Re: [asa] Theological Naturalism - 'The Nature of God' = Naturalism

The IDM is not just about apologetics. It certainly doesn't even provide much in terms of Christian apologetics other than an appeal to natural theology - 'it looks designed, therefore it must be designed.' For those who think 'the world is not designed, it is just a mindless product of chance,' that is not a bad apologetic tool for one's kit. However, I agree with your last sentence to the effect that it is wrong to make Christians look dishonest and stupid, which the IDM sometimes does when it makes simple arguments to sophistiated people.
   
  Second, I'm glad to see you use the label EC (evolutionary creationist) because I think it is the braver alternative between TE and EC. TEs seem quick to avoid the label 'creationist' because of politics in the USA, not because they don't believe in Creation. A 'creationist' doesn't have to proscribe to 'creation science,' but can be a person who gives priority to creation and even to creativity that a mere evolutionist would likely not give. The qualifying priority should be given to creation and not to evolution, which others at ASA (how many is not clear) seem to support.
   
  Third, the problem is not with being an anti-Darwinist, when Darwinism is viewed as an ideology and not as simply synonymous with evolutionary biology. Darwinism as an ideology twists Darwin's original theory into a tool for atheistic or anti-theistic science, often in the hidden name of scientism. If one wants to support certain features of Darwin's evolutionary theory, though likely not all of them, not in the 21st century, then one should say Darwinian evolution and call oneself a Darwinian or neo-Darwinian evolutionary biologist; not a Darwinist. Here I would take issue with Ruse's selective definition of Darwinism and also with TE's who would universalize evolutionary theory into something that is much larger than a limited scientific theory and method must inevitably be.

   
  Arago

       
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Received on Wed Jul 25 00:22:13 2007