Expert: Joe Norman - 10/18/2007

Question
Can you please explain how a Church of Christ member would view Evolution and Darwinism?  It would seem that the Church of Christ might be different from Protestant fundamentalist churches which include a literal belief in the Old and New Testament and therefore do not believe in certain scientific discoveries like that of evolution and the Big Bang.
Thank you in advance for your response.

Answer
 I deeply appreciate your choosing me to answer this question. I will be more than happy to help you as best I can. One problem I have though is that there is not a book of church creeds or doctrines that would make the entire church of Christ have one official answer or position on this topic or any other for that matter. You could get a different answer from every member of the Lord's church.

 The majority of the churches of Christ do reject evolution and Darwinism as junk science and accept the literal belief in the Old and New Testament. There is nothing in "scientific discoveries" regarding evolution or the Big Bang, that is factual or proven. Evolution is called a Theory, but in actuality it is merely a hypothesis.

 God has given us the Bible not only to guide our faith but also to provide a framework of revelation within which to interpret the mysteries of the earth's origin and destiny. One factor that all scientists who believe in and teach evolution reject is the possibility that there ever was a world-wide flood as is recorded in Genesis. If the flood of Noah's day did actually occur, it would have caused major changes in the sedimentary rocks and fossils.

 Evolutionists do not consider a world-wide flood and so believe that the sedimentary rocks have been laid down by ordinary processes of deposition, at rates similar to those in effect at present. This concept implies that the earth must be tremendously old, its age now believed on the basis of evidence from radioactivity to be some 4 1/2 billion years, instead of 6 to 7 thousand years old.

 I do not flippantly reject Science's answer regarding the origins of man and all we know and see. It is my contention that the majority of people who accept evolution do so uncritically and blindly. I believe we should seek to reach a truly logical and correct conclusion while keeping a careful and open-minded attitude.

 I am by no means a scientist, but recommend two excellent books that helped me to understand the errors of evolutionists. The best book I have read is called "The Genesis Flood" by John C. Whitcomb Jr. Th.D and Henry M. Morris Ph.D. Neither of these men are members of the church of Christ, but their book is the most thorough and honest study of both Creationism and Evolution that I have read. It is a difficult book to read. It was for me anyway. I am not a Ph.D.

 The other book I highly recommend is "I Believe Because..." by Batsell Barrett Baxter. This man was a minister in the churches of Christ for many years and was among the most educated men in our brotherhood. His book was easier to read, but not much. Yet, the information provided in both of these books is extremely worth your time. I am not sure if my response has been adequate, but did my best to respond honestly.

 I could share some of the details of these books to show why I reject evolution and Darwinism, but this is a very complex topic and I'm not sure the evidence can be adequately presented here. There are other books that are excellent and scientific in their approach as well, but the two I recommended are the best I have come across. Feel free to ask others here your question to see what answers you get from them as well.

 Thank you again for allowing me to attempt to answer you. One thing is for sure, the churches of Christ are different from Protestant fundamentalist churches. We constantly strive to be nothing more and nothing less than the church which belongs to Christ and that follows the New Testament pattern for worship, becoming Christians, organization, etc. I pray that God be with you in your endeavors to live a Christian life.

                    Immersed Into Christ, Joe Norman