Theistic evolution is a view that attempts to reconcile evolutionary science with belief in God, particularly the God of the Bible. Proponents of theistic evolution suggest that God used evolutionary processes as a means of creation, which includes the common scientific view that life evolved over millions of years from simple forms to more complex ones, with humans arising as a result of this process.
History of Theistic Evolution
The idea of theistic evolution gained traction in the 19th century, particularly after Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection in his 1859 work, On the Origin of Species. Many Christians struggled to reconcile Darwin’s ideas with the traditional biblical account of creation, leading some to adopt a position that sought to harmonize the two. In its earlier stages, figures like Asa Gray, an American botanist and devout Christian, argued for a version of theistic evolution. Gray believed that God directed the process of evolution, guiding it toward the development of humanity.
Throughout the 20th century, this view gained more acceptance, especially among more liberal or progressive Christian denominations, which began to reinterpret Genesis and the creation account in more metaphorical or allegorical terms. Theistic evolution, as a theological position, attempts to maintain a belief in God’s sovereignty while accepting the scientific consensus on evolution.
The idea of theistic evolution gained traction in the 19th century, particularly after Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection in his 1859 work, On the Origin of Species. Many Christians struggled to reconcile Darwin’s ideas with the traditional biblical account of creation, leading some to adopt a position that sought to harmonize the two. In its earlier stages, figures like Asa Gray, an American botanist and devout Christian, argued for a version of theistic evolution. Gray believed that God directed the process of evolution, guiding it toward the development of humanity.
Theistic evolution gained prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of Darwinian evolution. Some Christian thinkers, such as B.B. Warfield and C.S. Lewis, were sympathetic to this view, believing it could harmonize the scientific discoveries of the time with the biblical account of creation. More recently, organizations like BioLogos have championed theistic evolution, attempting to show compatibility between evolution and Christianity.
Throughout the 20th century, this view gained more acceptance, especially among more liberal or progressive Christian denominations, which began to reinterpret Genesis and the creation account in more metaphorical or allegorical terms. Theistic evolution, as a theological position, attempts to maintain a belief in God’s sovereignty while accepting the scientific consensus on evolution.
Theology:
Theistic evolutionists typically maintain a belief in God as Creator but argue that He worked through natural processes over millions of years to bring about the universe and life. They often reinterpret the Genesis account as allegory or myth and reject a literal Adam and Eve. In this framework, the fall of humanity, and the introduction of sin and death, are often spiritualized rather than viewed as historical events.
Among theistic evolutionists who affirm a historical Adam and Eve, there are two main views regarding their origin:
Special Creation: Some believe that after millions of years of evolutionary development, God specially created Adam and Eve, forming them uniquely and directly from the dust and rib, as described in Genesis, even though animal death had already been occurring in the natural world.
Evolution from Primates: Others hold that Adam and Eve evolved from hominid ancestors, and at some point, God selected two individuals from this population, giving them spiritual capacity, making them the first humans with a special relationship to God.
This second view is more common among proponents of evolutionary creationism, such as those affiliated with BioLogos, who try to maintain both evolutionary science and a historical Adam and Eve as the first true humans in spiritual terms.
This position tries to harmonize evolutionary theory with the biblical narrative by maintaining a literal Adam and Eve while allowing for pre-Adamic death. Proponents of this view attempt to preserve elements of the biblical fall while accepting scientific claims about the history of the earth and life on it. However, it remains controversial because it challenges traditional interpretations of Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, where death is clearly tied to human sin.
Theological Concerns and Critique
From a historic Christian and Reformed perspective, theistic evolution introduces several theological problems, particularly regarding the nature of creation, sin, and redemption. Let’s explore a few of these concerns:
Death Before Sin: One of the most significant theological issues with theistic evolution is that it requires death, decay, and suffering as part of God’s creative process. Evolutionary theory asserts that death is a natural mechanism for the survival of the fittest over millions of years. However, Scripture teaches that death is a consequence of sin. In Romans 5:12, Paul writes, "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." Death, biblically, is not part of God’s original "very good" creation but is a result of the Fall (Genesis 3). Thus, affirming theistic evolution undermines the clear biblical teaching that death entered the world through Adam’s sin. In Romans 8:21-22, Paul teaches that creation itself was subjected to futility and bondage to decay as a result of the Fall. This passage suggests that Adam's sin did not just bring death and corruption to humanity but to the entire created order. The curse of death extends to all of creation, implying that death, decay, and suffering entered the world only after Adam's transgression. This directly challenges the view of theistic evolution, which posits millions of years of animal death before human sin, conflicting with the Bible’s teaching that death is a direct consequence of sin.
Adam and the Historical Fall: The biblical account presents Adam as a historical figure, the first human created by God, and the representative head of the human race. The Fall of Adam in Genesis 3 is foundational to Christian theology because it explains the origin of sin, human depravity, and the need for redemption. Theistic evolution, however, often suggests that humans emerged gradually from a population of hominids, leading to uncertainty about the historicity of Adam and Eve. This compromises the doctrine of original sin and human responsibility. If there is no historical Adam, it raises serious questions about how sin entered the world, how it is transmitted, and why Christ came to redeem us from sin.
Christ as the Last Adam: The New Testament frequently contrasts Jesus with Adam, presenting Jesus as the "last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45) who undoes the damage caused by Adam’s fall. Paul, in Romans 5, argues that just as sin and death came into the world through one man, Adam, so salvation and life come through one man, Jesus Christ. If Adam is reduced to a symbolic or non-historical figure, this undermines the parallel between Adam and Christ, which is central to the gospel message. Christ’s role as the last Adam who redeems us from sin and death is directly tied to the fact that Adam was a real, historical person whose sin brought death into the world.
God’s Creative Process: Theistic evolution also portrays God's method of creation as involving millions of years of death, suffering, and natural selection. This seems inconsistent with the character of God revealed in Scripture. Genesis presents creation as an act of divine fiat: God speaks, and creation comes into existence (Genesis 1). There is no suggestion of a long, drawn-out process of suffering and death. Instead, God’s creation is described as “very good” (Genesis 1:31), a state incompatible with the violent and wasteful processes of evolution.
The Historic Christian View
Historically, the church has understood the Genesis account of creation as affirming a direct, intentional act of God in creating the universe, life, and humanity. The Westminster Confession of Faith, for instance, affirms that God created all things "in the space of six days, and all very good" (WCF 4.1). This view is consistent with the biblical teaching that death and suffering are consequences of sin and not part of God’s original creation.
Additionally, the early church fathers, the Reformers, and historic Protestant confessions all affirm the historicity of Adam and Eve and the entrance of death through sin. They held that the Genesis account was historical and foundational to the doctrines of sin and redemption.
Gospel Implications
The view one holds on creation has direct implications for the gospel. The gospel teaches that sin and death entered the world through one man, Adam, and that life and salvation come through another man, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12-21). If death existed before sin, as theistic evolution asserts, this disrupts the gospel narrative, undermining the need for Christ’s atonement to conquer death and sin.
Jesus Christ is called the "last Adam" because He came to succeed where the first Adam failed. Just as Adam’s disobedience brought death, Christ’s obedience brings life (1 Corinthians 15:22). This parallel between Adam and Christ is central to the gospel, and any attempt to weaken the historicity of Adam through theistic evolution ultimately weakens the gospel itself.
In conclusion, theistic evolution poses significant theological challenges, particularly regarding the origin of sin, the nature of death, and the role of Christ as the redeemer from sin and death. The historic Christian view, grounded in Scripture, affirms that death came into the world through sin and that Jesus Christ came as the last Adam to undo the effects of sin and death through His life, death, and resurrection.