Re: [asa] RE: TE and apologetics

Not so. BG was very outspoken on TE and a real conundrum for evangelicals who didn't know how to deal with him other than just trying to ignore hin. Below is just one of his many powerful quotes on it:

"I don't think that there's any conflict at all between science today and the scriptures. I think that we have misinterpreted the Scriptures many times and we've tried to make the Scriptures say things they weren't meant to say, I think that we have made a mistake by thinking the Bible is a scientific book. The Bible is not a book of science. The Bible is a book of Redemption, and of course I accept the Creation story. I believe that God did create the universe. I believe that God created man, and whether it came by an evolutionary process and at a certain point He took this person or being and made him a living soul or not, does not change the fact that God did create man. ... whichever way God did it makes no difference as to what man is and man's relationship to God."Billy Graham: Personal Thoughts of a Public Man, 1997. p. 72-74

----- Original Message ----
From: "Dehler, Bernie" <bernie.dehler@intel.com>
To: "asa@calvin.edu" <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:40:22 AM
Subject: RE: [asa] RE: TE and apologetics

I guess Billy Graham is the most popular evangelist and he's supposed to be neutral (or agnostic) on evolution.  He just starts with sin, and doesn't say where it comes from. 

YEC's involved in evangelism have a story for how sin entered the world and tie it in to a gospel presentation.  I was wondering how an evolutionist could tie evolution into a gospel presentation, and if any evangelists have done it, to give a alternative to the Ken Ham evangelism approach.  It seems like the alternative to the Ham approach is to be agnostic- not mention where/how sin arose, just start with "we are sinners."

Ironically, the Discovery Institute seems to accept an old age for the earth, but when it comes to the gospel, they prefer a literal Adam introducing death and sin into the world, judging from Nancy Pearcy's book "Total Truth."  But I know they have a diversity of opinion at the DI.

...Bernie

-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of David Campbell
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 8:33 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: [asa] RE: TE and apologetics

On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Dehler, Bernie
<bernie.dehler@intel.com> wrote:
> Did I ask for TE input for apologetics or evangelism? I think it was for evangelism, wondering if there was a TE version of Billy Graham- one who would preach a gospel based on understanding evolution and NOT Adam/Eve as real people (yes, I understand some accept evolution and a historical Adam, not looking for that kind).
>

The importance of Adam and Eve for the gospel is primarily as part of
the point that humans are sinful and need salvation.  Adam and Eve are
not essential to that point, so probably most presentations of the
gospel do not specifically incorporate Adam and Eve.  Conversely,
evolution doesn't especially affect the gospel, either-it gives a
physical account of how we got the way we are, but doesn't tell us
what to do about it, either.

Thus, I'm not sure what you want.  Obviously a sermon on Genesis 1-10
or so, and maybe one on other genealogies or references to Adam, would
be different, but that's not a primary component of Christian
evangelism (as opposed to creationist evangelism).

-- 
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama
"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"
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