes leads to overall changes in the structures and functions within the population.

Evolutionism (5)Evolutionism (with a capital “E”) is a philosophy or belief concerning life which uses the theory of evolution to support an atheistic worldview. Evolutionism claims that there is no creator, that humans developed without any guidance or governance from God, that humans have no higher purpose and that there is no absolute moral standard.

Jacque Monod’s Evolutionism“Chance alone is at the source of every innovation, of all creation in the biosphere. Pure chance, absolutely free but blind, is at the very root of the stupendous edifice of evolution…[These biological discoveries] make it impossible to accept any system…that assumes a master plan of creation.” Jacque Monod, Chance and Necessity, 1972

Does Unpredictability Imply Lack of Meaning/Purpose?Monod implies that the unpredictability of random mutations and changing environmental conditions means that life is meaningless, without a plan. But unpredictability does not imply lack of purpose. The Bible indicates that God governs unpredictable events from the casting of lots to the weather. Thus the randomness of mutations and natural selection are also governed by God and do not rule out a master plan of creation.

Christians and evolution: Young-Earth Creationists

Most young earth creationists accept microevolution, deny an ancient earth, reject that the fossil record shows change over time, reject common ancestry, reject the theory of evolution and reject Evolutionism.

Christians and evolution: Progressive

CreationistsProgressive Creationists accept microevolution, accept an ancient earth, accept that the fossil record shows change over time, disagree regarding common ancestry, reject the theory of evolution as the complete explanation for the origins of organisms (God intervened miraculously at various points) and reject Evolutionism.

Christians and evolution: Evolutionary Creationists

Evolutionary creationists accept microevolution and macroevolution, an ancient earth, accept that the fossil record shows a pattern of change over time, accept common ancestry, accept the theory of evolution as the scientific model explaining the origins of all organisms and reject Evolutionism. They believe God used evolution to create all the variety of life.

Miracles and CreationSome Progressive Creationists argue that there ought to be evidence for God’s miraculous creative action in nature. Evolutionary Creationists argue that there ought not to be evidence for miracles in the natural world since this would be proof of God’s existence which runs counter to man’s freedom to choose to believe and to the necessity of faith for belief.

Miracles and CreationThe Bible teaches that God is in charge of natural processes and miracles. God is not a “God filling in the gaps” where we do not understand. He upholds and governs all things including a process of evolution IF we can find evidence of this process occurring in nature. Also, God is not bound to working only through natural processes. He has performed and continues to perform miracles.

The Creation Versus Evolution DilemmaIn the past, many Christians thought of Creation and evolution in terms of a dilemma. Either a person had to choose Christianity and no evolution or atheism and evolution. But there are other choices. For instance, a Christian could believe that God used evolution as a process to create some or all life forms over time.

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