by Chris Doyle | Sep 20, 2019
Greetings!
Another week, another DHD. Thank you for taking the time to
read my through my thoughts on six timely topics.
1. Wax on ‘Reasonableness’
Everybody should read Trevin Wax’s article “Reasonableness
in an Age of Outrage.” There is a lot of extreme verbiage spewed on social
media, and Wax’s article is a constructive response, especially for Christians.
“The way Christians stand out
in a contentious environment,” Wax wrote, “is by being a voice of reason, by
spreading grace in a culture of judgment. Posture matters as much as principle.”
Wax said we focus more on
hyperbole and away from reasonableness. I wholeheartedly agree.
Also, I don’t always need to
get my point across. Sometimes, it’s more important to try to understand those
who oppose my view, not that I don’t have confidence in my views (believe me, I
do) but rather to seek genuine dialogue. If all I do is talk over people,
getting into a shouting match, what have I accomplished?
“The joyful Christian who
models reasonableness is someone who knows there is nothing to lose,” Wax said.
“We have nothing to prove. We are free to bear with people longer than others
think we should. Gracious people are not easily offended.”
I need to be more gracious.
2. French vs. Ahmari
Speaking of Wax, he recently
recommended a
New Yorker article that featured
the clash between David French and Sohrab Ahmari.
For the most part, I am a
David French fan, even though I don’t always agree with him. I’m not to the
level of being anti-Trump that he is. But French is a solid Christian
conservative writer who makes many good points on numerous current issues.
By the way, just to clarify,
I am not anti-Trump. I have mentioned in the past that I did not vote for Donald
Trump in the previous presidential election, but he has done some things I find
favorable as well as some things that cause me to be disappointed (mostly his
Twitter comments).
However, French and Ahmari
are both social conservatives who have debated through written articles mostly
on a recent issue of a library hosting a “Drag Queen Story Hour.” French
believes shutting down such reading event is against the First Amendment and
would cause other groups and entities to clamp down on Christian groups wanting
to meet in similar settings. Ahmari believes exposing young children to a transgender
in such setting is harmful. Even though I get French’s viewpoint, I have to
agree with Ahmari (in the New Yorker
article, Al Mohler is referenced disagreeing with French too).
The article gives an
objective view of both men. I learned a lot about French, and even more about
Ahmari, since I never heard about him before the recent squabble between both
men. It’s a worthy read.
3. Duke vs. Young Life
Speaking of First Amendment
rights, reports broke this week that Duke University’s student government
senate unanimously
rejected a Young Life chapter because the Christian organization “appeared to violate a guideline that every Duke student
group include a nondiscrimination statement in its constitution.”
Young Life’s
policy allows for those who engage in sexual misconduct or those who practice a
homosexual lifestyle to be “recipients of ministry,” meaning they could
participate in Young Life activities, but they are not allowed to serve as
staff or volunteer workers.
I did not know
that Young Life has expanded to be a college ministry. I remember the
organization being involved with middle school and high school students. I’ve
heard great things about Young Life and have friends who served with the
ministry.
Similar conflicts
have happened at other colleges across the country, including the University of
Iowa, and the Christian ministries have been successful when challenging the
schools. Duke, however, is a private university, so this may not be as easily
resolved.
On his Wednesday
edition of The Briefing, Mohler considered the Duke student senators were
cowardly for rejecting Young Life.
“When I say that this decision is cowardly,” Mohler said, “it
was very easy for the young senators of the Duke student government to turn
down Young Life and to do so unanimously declaring that it did so because of
the policies of Duke concerning student organizations and the necessity of
non-discrimination as it is described here. You’ll notice that the very same
student government fails to acknowledge that if they are and were consistent,
they would have to disaffiliate organizations that are affiliated with the
Roman Catholic church, because after all, you do not have to be very good with
Google — and trust me, the students at Duke are very good searching the
internet — to find out what the Roman Catholic church officially teaches.”
4. Bennett is ‘blessed,’
turns down raise
Shifting to a different ACC school, Virginia men’s
basketball coach, Tony Bennett made the news this week, announcing that he
turned down raise and said he is “blessed beyond what I deserve.”
Sports Spectrum, a Christian sports journal, reported on
Bennett’s raise rejection that he wanted to help other programs in the athletic
department.
