Charles Darwin’s famous 1839 book, The Voyage of the Beagle, is perhaps one of the most well-read accounts of the scientist’s work and travel to South America.
My journey may not be counted in miles or even in years.
When I was in high school in the late 1960s, we didn’t learn about evolution in biology class. I graduated with a biology major, but my coursework somehow bypassed learning about evolution. When I began teaching high school, I saw evolution as a controversial topic, which probably led to some misunderstandings on my part.
I began my career teaching general life science and college-prep anatomy, but it was several years before I moved into college-prep biology. I vividly recall my first textbook; it carefully substituted the term ‘organic variation’ for evolution. Between the book’s timid approach and my own hesitation, I suspect I may have bypassed that chapter entirely.
Years later, my teaching approach and our curriculum changed. Bingo! While involved with the state science teachers’ association, I spent many hours with a colleague from a nearby high school who taught evolution, including human evolution, to his biology students. Knowing my changes, he invited me to attend a one-week workshop about teaching evolution through the nature of science. Bingo!
That fall, I began teaching a new biology program from Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), which emphasized evolution. BINGO! I was finally starting to understand evolution as a topic while processing it with my faith.
Fast forward to February 2009, and I had retired. Through blogging, I learned that the world was celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. I was drawn to several insightful posts by Roman Catholic and Orthodox priests regarding the harmony between science and faith. While I had personally reconciled evolution with my beliefs, I realized my grasp of how these two worlds actually intersect was still superficial.
The other end of the spectrum also captured my attention. One post stated that Darwin worshipped a false god, was a sloppy scientist, a racial bigot, and that he taught his children to hate God, worship creatures more than the Creator, and that he trained others to be hateful. My favorite comment was one blaming Darwin and evolution for promoting abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, torture, murder, rape, Satanism, Communism, Nazism, incest, paganism, hedonism, genocide, dictatorships, Columbine, rock ‘n’ roll music, and Democrats.
Realizing that I knew little, these divergent views motivated me to learn about the positive relationship between science and religion. I started with a book suggested online, Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution by Karl Giberson.
Because my eyes suddenly opened, I moved on to reading sources Giberson frequently mentioned. Following the trail of clues like a detective, I continued my personal study. A pivotal moment occurred in a discussion with my pastor. Little did I know (at the time) that we were discussing two of the four models relating science and religion.
I explained science and religion as two content rings within us. Because each has its own set of rules and standards, it is up to each of us to determine our views by keeping the topics separate. My pastor explained science and religion as overlapping concentric rings. Having never heard that view, I was surprised and didn’t know how to respond. But that meant I had more to learn, so my detective trail continued as my pastor provided additional resources.
After six months of concentrated reading and contemplation, I wrote an informal personal paper to demonstrate what I had learned. I submitted the paper to friends from a variety of vocations (pastors, scientists, teachers, and laypeople) for their comments. Through their comments, I continued reading, learning, and expanding the paper.
I eventually reached out to multiple authors for their feedback. As I received their feedback, I continued reading and writing. One author mentioned that I was reading the right people. The journey continued.
Eventually, the educator in me realized my work could become a learning document for others, so I found a way to make it one. Because it started as an informal paper for me, it lacked footnotes, so publishing was out of the question. Even though several people have read it, I call it my never-to-be-read book.
I’m extremely proud of my bibliography. Besides 31 books, my journey included 132 articles, essays, selected chapters, videos, online lectures, podcasts, interviews, church resources, polls/surveys/studies, Scripture, and who knows how many unrecorded informal sources for informational snippets and verification.
Not only has my journey transformed me into my pastor’s concentric rings, I also view science, evolution, creation, theology, and religion as glorifying God through a deeper understanding of God’s creation: our majestic, inspiring, intricate, beautiful, continually growing universe filled with awe.
I’m fortunate that my pastor has been open to my proposed classes through the years. I imagine I will continue to develop ideas. Although I haven’t reached out to other congregations in my area, the thought remains within me. Meanwhile, I continue to read, learn, and revise my document that is good for individual and group study, and I’m willing to share.
Starter Resource Books
For those seeking to learn more, I recommend starting with the following books. (No order suggested as the groupings are alphabetical as are the listings within the group.)
General
Origins: Christian Perspectives on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design
(Deborah and Loren Haarsma) a good starter
Science and Faith in Harmony: Contemplations on Distilled Doxology (Sy Garte)
Science, Faith, and Ethics: Grid or Gridlock? (Denis Alexander and Robert White)
When Science Meets Religion: Enemies, Strangers, or Partners (Ian Barbour)
Historical
Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution (Karl Giberson)
The Evolution-Creation Struggle (Michael Ruse)
Personal Application
Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! (Denis Lamoureux)
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (Francis Collins)
The Sacred Chain: How Understanding Evolution Leads to Deeper Faith (Jim Stump)
Scientific
Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground between God and Evolution (Kenneth Miller)
Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation (Bill Nye)
Theological
God after Darwin: A Theology of Evolution (John Haught)
The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (John
Walton)
Theological-Based
Can You Believe in God and Evolution? A Guide for the Perplexed (Ted Peters and
Martinez Hewlett)
Responses to 101 Questions on God and Evolution (John Haught)
Frank Girolami
Frank Girolami is a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Loveland, Ohio and is a retired high school science teacher and a retired instructional designer. He enjoys reading about the intersection of science and faith and has made numerous presentations on the topic at his church.