Re: [asa] Miracles and God of the Gaps

George Murphy wrote:

> I think that the real question at issue here is whether or not the
> claim that God acts in the world is falsifiable. & if
> "falsifiable" means "shown to be in conflict with observational
> data" then I think the answer is no. Consider an astronomical
> example instead of a biological one. A naive explanation of solar
> energy is that the sun is a big sphere of coal & oxygen & is
> literally burning. A more satisfactory view held in the 19th
> century was that the energy emitted from the sun comes from its
> gravitational contraction. Today we think it's due to nuclear
> fusion reactions. The theological claim that God makes the sun
> shine by cooperating with the physical processes going on in the
> sun says nothing about what those processes are - oxidation,
> gravitational contraction, or nuclear fusion.

This is one of the reasons that I do not like, or use the term
"theistic evolution" for myself. If someone wants a label, I say
that my position is that of "continuous creation." My emphasis is
theological, and focusses on the creation theology that argues that
God is always and intimately involved in Creation through the natural
processes that God ordained and continuously upholds. Biological
evolution (ie. common descent) is an extremely well-supported theory
in modern science. But should it for some reason be rejected in the
future in part or in whole (the latter of which I consider highly
unlikely) it would not alter my theological position. It is not
scientifically "falsifiable."

As I, and many others in this forum, have stated in various ways,
this view (whatever label one places on it) is not making any
particular scientific claims other than accepting the scientific
consensus for what it is (the current consensus). Its essential
argument is theological -- and that is where the discussion must be.

Keith

Keith B. Miller
Research Assistant Professor
Dept of Geology, Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506-3201
785-532-2250
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/

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Received on Fri Jan 23 21:57:27 2009