Bennett also gave this comment on 2018 Sports Spectrum
podcast:
“The Lord is more than ample.
He’s enough. In Him there is all sufficiency. In Him there is great joy and
great rest, regardless of what the world is screaming at you through great
success or through failure.”
5. Cancelling mission trips?
Last week, I read Darren
Carlson’s article “I’d
Probably Still Cancel Your Short-Term Mission Trip.”
I discussed this article with
a co-worker, and we both agree that Carlson makes good points and offers great
suggestions, but his approach was not good.
Carlson does not acknowledge
that God is the One in control of mission work, even if those on the trip don’t
have proper motives. A friend of mine changed his whole perspective when he
went on a mission trip. As a videographer, he went with a group to Haiti and
considered he was not the one involved in the work but was just to document
what others were doing. He view changed greatly, and now my friend has a deep
passion for missions.
I do agree with Carlson’ list
of eight ways to make short-term mission trips more fruitful.
6. Loving ‘Country Music’ documentary
Have you been watching Ken
Burns’ documentary “Country Music” on PBS? Burns is known for his previous series
on Civil War, Baseball and National Parks, and I think he meets the same level
of quality in this latest series.
There’s a lot I didn’t know
about the history of Country Music, and this documentary reveals how the genre
developed and affected American history. Shows start again on Sunday, Sept. 22
at 7 p.m. on OETA Channel 13 in Oklahoma City.
by Michael Foust | Sep 20, 2019
The science fiction movie ‘Ad Astra’ opens this weekend, telling the story of an astronaut who travels the Solar System to save Earth.
Roy McBride is an introspective and emotionless man who has
always lived in the shadow of his space-faring father—the great H. Clifford
McBride, who was the first astronaut to travel to Jupiter and then Saturn.
Roy was 16 when his father left Earth. He was 29 when his
father’s spaceship stopped transmitting a signal, apparently due to a tragedy
near Neptune that claimed his life.
The youngest McBride—who also became an astronaut—still
hasn’t recovered from the loss.
“I’m angry,” Roy says. “… He left us.”
Roy, though, has moved on in life by keeping his emotions in
check. He doesn’t make decisions on a whim. His choices, he says, are always
pragmatic.
He’s also calm under pressure, which is one reason why the
U.S. government wants to send him through the solar system to investigate a
threat to Earth.
It seems electrical surges from space—technically, the
“uncontrolled release of antimatter”—are causing explosions all over the
planet. Thus far, 43,000 people have died, and if it continues, the rest of
humanity will be gone, too.
Can Roy find the cause before it’s too late?
The science fiction movie Ad Astra (PG-13) opens this weekend, starring Brad Pitt (Ocean’s series) as Roy, Tommy Lee Jones
(Men in Black series) as Clifford
McBride, and Donald Sutherland (The
Hunger Games series) as Thomas Pruitt, a family friend.
The film is set in the “near” future, when civilians can
travel to the moon and a trip to Mars takes less than three weeks.
Ad Astra, though, is not a shoot-em-up space
film. Instead, it’s quiet. And slow-paced. And cerebral. And entertaining. And
wonderful. Some critics are comparing it to 2001:
A Space Odyssey, yet it tackles some of the same weighty subjects of more
recent science fiction movies like Arrival
and Interstellar.
Ad Astra examines what’s most important in
life—family and love and even faith. It encourages us to find the right balance
between our home life, our work and our hobbies. It even reminds us of the
uniqueness of our planet—and urges us to be grateful for it.
Except for a few unnecessary strong words (more on that
below) and a few bloody images, it could have been rated PG.
Warning:
minor/moderate spoilers!
(Scale key:
none, minimal, moderate, extreme)
Violence/Disturbing
Moderate. People fall off a tall tower. (We don’t see them
hit the ground.) Astronauts engage in a laser-gun battle on the moon with
pirates; a few people are killed. A primate attacks astronauts in space,
killing one of them. (We see a bloody face.) We see a fight inside a spaceship.
(Three people die, although it’s not bloody.)
Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity
None.
Coarse
Language
Moderate. H-ll (3), GD (3), f-word (1).
