I did a Christian TV talk show down in Florida this weekend. A great show
called "The Late Steve Brown Show" which is brand new, on a new Christian
network (called The Worship Network). The show is aired on Sunday nights at 10
pm EST. Look for it on local stations (it may be hard to find; it's on little
ol' channel 30 in L.A.)
Anyway,it's sort of like a Tom Snyder type deal...an hour. We talked about my
novel, evolution and creationism. The really interesting part was what the
call ins said, and the "on the street" interviews.
First, the show sent a team to a local mall and interviewed a bunch of people,
asking whether they believed in evolution or creation. Only one guy said
evolution. A lot of young people were unequivocal in their belief that they
were created by God. My favorite was a guy who was pierced with so much iron I
expected him to be offered on the Home Shopping Network. He had this big spike
sticking out of his lower lip...but he said "nothing makes sense" if we're not
created.
The screener said this show generated the most calls they've ever had. This
just shows me how "hot" the topic remains out there. One caller asked me about
the genetic similarity between chimps and humans. Isn't that proof of common
descent? I said it could be viewed as a common design with common material, it
depends on your "lenses." Next caller said creationists were unfair in saying
scientists were biased. I said maybe he didn't appreciate the pressure to
conform in the academy (and the host then brought up the case of Dean Kenyon).
But I did agree that extremists on both sides are not useful in the debate.
Another caller asked if I believed in the "gap theory" between Gen. 1 and 2. I
told him to call Denis Lamoureux (yuk, yuk). Nah, I finessed that with "I'm
not a theologian," and the host again picked up quoting, of all people, Donald
Grey Barnhouse (I loved it. I love Barnhouse).
At one point, Steve Brown asked me if it was possible to believe in evolution
and be a Christian.
"No, of course not," I replied.
[pause]
OK, I didn't really say that. In fact, you'll be happy to know I was very
respectful of TE. One caller mentioned Augustine, and I said, Yes, he wrote
very convincingly of this type of creation (a tip of the hat to Prof. Howard
Van Till!) I said, "There are many good Christian scholars who believe this."
I said the real issue should be the glorification of God and design against
atheistic materialism. On this all Christians can agree. The host mentioned
Phil Johnson's two books, both of which he read and loved (Steve Brown teaches
at Reformed Th. Seminary).
Anyway, it was heartening to know that so many young people out there believe
God created them. And the callers were fairly "with it" on the substance,
showing me that they can understand the essentials of the current debate. So
let's keep at it...respectfully, of course.
Jim