Last Saturday, Biola University and the Discovery Institute presented a conference focusing on the debate over whether science and religion can work together.

The event, titled, “God and Evolution: Protestants, Catholics, and Jews Explore Darwin’s Challenge to Faith,” was held in Sutherland Auditorium. It was free for Biola students and pastors and $20 for the general public. All attendees received a free book called,
“God and Evolution,” which is a collaborative effort of all the speakers of the conference.

Hosted by Craig Hazen, professor of comparative religion and Christian apologetics at Biola, the conference started at 9 a.m. with informative lecture-style talks, and concluded at 3 p.m. with a roundtable discussion in which audience members could approach experts with any questions pertaining to the subjects of God and evolution.

“It’s a lot to take in, but it’s also enlightening seeing different views and sides of the God and evolution argument,” said freshman attendee Monica Gonzalez. “It’s also nice to see what you end up rejecting when you start believing in something.”

Terminology key in evolution debate

The first speaker, Jay Richards, was an editor of the book “God and Evolution,” which the attendees were given. He gave insight into “The Central Issues” of the God and evolution debate.

“Nailing the meanings of words in this debate is one of the best things you can do,” Richards said before discussing his views on evolution.

Richards highlighted the fact that vocabulary, as well as information is important. Richards went on to describe the words theism and evolution. Theism, he said, is a view in which God created the world “ex nihilio,” which means “out of nothing.” As our Creator, God has the ability to freely interact with his creation. Richards next described evolution as change over time.

In today’s society, the possibility of “intelligent design is seen as bad theology, heretical theology or blasphemy,” he said, explaining the importance of discussing key terms in the debate.

Audience considers three big questions

John West, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and author and activist for science education policy issues involving evolution and intelligent design, also spoke. He presented the audience with “Three Big Questions” to ponder during the rest of the conference. First, “Did God specifically direct the history of truth?” Second, “Did God create humans originally good?” And third, “Can we see the evidence of God through creation?”

After the three questions were presented, Casey Luskin explained that there are two camps of Neo-Darwinism: the new atheists and the evolution lobby. Luskin gave examples from each camp by introducing the audience to the different leaders, as well as explaining their philosophies on God and evolution.

Hazen joked about the large amount of information thrown at the crowd. “It’s like drinking out of a fire hose, isn’t it?” he said.

Other religions present their views on intelligent design

For those attending Saturday’s conference, this was just the opening of the fire hose.

When the audience returned from a 10 minute break, speakers from Catholic and Jewish religions posed their arguments and presented facts relevant to what their religion believes about intelligent design. The session began with Denyse O’Leary, a Catholic, Canadian journalist who blogs regularly about Darwinism. She covered several topics, starting with the early Catholic opponents of evolution. Gently covering every point with a clear sense of humor, she described how the Catholic church has dealt with Darwinism over the centuries.

Next, David Klinghoffer from the Discovery Institute spoke, wrapping up his talk by saying that the Torah reading for that day was from Genesis 12, the first time God spoke to Abraham. Abraham must have gotten his knowledge of God from the aesthetics of nature, he said, because there was no other possible way for him to know God.

The concluding roundtable discussion moderated by Marvin Olasky, a well-known Christian speaker, allowed people to ask questions. To wrap up discussion, Olasky quoted the Bible with Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 3:15.

“Every time someone sneers against creation, Satan bruises our heels, but if we don’t get bruised we are wasting our lives,” Olasky said.