Other
Positive Elements
We see an old clip of Roy’s father, from space, saying: “I
thank God” for everything that’s been accomplished. He adds that he’s “feeling
His presence so close”
Later, when an astronaut dies in space, the crewmates
prepare the body; before pushing it into space they say a Catholic prayer: “May
you meet your Redeemer face to face and enjoy the vision of God forever.”
“Amen,” another astronaut adds.
Life Lessons
Emotions are
not a curse: Roy
spends his life trying to suppress his feelings, which prevents him from
experiencing the greatest of emotions, including joy and love. Before the film
ends, he corrects his ways.
Family is
priceless: Roy,
while in space, expresses regret for the way he treated his wife. He has power
and fame, and yet is focused on his home life—millions of miles from Earth.
Humanity is
depraved:
Sure, you already knew that, but watching nations battling for minerals on the
moon drives this point home even further.
It’s never
too late for redemption: I won’t spoil the plot for you, but Roy gets a second chance—in
several areas of life.
Earth is a
blessing: Once
they reach the outer limits of the Solar System, the astronauts begin yearning
for life back home—not only for their families but also for things like oceans
and birds and trees.
Worldview/Application
Spoilers ahead! The best movies celebrate the good in life.
They discourage the bad. They force us to examine our own lives. They encourage
us to live better lives.
Ad Astra does all that.
Roy’s father traveled to the other side of the solar system
looking for intelligent life, but abandoned the very intelligent life closest
to him—his own family. He chased after his dream at the expense of those who
loved and needed him, including his son. “He missed what was right in front of
him,” Roy says.
It’s only science fiction, right? Not really. How many of us
make that mistake every week or every day? We chase our dreams, our hobbies and
our paycheck and forget about our family back home. As his wife tells him: “You
seem preoccupied with your work. I feel like I’m on my own all the time… You’re
so distant, even when you’re here.”
Discussion
Questions
1. Why do we tend to embrace the fleeting at the expensive
of what’s most important in life?
2. When are emotions a good thing? A bad thing? What’s the
key to finding the right balance?
3. Can regret be a positive emotion? Was it a good thing for
Roy?
4. Did you like the ending? Why or why not?
Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5
stars. Family-friendly rating: 3.5
out of 5 stars.
Ad Astra is
rated PG-13 for some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language.
by Brian Hobbs | Sep 16, 2019
People in Evangelical Christian
circles expressed heartbreak, shock and sadness at the recent news of the
apparent suicide of Jarrid Wilson, a young pastor and advocate for mental
health.
The suicide epidemic is real. Everyone
from mental health experts to Christian leaders who know God’s Word forward and
backward, seem perplexed as to what is accelerating this trend.
I will allow those wiser and more
knowledgeable people to dissect the problem and suggest solutions. Contrary to
Netflix damaging series “13 Reasons Why,” today I am offering 13 reasons why
life is worth living.
13. We are not our
own. If we live life as though it’s ours to use, we often will make
destructive choices. If instead we live as though we belong to God, we are more
apt to live wisely, with eternity in mind. Our lives are not our own (Rom.
12:1-2).
12. Your life is
valuable. Growing up, the self-esteem movement told me how special I was.
While I since have learned that I am not all that special, I learned an even
greater truth: I am valuable (and so are you) because we are created in God’s
image (Gen. 1:27), and we each have inherent worth. Never forget that.
11. People need you. It’s
easy to drift through life feeling like you have no purpose. We need to
realize—whether we are ever told this or not—other people are counting on you.
Other people need you.For example, I
met a man named Dennis who had made some poor life choices. He felt worthless.
God saved him. This man now has a wife, many children and grandchildren.
Whether you are married or single, generations now and in the future need you
to live out life fully and faithfully.
10. There is help. If
you are feeling suicidal, don’t wait to ask for help. One expert on suicide
said, “If you are struggling with depression, please call 1-800-273-TALK 24/7.”
9. There is hope. One
of my biggest struggles in life is being a father. I am not the father I want
to be. Yet I read a book title that was called “Hopeful parenting,” and I was
reminded of the power of hope. In life, we can always cling to hope.
8. Persistence pays. In
the most brilliant, but brief, commencement address of all time, Sir Winston
Churchill said, “Never give up. Never, never.” That is the best possible
advice, humanly speaking, on days we feel like giving up.
