Uncommon Descent Serving The Intelligent Design Community

Giberson, Collins: We avoid using the “E-word” (evolution)

Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flipboard
Print
Email

The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions

That’s by design, as chance would have it. Giberson and Collins tell us in The Language of Science and Faith (IVP 2011, pp. 19-20):

The BioLogos idea is not radically new, but the novelty of the word gives us a chance to talk about something that has long been disturbing to Christians without having to be constantly reminded of a long negative conversation. Most importantly it gives us a chance to talk about evolution. 

[ … ]

Theistic evolution is the belief that God created life using natural processes, working within the natural order, in harmony with its laws. So, why don’t we simply use the term evolution to describe our view? We don’t use the term, at least not at this point in our discussion, because it is associated with negative ideas, including atheism, and many readers would have a constant uncomfortable feeling while thinking about it. The word evolution carries emotional baggage that we are tossing overboard.

Biologos, we hope, has no negative baggage yet, but we hope it will accumulate some positive associations over time.

Positive associations with what, exactly?

Comments
Sure is a lot of re-defining of terms going on. And after they are re-defined (evolution, free will, mind, information, etc) they all end up meaning the same thing. I'm not sayin' ... I'm just sayin'. ;)Upright BiPed
May 9, 2011
May
05
May
9
09
2011
07:59 AM
7
07
59
AM
PDT
I wonder what it's like to decide what I believe based on emotions and word connotations and associations. Hmm. Maybe I'll try it sometime.tragic mishap
May 7, 2011
May
05
May
7
07
2011
12:20 PM
12
12
20
PM
PDT
I don't know what's so bad about the E word. From what I hear most Christians accept evolution of some sort or other. Entropoietic evolution anyone?Mung
May 7, 2011
May
05
May
7
07
2011
11:39 AM
11
11
39
AM
PDT
StephenB, but it is only the refined people, of excellent mind, that see the clothing!!!! http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_s7edsEQHKvk/TDw7XXUMbsI/AAAAAAAAB8s/_EZP9drI0Yk/s1600/emperor_has+no+clothes.gifbornagain77
May 7, 2011
May
05
May
7
07
2011
11:17 AM
11
11
17
AM
PDT
---Francis Collins: "Theistic evolution is the belief that God created life using natural processes, working within the natural order, in harmony with its laws." That may be the meaning of theistic evolution, Mr. Collins, but it is not the meaning of your Christian Darwinism, which may be defined as "The belief the God created life by not creating it, directed evolution by not directing it, and intended the outcome without intending it." ---"So, why don’t we simply use the term evolution to describe our view?" Because we are fearful that people might get the right impression.StephenB
May 7, 2011
May
05
May
7
07
2011
11:06 AM
11
11
06
AM
PDT
Can't say the positive associations (if any), but couldn't control laughing after seeing the use of "Lunarlogos Foundation" by Richard Sternberg this article. http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/03/beginning_to_decipher_the_sine032981.htmlT. lise
May 7, 2011
May
05
May
7
07
2011
10:41 AM
10
10
41
AM
PDT

Leave a Reply