I’m new to this forum. I’ve known about it for a while, but just never dug in. I have a situation that is similar, in many ways, to the original post. I grew up very persuaded by young earth and have since come to the middle. I’m very open to both sides. My faith in Christ is not contingent on one or the other. But for the sake of the ministry I’m involved in I am in pursuit of a way of bringing unity. I know sincere believers on both sides, and I want very much for them to be able to work with each other. I have a short article on the subject, and I’m curious to see how people in this community feel about it.
Welcome, Ryan! I moved your topic to its own thread so it would hopefully get more interaction.
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I’m not in ministry (thank goodness), but sympathize with the struggle.
I enjoyed your link. Have you tried to put it into free verse? It sounds very poetic.
Origins—A Broken Dialogue
I am biased.
I am captivated and persuaded by Christ Jesus. He is my hope, my salvation; he is the context that gives meaning to my experience and existence. How then should I treat the one who has laughed him off as a lunatic? Should I call him a liar? Cut off his ear? What then of my insight into the most excellent way? a love that always hopes, perseveres, and keeps no record of wrongs? And how can I call him a liar? Was I there when He “laid the foundations of the earth?” It’s hypocrisy. I call the man a liar, and then say, “you weren’t there to witness evilution so you can’t prove what you are teaching.” Neither can I prove what I would bleed to teach for God has said we must come to him by faith and not sight. I wasn’t there to observe the beginning, and if I was, could I have survived it? Do not think for a second that speaking the universe into existence was humdrum, safe or calculable by man. Whether there was blood at the birth of creation I do not know, but I know there was blood in its redemption. Whatever happened inside of God as he spoke it into being was neither cheap nor easy. The result was worth dying to save. I accept that Genesis really happened. One man says a day was millions of years, another says twenty-four hours, but it is unclear that those two numbers are literally, mathematically or physically incompatible with each other when God is the creator. Do not call the other man a liar or you may be guilty of sin. Do not call him an idiot. He has the image of God! Rather consider that all the most effective lies are mostly true or even completely “true” but divorced from the context so that both the believer and the unbeliever can be simultaneously deceived in different ways by the same information. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.” He is the truth, the context—the one by whom everything has its
meaning. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Should I tell him how he did it or let his words speak for themselves? And how much worse to let this divide the body of Christ, for if we are divided where is Christ?
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings” (Proverbs 25:2).
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2
“For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” Psalm 33:9
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
Cool. Thank you!
Randy, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I find that often the danger in trying to unite is the possibility of creating a third unpopular party. I’m wondering if there is anything in that post will raise hair in the evolution camp. Also, if anyone else is aware of efforts in unity on this topic, I’d love to hear about it.
It’s a good question; Biologos is a big tent, and accommodates several different points of view. However, one key for me has been that God really knows where we are coming from–He knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust. If He knows that we are unable to really figure this crazy world out with any certainty, He of all individuals would not condemn us (or anyone else) who doesn’t understand. This applies to the salvation message, too, in my firm belief. So, since God is just, how can we condemn others otherwise?
Because I know God is OK with my understanding (such as it is), I’m willing and free to question my own beliefs as well as those of others, and change with adequate evidence.
That’s my understanding, anyway. What do you think?
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Lots of people mistake the mission of BioLogos to be converting YECs to an EC position. That’s not really the point. But we would like to see Christians acknowledge EC as one faithful option. So anyone who says, “I have a different view, but I give you the benefit of the doubt that you love Jesus and are doing the best you can with the insight you have to pursue truth and righteousness.” I’m fine with that. I don’t need to change anyone’s mind to validate my beliefs or allay my doubts and fears. It’s when people call into question the sincerity of my commitment to Christ or my respect for the Bible or my sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading that it gets a lot harder to extend grace back to them. But I still try. 
I liked your selection of Scriptures. Good verses for everyone to reflect on, no matter where you come down on various origins questions.
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