7. Problems are often
temporary. I read an article by a woman whose own husband and son each
committed suicide. This dear woman said, “Don’t choose a permanent solution to
a temporary situation.” When we focus on our problems, our minds can play
tricks on us and tell us things will never get better. Wisdom and life experience,
though, show that problems are often temporary.
6. Suicide transfers
your problems to others you love. Through reading this same article, it was
clear to see that the problems that these men who took their own lives were
overwhelming. Perhaps the men were trying to escape their problems by suicide.
It only ended up transferring problems to other people.
5. Satan is lying to
you. Jesus said, “The thief (Satan)
comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have life and have
it more abundantly.” The blueprint of the devil is death. God’s plan is for
life. (John 10:10). Today, choose not to believe Satan’s lies.
4. There is more to
life than what you see. Right now, around the world, other people are
struggling. Don’t fall into thinking those picture perfect Instagram moments
that everyone else is posting means you are alone in your troubles. Others are
struggling too.
3. God’s people love
you. Christians do not always reflect the unconditional love of Jesus. In
fact, we rarely do. But in God’s family, people outside the church and inside
the church should know love. If you are a follower of Christ, today show others
you love them, not by words only, but by actions.
2. God loves you. The
Bible says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us” (Rom. 5:8). Let that
truth sink in. Remind yourself of that daily, and remind others as well.
1. Jesus died so you could
live. The Bible says, “For God so
loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did
not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through Him” (John 3:16). Jesus came to give you life
and eternal life. If we know that, believe that and trust Him, that truly would
be the greatest reason why.
by Chris Doyle | Sep 13, 2019
Greetings!
I started this week celebrating my mother, as her funeral
was Monday. Two busy work days followed, and now I’m beat as the weekend
arrives.
But I have enough energy to share my thoughts on six timely
topics. Thank you for reading!
1. Falwell’s follies
A Politico article came out this week attacking Jerry
Falwell, Jr., leader of Liberty University, my alma mater. Apparently it was written
by a fellow grad, of whom I am not familiar and have never met.
I start this week’s DHD sharing what I think about this embarrassing
report. It’s not the first time I’ve heard negative reports on Jerry, Jr., and
I predict that more will follow.
I don’t know Jerry, Jr., but I do know his late father who
founded Liberty and was quite visible on campus while I was a student and in the
seven years that I worked in the LU athletics department after graduation.
There is much to criticize and disagree when discussing Dr. Falwell, but I do
believe he was a good man with good intentions. He did great things as a
preacher of the Gospel and had great vision, which resulted in building a major
Christian university. Falwell loved people, even those who did not share his
views and perspectives. He was very personable, and God gave him a passion to
build a university that would train “young champions for Christ.”
One thing I know about Jerry Jr. is he knows how to make
money and has been instrumental in building up Liberty to where I didn’t even
recognize the campus when I visited about four years ago. I do have sources who
have shared stories about Jerry Jr., and the stories would be in line with what
was shared in the Politico article.
What I don’t like about the Politico article is the overall
tone and shady presentation. Multiple times the writer mentioned anonymous
sources. I am aware that Jerry Jr. is very controlling and insists his subordinates
keep things in house, but using anonymous sources when reporting, especially as
excessively as they were used in this article, hinders credibility.
For the most part, I agree with David French who gave a good
response to the Politico article. He wrote, “Time
and again, powerful Christian men create or nurture powerful Christian
institutions — only to fall prey to the temptation to equate the advance of
those institutions and their own power with the advance of the Gospel and the
Kingdom of God.”
2.
Blocking Born-Alive Bill
It would be beneficial for you to read up on the Born-Alive
Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
offers a current
report of this important bill being blocked by U.S. Congress.
The ERLC article is a good one, and I appreciate how
it concludes, sharing how the One World Trade Center in New York City (ironically
since New York approves of infanticide) memorializes those who died during the
9/11 terrorist attack, including those who were expectant mothers “and her
unborn child.”
3.
Conservatives clashing on role of government
I enjoyed reading Jonathan Leeman’s article “Conservatives
Clash on the Goal of Government.”
