Evolution And Its Impact On Students Worldview - 1310 Words

Perhaps the greatest challenge in the Christian academic community surrounds the question of evolution and its impact on students’ worldview. Trepidation concerning the topic of evolution and its implications may launch students into a pit of uncertainty and doubt. This outcome is certain if the topic at hand is presented in such a way that fails to encounter students’ questions in an academically enriching environment. Historically, the act of challenging notions of familiarity results in outcomes that can strengthen previous assumptions or reveal new possibilities in which the mind can unravel the natural world’s many mysteries in its function. Consequently, new discoveries and questions regarding the order of the natural world initiate†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, humility is the key to the approach to biblical hermeneutics and the workings of evolution. Accepting that we do not have the necessary knowledge obtained through scriptural analysis to prove or disprove evolution is the first step in this endeavor. We as humans do not possess ultimate scientific or hermeneutical knowledge. The acquisition of such knowledge would ultimately eliminate our belief in God. The origins of Earth and humanity cannot be confirmed via first person accounts or a YouTube video upload. The age of our race, planet, and universe pale in comparison to the message of the Gospel. Our redemption from sin through Christ is the foundation of our faith, as well as our key to salvation. However, such statements must be made following the critical analysis of historical, hermeneutical, and theological elements. Saint Augustine recognized that non-believers were exceptionally aware and knowledgeable in many facets of scientific discovery and thought. In Mark A. Noll’s Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind, Noll explores Saint Augustine’s role in encouraging Christians to maintain awareness and caution when engaging with non-believers in top ics that they are not knowledgeable of. Augustine also claimed that science and faith should work together in a harmonious relationship. Early scientific discovery did little to question literal interpretations of the