UP FROM THE SLIME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 809, 28 January 1955, Page 5

UP FROM THE SLIME

Sir-If "Awake" was as careful as he recommends me to be, he would have noticed that in my first letter I spoke of evolution as a theory. and said we could not prove either absolute beginnings or endings. If "Awake’s" theory about Genesis is correct then Sunday should follow Saturday each week, but at periods of-how many thousands of years? The theist or Bible believer is faced with the fact that Bishop Ussher on a Bible basis calculated that God made the heavens, the earth, the seas and all therein-including Betelgeuse 25 million times larger than our sun, one human male, unclothed, and a flying or walking serpent that could speak a language humans could understand-all this just 4100 years ago. The established sciences of astronomy, anthropology, and geology tell ys the earth has existed for at least 2000 million years; life on it for 1100 million years, and man-man the _ tool-maker--probably 500,000 years, while his near-human or pre-human ancestors existed long, long before that, For the Bible believer God is a supreme intelligence, infinite in capacity

for creation, whose work cannot change. If Genesis and Bishop Ussher are accepted, surely we may ask’ how infinite perfection came to create an imperfect universe including imperfect man. And if his work is not subject to change, how do we explain the vast geological and climatic changes that have occurred, the rise and disappearance of prehistoric creatures, and the varied species of men? Evolution is a scientific theory by means of which scientists are trying to pierce some of the mysteries of life. Genesis is a theological theory aiming to give meaning to life, But the Bible believer either cannot or will not face the fact that human life has no meaning except that which humans have given to it. Man has invented religions, philosophies, sciences, arts and social codes, the practising of or conforming to which gives his life some meaning. The mystery, marvel and miracle about man is that he can, so to speak, stand back and survey himself and the universe. Scientists are not seeking "a missing link" but whole chunks in the chain of evidence connecting man with his ancestors. They hope eventually to find enough to enable them to do it as effectively as they have traced the horse from a creature with three toes on each foot.

J. MALTON

MURRAY

(Oamaru).