It’s a deep read, regarding politics, but the
article communicates well the importance of justice over liberty. And I like
how Leeman expresses the need for two conversations—one just among those who
follow biblical principles and the other with presenting a pragmatic approach.
Leeman wrote, “…private hallway conversation
one among Bible-believers provides us universally true biblical principles.
Public meeting conversation two then requires us to exercise wisdom both in
persuading people who don’t share our biblical starting point and in determining
how to apply those principles from place to place.”
There has been a recent clash among Conservative Christians
even in Oklahoma. Leeman’s article gives great guidelines on how to approach
political issues. I loved how he explained common covenants through Adam and
Noah and special covenants through Abraham, Moses, David and Christ. “Different
covenants provide different terms by which people must render judgment—do
justice,” Leeman wrote.
More can be said, but I would encourage you to read Leeman’s
article.
4. Mohler and today’s
newspapers
Al Mohler’s podcast “The Briefing,” is regularly cited in
DHD. This week, Mohler brought up a topic that relates to my profession as a
newspaper editor. Check out The Briefing’s Wednesday’s
edition and listen to the opening topic “No More Newspapers? Christians
Face Today’s Changing Media Landscape.”
Mohler’s assessment of modern newspapers is correct. It’s a
difficult day for many reasons in the newspaper business. But he is right that
from a national spectrum there are only three newspapers that fully apply. They
are USA Today, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Other papers have
some clout, but to the level of these three.
Mohler also summarizes the history of media ecology,
explaining how people through the years received news. And Mohler explains how
the control of the media by the secular mindset causes a major disadvantage for
those with a Christian worldview.
“This puts convictional Christians at a significant
disadvantage in our society because when you look at the people who are shaping
the news and who are influencing the flow of information in the main coming
from elite media sources, they have very little knowledge of us in general,
they have very few conversations with us, and if the truth be known, they are
probably not very interested in us, not until they have to be.”
5. Darkness in
worship services
The church curmudgeon in me will be expressed in this DHD
topic. A family member shared on Facebook an article from 2018 titled “Why
is the Church Going Dark?”
I have to confess, I’m not a fan of dark worship services,
especially on Sunday mornings. The article’s writer brings up great points of
contrasting light and darkness spiritually, and I think it would be beneficial
to demonstrate in at least some of our church worship services.
I get that it is appealing to younger groups, but I find it
hard to believe they would be turned away if worship through music was observed
with lights, especially when worshipping the Light of the world (John 8:12).
Just like the author of this article, I welcome a discussion
of the importance of darkness in church worship services.
6. Durant keeps
griping
Kevin Durant is in the news again complaining about the
Oklahoma City Thunder. I had to think how long ago it was that he left. We’re
going on three years since his departure.
I just think it’s fascinating that Durant won two league
titles with Golden State, and he still seems to not find contentment in life.
Whenever he is interviewed about the Thunder or OKC, he brings up a new narrative.
It’s never the same story. I don’t know what he thinks he will accomplish by
bringing up a new gripe.
It’s a new day in Oklahoma City. The Thunder will begin a
new chapter, and even though many don’t know what the new chapter will entail,
I think it’s safe to say we have moved on. It’s a shame that Durant, even with
all the accolades he obtained after leaving the Thunder, has not.
by Michael Foust | Sep 13, 2019
The film ‘Downton Abbey’ opens next week, continuing the story from the popular PBS miniseries of the same name that ran from 2011-2016.
Lord Robert Crawley is a distinguished 20th-century
gentleman who is caretaker of Downton Abbey, a historic English estate fit for
a king, with dozens of bedrooms and a large staff to cook and clean.
Perhaps that’s one reason the king and queen have chosen to
pay a visit.
Yes, King George V and Queen Mary of the United Kingdom are
visiting Downton Abbey for one night during a stopover on their journey to
another town, and “Lord Grantham” (that’s Crawley), and his family and servants
have exactly two weeks to get ready.
The servants will polish the silver, dust every nook and
cranny, and purchase the freshest food for the finest meals.
Then again, maybe not. The servants learn that the king has
his own butler and his own servants to tend to matters. Even worse, the king’s
servants are, well, snobs.
This means Lord Grantham’s beloved servants won’t be needed
for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Instead, they’ll be serving the
servants. Not fair? You better believe it. As Daisy (one of Lord Grantham’s
cooks) says, “We’re not footballs … and we don’t deserve a kicking.”
