Re: High School Biology Books
David B. Fenske (dbfenske@axionet.com)
Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:39:12 -0800>To: Murphy <gmurphy@imperium.net>
>From: dbfenske@axionet.com (David B. Fenske)
>Subject: Re: High School Biology Books
>
>>David B. Fenske wrote:
>>
>>> The LCMS holds to a YEC position, but the church I attended did not really
>>> discuss such issues, so I didn't come in close contact with the Scientific
>>> Creationists until my first year of graduate school.
>>
>> I grew up in the Missouri Synod &, while I have some significant
>>disagreements with its positions (including its rejection of
>>human evolution), I have considerable respect for its contributions &
>>don't want to see it take any unnecessary hits. It is not really
>>correct to ascribe an official YEC position to Missouri. Its official
>>"A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles" from the early
>>70s rejects as false teaching, _inter alia_, "the notion that man did
>>not come into being through the direct creative action of God, but
>>through a process of evolution from lower forms of life ..." and "the
>>notion that Adam and Eve were not real historical persons ...". This
>>statement does not, however, deal explicitly with the age of the earth.
>>In a private conversation which I had in 1974 with Dr. Jacob Preuss, at
>>that time LCMS president and the main force behind synod adoption of
>>this statement, he told me that he had no problem with the idea that the
>>earth was millions of years old. Human evolution. however, could not be
>>accepted.
>> Of course there have been & are many LCMS members who hold a YEC
>>position. (On the other hand, there are those who think that not only
>>an "old earth" but human evolution are theologically acceptable, but who
>>keep a low profile on such matters.) But - while I am open to
>>correction, not claiming to keep up to date on everything or even most
>>things that happen in Missouri now, - that isn't an official stance.
>> SHALOM,
>> George Murphy
>>
>>
>
> George, thanks for the clarifications. I realize I was
over-simplifying a bit. My comments weren't intended to "hit" the LCMS - I
too have great respect for the church and the tradition it represents. Not
having easy access to official church positions, I was summarizing my
understanding of the churches overall position, obtained from some popular
writings and a few conversations with a brother-in-law who used to be a LCMS
pastor. I used the "YEC" abbreviation a little prematurely - as I was aware
that the LCMS is more open to questions of the age of the earth than of
human evolution. And like I said, we never had any seminars by the YEC
crowd, whereas many of my friends in evangelical churches did.
>
>David Fenske
>