Some attribute the rise of modern science in part to the belief in the
freedom of God to order the universe however he pleases. That is, there is
no mathematical or geometrical form that constrains him. This freed science
from the shackles of Aristotelian and/or other philosophies that imposed
some system on God and his creation. Scientists could only look at what's
out there and conclude that God did it that way. Of course, this is
empiricism.
You will rightly observe that such a perspective puts belief in God prior
to any evidence from the natural world. So, if we look at the biological
world and see that the evidence points to evolution, we conclude that God
did it that way. It is no stranger in biology than in physics or chemistry.
Asking, "how could God do it that way?" or "why would God do it that way?"
is simply an extension of many already existing theological
issues/problems: providence, Divine sovereignty vs. free will, the problem
of evil, God's relationship to history, etc.
While things are indeed "messy", you have to admit that they are
wonderfully messy. I have made a career of studying biochemistry and cell
biology and marvel at the the way things work. It's been quite fun to
study this stuff and try to figure it out (including how it originated via
evolutionary mechanisms). You also have to admit that there is
order/structure/"whatever you want to call it" to the biological realm.
Otherwise how could we have a science that tries to understand it?
So, messy? Yes. But no messier than history. No messier than "redemptive
history", the Christian salvation message. This doesn't make God any less.
In my mind, it makes Him all the more.
TG
The opening and closing sections of my review of Behe's book expands on
some of these ideas. See it at
http://www.asa3.org/evolution/irred_compl.html
_________________
Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
grayt@lamar.colostate.edu http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801