My 10-year old son has read all of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, and
is now using audio books-on-tape from our local library to "read" Lewis's
science fiction trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That
Hideous Strength). I remember reading those books years ago, and am
delighted that my son is now.
Lewis is a particular challenge for me as I struggle with relating The Fall
and evolution. A recurring theme of Lewis's writings is that we should
beware of modern (postmodern ?) theories that diminish the scandal and/or
reality of evil. In the book _Perelandra_, Lewis has all sorts of common
modern ideas, some quite specifically related to evolution, articulated by
a character named Weston. The previously materialistic physicist Weston
comes to realize the supreme importance of spirituality and the spirit
world, but he doesn't distinguish between good and evil spirits. In fact,
Weston becomes a virtual incarnation of evil when fully possessed by the
diabolical.
Here's my basic question: how can we continue to recognize the reality and
significance of evil, which is so clearly presented in the Genesis story of
the Fall and its aftermath, while also accepting physical death and human
origins through evolution as part of God's good creation? A related
question is the origin of evil itself. If the Garden of Eden was not a
specific place in time nor an accurate representation of a situation that
actually ever existed in human (and pre-human) evolution, how do we
understand the aftermath of the Fall? The aftermath indeed seems to be a
pretty accurate representation of our actual, existential condition. The
problem is what to make of the Garden, "before" the Fall. If evil existed
long before humans, did evil "taint" evolution? If so, what would
"untainted" evolution, the kind of evolution God "intended," have looked
like?
As an evolutionary biologist, I'd prefer emotionally to view the
evolutionary history of earth as wholly God's good creation. For example,
here's how Keith B. Miller, a geologist at Kansas State University,
interpreted and articulated an insight extensively developed by George
Murphy (Miller cites Murphy in his paper):
"Death and pain need not be understood as satanic corruptions of the
created order. Rather they reflect the nature of a God who has suffered and
died for the life of His creatures. Life from death - this is the Biblical
pattern and the pattern of creation. There is congruity here, not
irreconcilable contrast. In the natural world life springs from the
material of the dead, the Earth itself is formed of material created in the
cataclysms of exploding stars. The image of resurrection is everywhere to
be seen. That the God who became flesh and died for the life of His
creatures should so design the world from its inception seems to me the
most perfect of cosmic metaphors." (from "Theological Implications of an
Evolving Creation" by Keith B. Miller, published in _Perspectives on
Science and Christian Faith_ 45, pp. 150-160, 1993, and available in
condensed form on-line at
http://mcgraytx.calvin.edu/ASA/PSCF9-93Miller.html).
I like that a lot, but I'm left with a feeling that C.S. Lewis would want
me to also bring in the question of evil somehow. George Murphy has some
ideas on this, I know, though he (like every honest and wise thinker on
this, I suspect) admits that the origin of evil is a mystery.
Even if we can't solve that mystery, I'm hoping that we can at least
integrate a solid, orthodox Christian understanding of sin and evil with a
solid, valid scientific understanding of the earth's evolutionary history.
C.S. Lewis, for all his wonderful insights, seemed to regard evolution too
dismissively for my tastes. Has anyone seen a good critique of C.S.
Lewis's ideas on human evolution and the Fall, one that would allow
retention of Lewis's important theological insights without requiring one
to slight evolution? My son is well aware of evolution, and is asking some
very good questions, likely better than my answers will ever be, but I'm
trying.
Chuck Austerberry
Creighton University
Omaha, NE 68178
cfauster@creighton.edu
Charles (Chuck) F. Austerberry, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Member, Prehealth Sciences Advisory Committee
Creighton University
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
Voice: (402)-280-2154 or -2321
FAX: (402)-280-5595
e-mail: cfauster@creighton.edu
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