This thread has spawned some interesting discussions, but as the person who started this thread in the first place, I think I need to point out that they have by and large drifted off topic.
This thread was never intended to be about evolution specifically.
It was never intended to be about philosophy.
It was never intended to be about the theological implications of randomness.
It was never intended to be about whether someone is referring to world class university towns or to something completely different when they mention Cambridge and St Andrews in the same sentence.
It was about a very specific problem that I see happening in some Christian circles from time to time, especially when the subject of science in general turns up.
It is a problem that was raised and highlighted by the oft-cited 2011 Barna report into the top six reasons why young Christians leave church:
I’m sure that this is a problem that all of us, including @adamjedgar and @RichardG, would agree is something to be avoided. None of us want our churches to be hostile to inquiring outsiders, while at the same time they should be places where those within who are struggling can find support and encouragement, not condemnation and accusation on account of things that they are required to understand and put into practice in order to do their jobs properly. No-one should be made to feel ashamed or embarrassed on account of their Oxbridge or Ivy League education. No-one should be made to feel pressured to lower their professional standards in order to endorse views that are blatantly and obviously untrue.
The specific problem is Christians who come across as antagonistic or hostile towards scientifically educated individuals while believing that they are actually being welcoming and supportive. I was specifically wanting to highlight ways in which I have to say to people, “Hey, you say you’re being pro-science, or supportive of scientists, but at the same time you are saying <insert statement here> that conveys a completely different impression.”
There’s another problem that seems to have become apparent here. Far too often, when I start talking about science in general, there are some people who jump straight to the conclusion that I’m trying to bash them over the head with evolution. When in actual fact, the thing that is at the forefront of my mind is how I ended up getting rid of all my maths and physics textbooks in my late twenties because I was feeling embarrassed and ashamed about having a degree from a top university in the subject. None of the textbooks in question even mentioned evolution.
I think that we get so fixated on these philosophical and theological debates at times that we lose sight of the fact that at the same time, we are dealing with people’s lives, their jobs and careers, their passions and interests, and their ability to protect themselves and their loved ones.