Q & A - Does the Bible allow for the theory of evolution?

Hello youths! This is one of our most often asked questions, and it comes in various forms, such as, "Can a person be a Christian and believe in evolution?” or “Hasn’t science proven the theory of evolution, thus contradicting the Genesis account of creation?”

To answer this, we must first understand what we mean by the term evolution. If it is defined as simply “change” – as the development of an infant to an adult or a change within a kind, such as dog or cat – then this would pose no problem. This evolution, or developmental change within certain kinds, is completely consistent with Holy Scripture.

The problem is that the prevailing theory of evolution goes far beyond this. The theory states basically that complex elements have developed from simpler elements, and living organisms have sprung from non-living chemicals, by a chance association.

The theory of evolution is less of a scientific theory and more of a philosophy about the origin of life and the meaning of man.

The theory of evolution is contradictory to the biblical narrative of creation. The Genesis account records ten different times how God created plants and animals after their kind with no crossing of the kinds. Man was fully man at his creation, as was woman, with no long gradual period of development.

The idea of natural selection, or survival of the fittest, is at odds with the biblical teaching that all things were created good (Genesis 1:31). The Scriptures teach that everything was originally created perfect, and death and decay occurred when sin entered into the universe. This is opposed to the evolutionary concept of everything getting better.

Evolution not only contradicts the Bible, but it also contradicts some basic laws of science. For example, the second law or thermodynamics implies that left to itself, everything tends to become less ordered, not more ordered or “complex”.

This rule is an observation of the obvious: things grow old, run down and eventually die or decay. They lose their structure. The theory of evolution says that things develop their complexity and structure. This is not the case.

Evolution also says that changes or mutations are beneficial, while nature shows almost all variations are harmful. The theory contradicts observable phenomena.

Neither the theory of evolution nor the theory of special creation can be proven scientifically; that is, they cannot be repeated in a laboratory environment. Special creation happened once in the past, and evolution is too slow to observe.

Both theories are faith assumptions, and on the basis of the evidence one must choose one or the other. The Christian should not be embarrassed for believing the Genesis account of creation, since it not only fits better with observable facts but also was the view of the God-Man Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:1-6).

Taken from Answers to Tough Questions about the Christian Faith by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart.