I think Eddie’s point is that EC leaders ARE NOT as a whole stating that they promote the view that God assured evolutionary outcomes.
Hey Eddie,
You seem to be taking a beating here lately, but upon reflection, I think you may have a point about Biologos airing theologians who hold to strong views of God’s sovereignty. We don’t want to stifle any voices, but this is a Christian organization, and one of its goals should be to explain evolution in the context of traditional Christian theology, including (and maybe especially) that concerning God’s sovereignty. So take cheers Eddie, you’ve won a convert! 
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But Biologos already does this. They’ve been doing it for months and months. Take a look here and you’ll find at least half a dozen articles on the impact of evolutionary creationism on original sin and the fall, more articles on the impact of evolutionary creationism on the atonement, more articles on the impact of evolutionary creationism on the historicity of Adam and Eve, more articles on the impact of evolutionary creationism on the immortal soul, and at least eight articles on the impact of evolutionary creationism on the doctrine of God’s sovereignty.
They’re not ducking away from the difficult subjects, they’re meeting them head on.
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Hi Jon,
Yes, they do put out a lot of interesting theological articles, I’m sure I’ve read (and enjoyed) all of them. I did a little digging in the, “What We Believe” section, and found the following - points 9 and 8, respectively:
"We believe that the diversity and interrelation of all life on earth
are best explained by the God-ordained process of evolution with
common descent. Thus, evolution is not in opposition to God,
but a means by which God **providentially** achieves his purposes.
And:
We believe that God created the universe, the earth, and all life
over billions of years. God continues to sustain the existence
and functioning of the natural world, and the cosmos continues to declare
the glory of God. Therefore, **we reject ideologies such as Deism**
that claim the universe is self-sustaining, that God is no longer
active in the natural world, or that God is not active in human history.
Being that Biologos officially rejects Deism and believes that God acts providentially through evolution, maybe they should offer more blogs from strong, traditionalist theologians who can help people who struggle with fitting evolution into what they know as timeless and unchangeable commitments.
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If you know any strong, traditionalist theologians with an interest in science who would love having their name associated with BioLogos, you should put them in touch with Brad. 
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Lol. Touche, Christy 
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Time for me to keep my promise.
My reasoning about outcomes is based on how the Scripture depicts the manner and extent to which God controls outcomes in general. God controls every individual outcome for Job during the period of initial blessing (it seems). However, He later gives Satan almost carte blanche to do whatever he wants to poor Job and his family. God wills that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9), yet there are both sheep and goats at the Last Judgment. In Genesis 18 we see that at one moment God is resolved to bring total annihilation to Sodom and Gomorrah, yet because of Abraham’s intercession He will for the sake of ten not destroy the cities.
Here’s how I would summarize how God controls outcomes: He controls the outcomes that He cares to control, based on His infinite wisdom about what is truly necessary. It’s hard to use that summary to make predictions. Sorry to disappoint any readers if that what you wanted.
I would apply the same principle to natural mechanisms. While God has not endowed nature with will, He has (per Abelard, Augustine and Basil) bestowed certain powers upon nature. Note that we moderns would consider many of the calamities that befall Job to be “natural” mechanisms (e.g., wind and skin disease). So we have here a picture of God not controlling every individual outcome of natural mechanisms. Thus I would respectfully disagree with the idea that God has pre-ordained and dictates the exact femtosecond at which every radioactive particle decays.
Of course, this does not mean that nature is lawless. Different elements have different half-lives, so they all are subjected to a probability distribution function. DNA mutations are likewise subject to a probability distribution function, and their persistence in the genome of a species is subject the directed force of natural selection. God has ordained the probability distribution functions, and He continues to providentially uphold them, just as He has ordained and upholds “deterministic” functions such as gravity.
Of course, we also see God controlling natural outcomes throughout the Scripture. I don’t think I need to cite any examples for my audience to accept the point! Moreover, from time to time He overrules the inherent powers of nature with interventions both mighty and subtle.
Thus my view is that God has controlled every outcome that He cares about with regard to evolution. I see no indication that He cares to the point of dictating every detail, so the duck-billed platypus could perhaps be considered serendipity resulting from powers that God has endowed nature with. However, He manifestly cares about us humans, created in His image, so I believe that He made sure each of us came to be what we are, when and where we are. Beyond that, I would not venture to guess where to draw the boundary between dictated outcomes and serendipitous outcomes.
