Dale
(evolutionary providentialist)
October 4, 2022, 4:46pm
514
False doctrine combatively and divisively pushed is evil.
It is also demeaning of God and contrary to the heart of the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer. (“Hallowed be thy name” – I love you, Lord, and I desire your renown!)
In regards to things about the earth, the sky, other elements of this world, the motion and rotation or even the magnitude and distances of the stars, the definite eclipses of the sun and moon, the passage of years and seasons, the nature of animals, of fruits, of stones, and of other such things, it should not be surprising that such things can be known with the greatest certainty by reasoning or by experience, even by one who is not a Christian.
Therefore, it is an utterly disgraceful and ruinous thing —and something that should be greatly avoided—if [a non-Christian] hears a Christian speaking like an idiot on these matters and trying to make them accord with Christian writings. When that happens, [the non-Christian] will say that he can’t keep from laughing when he sees how totally in error they are . In view of this and in keeping it in mind constantly while dealing with the book of Genesis, I have, insofar as I was able, explained in detail and set forth for consideration the meanings of obscure passages, taking care not to affirm rashly some singular meaning to the prejudice of another and perhaps better explanation.
– Augustine