When it is better to be undecided

C Michael Patton gives us "The Creation-Evolution Debate in a Nutshell", describing the positions "Young Earth Creationism" through "Gap Theory Creationism," "Time-Relative Creationism," "Old Earth Creationism" to "Theistic Evolution" and "Intelligent Design." In each case he summarizes and explains — quite fairly I think — and includes a short list of well-known Christian personalities who have held each view. He closes:

I believe that one can be a legitimate Christian and hold to any one of these views. While I lean in the direction of some sort of Time-Relative creation, I only do this because my main contention is that it is very unwise to be dogmatic. Though I used to be favorable to it, I now reject methodological naturalism, believing it leads to preset conclusions that end up being awkward, unnecessary, and very unscientific. Therefore, though I rejected it at one time, I have come to accept ID as a responsible approach to these matters.

In the end, I believe that the best anyone can do is lean in one direction or another. Being overly dogmatic about these issues expresses, in my opinion, more ignorance than knowledge. Each position has many apparent difficulties and many virtues.

While I believe this is an issue we should continue to discuss with excitement and hope, this is not an issue, in my opinion, that should fracture Christian fellowship.

The Creation-Evolution Debate in a Nutshell | Parchment and Pen