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A student grapples with some ultimate questions
Friday 9 June 2006
I had an email yesterday from a university student who has been reading my book “Letter to an Influential Atheist”. He wrote: I am currently reading your book ´a letter to an influential atheist´ and am finding it a fascinating read. There are still questions in my mind which i would like you to give me your opinion on.
in your book, you make note that chimpanzee DNA is only 1% different to human DNA but in spite of this, human beings have characteristics that no other living species have such as creativity etc. I was unclear whether you believe the physical body of humans had evolved and God had guided this so that th end result of evolution would be species in his image, and that then God enabled mankind to function in ways the rest of the animal kingdom were unable to. or were you saying you believe that evolution aplies to all life except mankind, which, in a later time period, he created separately in his own image?
My next question is one that i have found difficulty understanding for some time. It is regarding the fall of man written about in genesis. How does this fit into your evolutionary look at creation? My understanding of the concept of the fall is that mankind has spoilt a previously perfect environment because of his greed, and this is something we are all guilty of, and as a result the whole planet has been corrupted and disease, death and suffering are a result. My question to you is, what is your understanding of the fall, because we know that the dinosaurs along with many other life forms had died long before human existance. Therefore how can death, disease and suffering be purely the fault of mankind, when science suggests that it was present before mankind existed?
I would also like to ask one last question about the importance of jesus.
Christians worldwide believe that jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
I believe Jesus said in John 14:6 ´I am the way the truth and the life.
No-one comes to the father except through me.´ But does this mean the father no longer has the power to forgive? if it is essential to trust jesus, what has become of those men who have done great works for God without faith in Jesus, for example Gandi? I believe it is part of Muslim tradition to pray 7 times a day. Can God really not hear these prayers of dedication and calls for forgiveness because they are not in Jesus name? If he cant, it seems to be God is ´my way or else´ and shows no compassion for those that love him but worship him through a diffeent cultural practice which does not involve the worship of Jesus. However, if he does forgive these people, i cannot understand the relevance of the crucifixion.
thank you for considering my questions. i feel it is important to let you know i am not trying to ´pick holes´ in christianity. I agree the world and life is not down to chance but was planned. I am simply trying to get to the bottom of issues i struggle with.
I replied: I was interested in your questions. On your first one about the difference between chimps and humans: I believe the first of your two options -- that humans have evolved and God has been the moment by moment sustainer of this process which has resulted in a species in his image with a unique level of consciousness and powers of mind. I don´t think that any language we use can do justice to what has happened. Saying that God has "guided" the process of evolution (which is often said by Christians who also accept evolution) is really a sort of shorthand. The problem is that (inevitably) all our notions of God are too small. By definition we cannot grasp the power and ways of an infinite God who is beyond, behind and within all matter, who is personal yet beyond personhood, who, in some sense, we can know but (as the mystics said) is ultimately unknowable. This is why the best way of putting it that I can think of at the moment is, I repeat, that he has been the moment by moment sustainer of the evolutionary processes which have resulted in humanity. But even this language is inadequate since we cannot really use past tense verbs ("has been") or time language ("moment by moment") for a being who is beyond time. But it is the best I can do.
Your second question is about the fall and the origin of suffering and pain. Here I am quite out of my depth. Many theologians have written learned books about the fall. I have not studied them in depth. But (whatever the fall means) I just cannot believe that humanity is to blame for sin, disease, suffering and death. I do not take the story of Adam and Eve literally. I think the story does quite vividly illustrate some of the ways in which humans get tempted to sin and disobedience. But the presence of sin and evil in the world is a mystery to me: in some sense the answer to it must lie in the fact that God has created us free to choose and not made us like robots (as I said and enlarged on in the book). It is a remarkable fact that from mindless matter has emerged beings like you and me who have freedom of choice and understanding and are aware of ourselves. This is a mystery for atheistic evolutionists as well as Christians who accept evolution.
Your third question is what Jesus meant when he said he was the only way to God. Once again some learned books have been written about this. Yes, I certainly think Muslims pray to the same God that I pray to when they pray. Yes, Gandhi was a very good man (and also a great lover I believe of the New Testament and the sermon on the mount -- see my book "Good News for the World"). I certainly don´t believe for a moment that everyone born before Jesus, or all followers of non-Christian religions, are not accepted by God. The writers of thoughtful books on this subject have suggested that the death of Christ was so powerful and all-embracing that its redeeming, forgiving and saving effect cannot be limited to those who have heard of Christ or responded to him in a certain way. If this is "universalism" then perhaps I am a universalist. God is sovereign. We cannot understand his ways. But I think it unlikely that his concept of what is loving and fair and just is fundamentally different from that understanding which you and I as his creatures have.
I hope this gives you some idea of my thinking -- do come back to me.
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