Todd Wood and Darrell Falk Discussion, Oct 26, 2018, Sioux Center, IA
Statement of basic belief, each for 10 minutes.
- Todd Wood: I believe in a young earth and a literal Genesis 1 because:
- The Text: Genesis 1-11 are written as history. There is no indication when we read Genesis 12 that it is a different kind of writing.
- The Biblical tradition: Jesus and Paul all spoke of the things in Genesis 1-11 as historical. When Jesus talked about marriage and divorce he appealed to Genesis one and two as historical. When Paul speaks about justification, in Romans 5, he views Adam as historical.
- The church’s tradition: from the time of Christ to the 1800’s all theologians who wrote commentaries on Genesis or referred to it viewed it as historical.
- Darrell Falk: He made not a single reference to the Bible. Using power point his entire presentation was from the following 4 scientific reasons:
- The geological fossil record shows simpler animals on the bottom and more complex animals higher in the column. And we know when the various forms developed because the radiometric dating tells us, plus gives older dates for lower simpler fossils. The Uranium–lead, Potassium–argon, Rubidium–strontium, and Uranium–thorium dating methods all agree in each sample of rock.
- A comparison of embryos and their development shows that we evolved from animals. He had four photos of a dolphin embryo from earlier to later stages in development; and then four photos of a human embryo from earlier to later stages. They looked very much alike, therefore showing evolution.
- Marsupial animals are found mainly in Australia. He showed photos of similar animals like moles: moles in Australia being marsupial, moles in the rest of the world being non marsupial, that is not growing in pouches. Therefore, this shows evolution working itself out in different ways in different places.
- The evolution of the whale. He showed fossils of a land animal that had similar structure to a whale. So a land mammal with legs evolved into a whale without legs.
Then followed time for each to respond to the other:
- Todd Wood: “So now has this come down to a science versus religion debate? I spent my whole life studying the science of evolution and old earth, and I don’t think it backs up what you are saying. Good science does non contradict the Bible.” But Todd did not give more than one example to refute Darrell’s scientific arguments. His example was about the whale. Todd had examined the evidence on this and found it inaccurate.
- Darrell: We can interpret Genesis one as not history. We have the insights of Walton from Wheaton, for example showing us how to deny its history and still believe it. Darrell does believe in a real Adam and Eve and a real fall in history. Adam and Eve were some kind of hominid into which God breathed, and then made them image bearers.
Then responses to these:
- Todd: Every ten years the theistic evolutionists find another theory like Walton’s to explain away the historicity of Genesis one. Ten years ago it was Sailhammer saying Eden was a temple; after another ten years it will be someone else.
- Darrell: We have two books to teach us about origins: the Bible and general revelation. Implied, but not stated, was that each has equal authority and also implied was that man’ s science is general revelation.
The last half hour was spent in saying how we all love each other and can work together in the tension of not resolving the issue. Sentence prayers were made from the audience under the themes of praise, petitions, and hope.