2022 09 08 Thursday meeting

Darwinism and the Divine:
Evolutionary Thought and Natural Theology
by Alister E. McGrath
No. 1
An Introduction
The dilemma of theological evolutionists . . .
This is the self-imposed burden of the theological evolutionists: 1. They must somehow be faith-
ful to the Word of God, but also : 2. Be very beholden to Modern Science. They are con-
vinced that unless they prove themselves loyal to Science, no one will be interested in the
Church [nor in God] whom they are professedly representing. But, in response, NO ONE what-
soever is at all interested in something they fully understand—in their heart-of-hearts— will
never be more than mere HYPOCRISY, as we shall soon see.
McGrath has THREE ACADEMIC DEGREES: molecular biophysics, theology, and intellectual
history. But these three disciplines will be in fact fighting one another inside him, as in a Deadly
Ring.
Think of these disciplines, duking it out:
1. Molecular biophysics: A science based only upon material laws.
2. Theology: Interested supposedly only in . . . GOD.
3. Intellectual History: [May I ask: Who ever understands just what Intellectual History is?]
History is only a detailed record—hopefully, a very good record—of actual events. But if that
“history” is distorted by the lens of the historian who is trying desperately to prove a point, it is,
then, only someone’s faulted opinion.
“Science”: from Latin, scientia: “to know.” TO KNOW!
Theology is “The Queen of the Sciences.” All knowledge—whether history, or humanities, or
mathematics, or what we understand today within the narrow confines of the word “science,” or
all of the liberal arts—are beholden to theology. What does this mean?: Applying to her for wis-
dom. Applying for direction from God. For assurance and confirmation from the Word of God,
which provides a universal rule under which all knowledge must be adjudicated now, and some-
day be ultimately Judged. With all of these grand human disciplines, we must appeal to her, with
bended knee.
What are her servants, her ministers, who promote theology? They must be exalted, of all men.
They must be exalted, of all men! What are they like? What are they like? They must be—of all
men—Humble. Reverent. Self-effacing. Serving, to the point of suffering. Seeking answers. Of-
fering responses, but only in humility. Willing to be contradicted. In other words, filled with
Virtue. To be . . . like Christ!