Scientist wonders why evolution debate has so many creationists

Charles Darwin

A scientist speaking at a debate on evolution and creation in Birmingham wondered aloud why the event had so many creationists.

Kenneth R. Miller, a professor of biology at Brown University, followed two creationists to the Wright Center stage at Samford University on Monday night for the "What Should Christians Believe?" debate on evolution and wanted to make one thing clear.

More than 98 percent of scientists affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science say they believe humans evolved over time.

But four of the six speakers scheduled for the debate, which continued Tuesday night, oppose a full embrace of evolution.

Miller followed a young-earth creationist and an old earth creationist who made presentations on Monday. Two out of Tuesday's three speakers were also creationists, he noted.

German physicist Thomas Seiler argued Monday in favor of young earth creationism.

"The idea that the world is older than 6,000 years is based on extrapolation," Seiler said.

He dismissed radiocarbon dating as inaccurate, since the rate of breakdown can accelerate, such as happens in a nuclear reactor. Miller disputed that claim about the inaccuracy of radiocarbon dating, explaining the accuracy of Rubidium-Strontium dating.

Fazale Rana, vice president of research and apologetics for Reasons to Believe, made the argument for Old Earth creationism.  As a biochemistry graduate student, he went from agnostic to theist to Christian because of his studies. "Biochemical systems have the appearance of design," Rana said. "Biological innovations happen abruptly without intermediate forms."

He also cited the failure to explain the origin of life through chemical evolution and cited the Cambrian Explosion, a period of rapid appearance of fossils when most major types of life forms sprang into being, as running counter to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Darwin himself had mentioned this as one of the main objections that could be raised to his theory of evolution by natural selection.

Miller noted that fossil discoveries of the past decade have helped fill in gaps in intermediate forms that demonstrate the pattern of evolution.

Miller said that Christians can embrace evolution without shedding their faith. He noted that the past four Catholic popes, including Pope Francis, have made statements embracing evolution.

"Any faith that rests on science being wrong is on a shaky foundation indeed," Miller said. "It places nature in opposition to God. God is the reason for nature. Finding a natural cause does not take God out of the picture."

The event is co-sponsored by Samford's Center for Science and Religion and the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham.

"The idea is to present several different views on origins," said Professor Steven F. Donaldson, co-founder of the Center for Science and Religion.

"We're hoping the presenters will all make really good cases," Donaldson said. "It's to help the audience see the different positions. If you do enough of this kind of thing the evidence speaks for itself."

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.