Coming soon to a mainline denomination near you: Evolution Sunday. So says a Get Religion post, which also sports links to the organizers of the nationwide event scheduled for this Sunday, February 12, 2006. In "An Open Letter Concerning Religion and Science," supposedly signed by 10,000 Christian clergy, the group sponsoring the event announces: "While virtually all Christians take the Bible seriously and hold it to be authoritative in matters of faith and practice, the overwhelming majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science textbook." It gets better.
Here is a longer excerpt from the same letter:
We the undersigned, Christian clergy from many different traditions, believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rests. To reject this truth or to treat it as “one theory among others” is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children. We believe that among God’s good gifts are human minds capable of critical thought and that the failure to fully employ this gift is a rejection of the will of our Creator. To argue that God’s loving plan of salvation for humanity precludes the full employment of the God-given faculty of reason is to attempt to limit God, an act of hubris.
I don't imagine any LDS congregations will be participating. Too bad, it would make for an interesting Sacrament Meeting program.
Its about time something like this was put together by the 'silent majority'.
I wonder what the 'liberal' mormon folks who blog would like to see done church wide...
10% of gross/net/increase Sunday
Hot drinks Sunday
Hmmm
Posted by: Darren | Feb 08, 2006 at 09:26 PM
Good to see that the LDS church has signed-on with two endorsers...even a High Priest!!! :-) :
Lenny Eugene Black, High Priest
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada
(US citizen)
W. Michael Tyler, Jr
Elder and Priesthood Holder
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Santa Cruz, CA
Lenny, Micheal, love you guys!
Even though you're from Canada and California respectively, It's the thought that counts.
On a more serious note, I'd be happy to just to see an Ensign article on the subject. No need to supplant planned Sunday curriculum.
Posted by: Watt Mahoun | Feb 09, 2006 at 10:45 AM
How soon before the "Strengthening the Members" committee digs up dirt against those guys?
Posted by: Steve EM | Feb 09, 2006 at 12:04 PM
The problem is, and I wouldn't call this a proplem, Evolution isn't a theological concern for even most orthodox Mormons. There are some "McConkie-ites" with the issue, but mostly the church and its membership have no official position either way. Hence all your protestations are red-herrings and leave your bias showing.
Posted by: Jettboy | Feb 12, 2006 at 05:20 PM
Jettboy hasn't been exposed to NDBF Gary yet.
Posted by: Steve EM | Feb 13, 2006 at 09:48 AM
NDBF Gary would certainly be welcome to comment, but I don't want an innocent thread about Evolution Sunday to become a an evolution food fight. I have upcoming threads planned for that sort of thing.
Posted by: Dave | Feb 13, 2006 at 10:46 AM
Yo, Jettboy! The bill passed the house by one vote. you might want to look-up the def for "red-herring"...bias-boy. :-)
Posted by: Watt Mahoun | Feb 14, 2006 at 11:40 AM