The film Downton Abbey
(PG) opens next week, continuing the story from the popular PBS miniseries of
the same name that ran from 2011-2016. It has the same actors and actresses
(Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary), the same
music (with a slight twist), and the same pace. Most fans of the series will
walk away pleased. Lord Grantham’s mother, Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith),
returns with multiple zingers, while her intellectual counterpart, Isobel Grey
(Penelope Wilton), returns to counterpunch.
Yet the movie isn’t a one-dimensional
“get-ready-for-the-king” film. It has several romantic side angles, a surprise
or two and even a few good lessons.
The film also has a major caveat—a gay angle that will turn
off many viewers (Details below).
Warning:
minor/moderate spoilers!
(Scale key:
none, minimal, moderate, extreme)
Violence/Disturbing
Minimal. Someone tries (but fails) to shoot and kill
someone.
Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity
Moderate. Several couples share brief kisses, although the
film has no bedroom scenes. We see Lady Edith in a corset.
The film continues the story about Thomas Barrow’s
homosexuality, although it seem more noteworthy during the span of a two-hour
movie, instead of the plot being spread out over six seasons. We see him and
another male character go to a gay nightclub, where men are dancing with one
another (We see two men kissing). Later we see Thomas and his companion briefly
kiss, too. Referencing the taboo nature of homosexuality, Thomas says, “Will
they ever see it our way?” His companion responds, “I don’t know. Fifty years
ago, who would have thought men could fly?”
Coarse
Language
Minimal. I counted only two words (a single “my G-d” and a
single use of the British slang “bloody”). Kudos to the filmmakers for not
filling it with coarse language, as happens far too often when TV shows are
turned into movies.
Other Stuff
You Might Want To Know
The film opens with a recap of the TV series, in which a
rape is referenced. The flashback also references a “gay man in 1920s England.”
When the Crawleys wake up to sunshine instead of rain,
someone says, “God is a monarchist.”
Life Lessons
Serving is a
virtue: The
servants take pride in their work. Mr. Molesley embodies this trait best,
wanting to wait on the king and queen.
Humility is
appealing. The
film puts both snobbery (demonstrated by the king’s servants) and humility on
display. The latter is demonstrated by the entire household, including by Lord
Grantham and Lady Mary, who don’t view their servants as beneath them.
Your sins
will find you out:
One minor character discovers this biblical truth.
Worldview/Application
At first blush, Downton
Abbey would appear to be a film about greed (why are the Crawleys hoarding
their possessions?) and elitism (what else would you call a plot about
aristocracy?).
In fact, though, it’s just the opposite.
When Lady Mary wants to sell the castle and become a normal
person, Anna Bates, a servant, tells her: You
employ people. You give people jobs. Without your family, this community would
crumble.
The Crawleys are anything but snobs. When portable chairs
must be moved during a downpour, Lady Mary and Lord Grantham get to work—opting
not to force the servants to perform the task.
What Works
The music. The plot. The grandeur. Seeing the castle on the
big screen is more enjoyable than watching it on a tiny television at home.
What Doesn’t
The gay angle with Thomas Barrow wasn’t surprising—the TV
series tackled the subject, after all—but it will make it less palatable for
some families.
Discussion
Questions
1. Name five positive characteristics about Lord Grantham
and his family.
2. Do you think the Crawleys are humble?
3. What does the film teach us about finding joy in work?
4. What can we learn from Thomas about loving those with
which we disagree?
5. Would it have been better to sell the castle? Was Lady
Mary right?
Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5
stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out
of 5 stars.
Rated PG for
thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language.
by Ryan Smith | Sep 12, 2019
One of my
favorite books is Thomas Kuhn’s landmark work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
Kuhn’s
observation is that, historically, scientific understanding of ourselves and
our universe has not been a linear progression of increased and clarified
knowledge. Instead, it has been a cycle of firmly-held paradigms being replaced
by new and divergent paradigms. This phenomenon is what Kuhn calls a paradigm shift. As Kuhn says, this is
not about seeing different things, but about seeing things differently.