Some will probably cringe at what I just wrote. Others may rejoice. Still others may wonder what I had to drink in the past few hours. I hope each of my readers will be able to rescue a helpful pebble of wisdom or encouragement from this post.
Advent blessings,
Chris
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The eminent theologian Paul Simon put it this way.
"God only knows, God makes his plan
The information’s unavailable to the mortal man
We’re working our jobs, collect our pay
Believe we’re gliding down the highway
When in fact we’re slip slidin’ away
Slip slidin’ away
Slip slidin’ away
You know the nearer your destination
The more you’re slip slidin’ away"
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Wouldn’t you say this is a matter of personal preference, Chris?
I have ZERO problem with the idea that God, in a front-loaded creation, dictated the exact femtosecond at which every radioactive particle decays.
So while I understand why you don’t share this preference, I think it is a little presumptuousness to say that God could NOT dictate such things.
To be fair, you’re both being presumptuous. “Front loaded creation” is wandering into murky waters where there be monsters of uncertainty (monstrum incertitudinis).
Hardly. This is a matter of denominational preference, is it not? I can see why you might not prefer this option. But to say God CANNOT strikes me as a fundamental cause for why denominations emerged.
By Front-Loaded, I want to make sure you know that I am talking about some weird form of Intelligent Design that I’ve seen mentioned now and then. To me Front-Loaded is simply the idea that God arranged for that Dino-killing asteroid at the very moment of creation… rather than creating the asteroid from out of nothing, and then throwing it in the path of Earth’s orbit.
I hear you. I do not think it a denominational division. Only a note of caution that we should mark where we are presuming things and since God nowhere said he front loaded an asteroid we must recognize that what we say of such things is far short of certainty and rather in the realm of speculation. I’m not saying you’re right or wrong. Only offering an outsiders perspective that presumption resides in both camps (and mine as well from time to time!).
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All that being said, there is zero evidence for a specially created asteroid but good reasons for an asteroid existing due to the processes taking place in the solar system. Scientifically therefore, I would say a specially created asteroid is invalid. Not beyond God’s ability (likewise this notion of front loading is not beyond him), but not what he’s said he’s done either.
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The use of the term Presumptuousness was not in connection with a particular belief… but in the INSISTENCE that God would not act in a certain way.
My preference for Front-Loading is just that - - a preference. All my posts on Creation have been open to Either Scenario described in the BioLogos Mission statements.
God uses natural processes, and God uses miraculous processes. Either scenario is acceptable.
Ironically, it is @Eddie who keeps begging for BioLogos supporters to take a firm position. And so I have. But my position does not include “and God didn’t do it any other way”.
There is another member on these boards who goes so far as to insist that God would not manipulate DNA. Why does he hold this position? - - I couldn’t say, really. But he is rather adamant about that.
Nothing gets in the way of discussion quicker than saying: God just couldn’t do this… or wouldn’t do that.
If I were going to improve @Chris_Falter’s sentence (below), I would have inserted a few extra words at the end:
“…we have here a picture of God not controlling every individual outcome of natural mechanisms. Thus I would respectfully disagree with the idea that God has pre-ordained and dictates the exact femtosecond at which every radioactive particle decays… - - though I understand why some Christians believe that God did pre-ordain such things.”
That’s fair. Thank you for the clarification!
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Hi Chris,
I think we are all beginning to understand the theological depths we need to plunge when we talk of God doing this or that. One aspect that we may miss at times is this: when we discuss God (theology) we inevitably end up considering in some way, how we think of God, and eventually what we think of ourselves as human beings. The more we understand the attributes of God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, the closer we come to an understanding of humanity as exemplified by Christ. Christianity has constantly discussed Christ as being totally human and totally divine, as one nature.
It is at this point in theological discussions that outlooks on nature (and for this site a focus on evolution) may consider human agency, and the ability of human beings to change the course of natural events and bend these to the human will (often with lamentable outcomes, but also for good outcomes). In this context, it is appropriate to consider God’s Sovereignty to include gifting humanity with a singular freedom - without implying any change to God in any sense.
Best wishes
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By “someone” are you asserting I don’t think God is 100% in control of every aspect of his creation? If so, I direct your attention to Luther’s Bondage of the Will and the particularly if not peculiarly Lutheran enjoyment of paradox (e.g. the God who controls everything [so far as the Deus revelatus has revealed anything about the Deus absconditus] and yet the humanity which is responsible for its own damnation [and not its own salvation] etc.). Put bluntly, of course God is in charge of everything at every moment and wills everything at every moment, though he holds us responsible for sin and evil.