THREE VIEWS ON CREATION AND EVOLUTION

Paul Nelson

Robert C. Newman

Howard J. Van Till

Stanley N. Gundry series editor

J. P. Moreland general editor

John Mark Reynolds general editor

ZONDERVAN

Three Views on Creation and Evolution

Copyright © 1999 by J. P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Three views on creation and evolution / J. P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds, general editors; contributors, Paul Nelson … [et al.]; respondents, John Jefferson Davis … [et al.]., First.

p. cm.—(Counterpoints)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-310-22017-6

1. Creationism. 2. Evolution—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Moreland, James Porter, 1948–. II. Reynolds, John Mark, 1963–. III. Nelson, Paul. IV. Davis, John Jefferson. V. Series: Counterpoints (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

BS651.T485 1999

231.7’652—dc21

98-33239

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

Introduction: J. P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds

1. YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM

PAUL NELSON and JOHN MARK REYNOLDS

Responses

Walter L. Bradley

John Jefferson Davis

J. P. Moreland

Vern S. Poythress

Conclusion

2. PROGRESSIVE CREATIONISM (“Old Earth Creationism”)

ROBERT C. NEWMAN

Responses

Walter L. Bradley

John Jefferson Davis

J. P. Moreland

Vern S. Poythress

Conclusion

3. THE FULLY GIFTED CREATION (“Theistic Evolution”)

HOWARD J. VAN TILL

Responses

Walter L. Bradley

John Jefferson Davis

J. P. Moreland

Vern S. Poythress

Conclusion

Postscript: Final Reflections on the Dialogue

Reflection 1: Richard H. Bube

Reflection 2: Phillip E. Johnson

Select Bibliography

The Contributors

Person Index

Subject Index

INTRODUCTION

J. P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds

One of the most important influences shaping the modern world is science. People who lived during the Civil War had more in common with Abraham than with us. From DNA research and space travel to computer science and neurophysiology, ours is a world of science.

For Christians, this comes as no surprise. We believe in a rational God who created the world. We also believe that he created our human intellectual faculties in such a way that we ...