The process, as
described through numerous examples and cases, goes something like this:
- We
have firmly-held ideas, assumptions and theories about ourselves and the
universe that form our worldview. Our worldview dictates what we study and how
we study it.
- Theories
and tests, at times, run into discrepancies. These discrepancies are usually
labeled “anomalies” and discarded (after all, they don’t line up with the
worldview which must be true).
- As
anomalies continue to occur, at some point someone raises their hand and says, “Maybe
instead of throwing out the anomalies, we should consider them.”
- As
the anomalies are considered, a new idea emerges, centered on the previously
conflicting evidence. This new idea then becomes cemented as a new assumption,
theory and worldview.
- Hit
repeat
Kuhn’s theory
allows us to ask the question, “What might we be missing?”
Charles Darwin’s
theory of evolution as the origin of the species has been cemented as societal truth
for nearly a century. To suggest an idea that is not aligned with evolutionary
theory would result in expulsion from the academy and scoffing from one’s
peers.
As Ross Geller
once chided Phoebe, “Evolution is scientific FACT!”
Evolution as fact
has formed not only the worldview of the scientific community at large but
common culture as well. Simply walk over to your neighbor’s house and say, “I
doubt evolution,” You might be looked at as if you had just questioned the
existence of oxygen or said bears can talk.
While the
acceptance of Darwin’s theory has formed a worldview that dictates how many in
our world understand ourselves and the universe, some are beginning to question
why there is tape on Atlas’s Darwinian orb.
One significant
event Darwin could not explain was the Cambrian explosion. The Cambrian
explosion is the name given to the sudden appearance of many species of animals
in the fossil record. While these animals do not have any preceding ancestors
apparent in earlier layers of rock, Darwin was confident they eventually would
be found.
They haven’t.
Science has also
advanced our knowledge exponentially since Darwin’s time regarding what is
really in all that goop inside our bodies. Within the last 50 years, biologists
have been overwhelmed by the amount of information stored in single cells and
DNA strands that point to the intricacy of what it takes to make an animal.
The cracks in
Darwin’s impenetrable shell have been increasing.
While there have
been rumblings of doubting Darwin for years in the scientific community, a
significant fissure was exposed recently as David Gelernter – a highly
respected and world-renowned computer scientist at Yale – raised his hand and
said perhaps we should consider the anomalies.
In an essay
titled, “Giving Up Darwin,”
published in the Claremont Review of
Books, Gelernter explained that he is moving on from Darwinism. His article
opens with the observation, “Darwinian evolution is a brilliant and
beautiful scientific theory. Once it was a daring guess. Today it is basic to
the credo that defines the modern worldview…But what if Darwin was wrong?”
Dr. Gelernter is
not a Christian. He may not even be a theist. He claims the dismissal of Darwin
is not a victory for religion per se, but a clear acknowledgment that the roads
of science are leading to Intelligent Design. He meticulously outlines case by
case of scientific discovery that not only make Darwin’s theory untenable, but
undergird, highlight, spotlight, place neon signs on, and scream to all who
will listen that all of this—we and our universe—is not a mistake.
Those who hold to
a biblical worldview have held to this truth in spite of the societal winds
buffeting our faces. The Bible clearly says God is the Creator and Sustainer of
all things. While various views branch from that tree, the certainty of a
Designer outside of ourselves has been unshakeable.
While Gelernter’s
essay may mark a significant turn in the case against Darwin, our culture will
not necessarily conclude that the God of the Bible is the Intelligent Designer
indicated by unfolding science. In many ways, Darwinism has held its position
so long because there has not been another viable explanation that doesn’t
require a Deity to whom we are accountable.
Likely, our
culture will progress toward Intelligent Design as a theory while still
refusing to acknowledge the God of the Bible. After all, once one does that, a
lot of paradigms have to shift.
Should our
society move away from Darwinian evolution, it does not cement the Bible’s case
for skeptics, but it may open doors for conversation. It increasingly becomes
incumbent on us as Christians to share the Scriptures and what they say about
who we are, who God is and what all of that means.
Our friends,
peers and others may become more open to the idea that they are not a mistake.
The desire to understand our purpose and things beyond ourselves may increase.
In other words, new doors are opening around us for Gospel conversation.
Our world’s views
on evolution may be evolving, but the Gospel is not. Christian, be prepared.