The Truth of Evolution

Contributor: Josh Bunnell

A Note to Readers

Please note that the purpose of this article is not to endorse Evolutionary Creationism (the theory that God created single-celled organisms which then evolved into more complex species).  Instead, this article proposes the idea that God can reveal His light and truth even in something as dark and deceitful as the Theory of Evolution.

Evidence of an Author

During the 2024/25 year of Odyssey Leadership, our class visited two natural history museums: the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum in Branson, Missouri, and the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville.  Unsurprisingly, both museums endorsed the Theory of Evolution, which states that life evolved over billions of years and has replaced the discussion of Christianity and Creationism in most public schools.

The Theory of Evolution is not what the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines as “a process of change in a certain direction” because it denies the possibility of any direction at all.  If, however, there is a “certain direction,” then evolution would be further evidence of a Creator.  

As we learned about prehistoric cave bears and the natural processes that formed Tennessee’s landscape, I wondered whether there was any truth to the Theory of Evolution.  Maybe there were cave bears, and perhaps the beautiful landscape of Tennessee was shaped over time, but a Creator must have caused these things to happen.  

And the key to understanding whatever truth that can be found in the Theory of Evolution is to understand that the universe originated not from chaos, but from an Author.  Thus, the Theory of Evolution would not be true evolution.

Macroevolution v. Microevolution

Charles Darwin authored the Theory of Evolution during his visit to the Galapagos Islands.  Prior to Analogies for All of Us by Marc Hays, Challenge A students read It Couldn’t Just Happen by Lawrence O. Richards, in which it is noted that Darwin observed a group of finches with varying beak sizes.

He noted that the finches with longer beaks were more likely to survive because they were able to reach food in tighter spaces, whereas the finches with smaller beaks usually starved to death.  Darwin called this process “natural selection” and cited it as the basis for his theory that all life evolved from single-celled organisms over billions of years.

Richards, on the other hand, distinguishes between macroevolution and microevolution, writing that Darwin observed the latter.  Microevolution is the process in which animals adapt to their environment in small, subtle ways but still within the boundaries of their genetic code.

For example, if a parent finch yielded offspring, then that offspring may have beaks of varying sizes.  Now, if the family of finches lived in a forested region where insects tended to hide inside the holes of tree trunks, then the baby finches with the longer beaks would be more likely to survive because they would more easily reach their food.  This is natural selection.

Richards explains that the key difference between this phenomenon and macroevolution (i.e., the Theory of Evolution) is that the finches with the varying beak sizes all descended from a single species of finch.  But not once in the history of the planet did a finch evolve from an alligator, from a yak, or from any other creature.  God planted a specific genetic code into each creature on the fifth and sixth days of Creation, and this genetic code is still the direction by which microevolution takes place.

Thus, evolution is a truth that is integral to the survival of God’s creation on earth.  And the Theory of Evolution is not a complete lie, because that is not how lies work.  Instead, lies such as the Theory of Evolution build on a small grain of truth from which to branch into falsity.  

The Virtue of Debate

It is therefore the duty of Christians to expose the lies and recover that grain of truth, and this is exactly what Challenge B students learn to do as they read Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds by Philip E. Johnson.

Johnson’s book is special because it not only attacks the weak logic supporting the Theory of Evolution, but also encourages readers to look at both sides to see the truth for themselves.

“Protecting young students works only if they can be kept forever uninformed or unthinking… Jesus did not tell [H]is disciples to form a protected community where they could shut out corrosive philosophies.  He told them to ‘go and make disciples of all nations.’” – Philip E. Johnson, Defeating Darwinism

Because there is value in understanding the opposing side of a heavily debated issue, there is value in studying worldviews such as the Theory of Evolution.  It is acceptable, even advisable, to wrestle with the opposite side.  On the occasion that we wrestle with a side that opposes God, then we will eventually wrestle with God because only He can win the battle.  And after we wrestle with God, as did Jacob (physically) and Job (spiritually), we will emerge from the wrestling match with a new understanding of our Creator.

By visiting museums or reading textbooks that teach the Theory of Evolution, students can learn to critically evaluate the theory and see for themselves that the universe could not have just sprung into existence.  Of course, it is also important to present the Christian side of the argument to students, for sole exposure to Darwinism could be spiritually damaging.

Fortunately, evidence of God is everywhere.  After visiting the natural history museums in Branson and Nashville, our class visited the magnificent Grand Canyon and the pearly beaches of Destin, Florida.  Taking in the beauty and majesty of these natural wonders, it became evident that they could only have been created by an Artist who is even more majestic and beautiful.  Although Darwin contrived his theory over a long period of time, the evidence of a Creator is immediately apparent wherever one looks.

The Evolution of the Christian

The same God who created the world is the same God who prevails over our lives today.  Conversely, people change over time and in a certain direction.  For example, babies grow into adults towards the finality of death, whereas God never dies, and He never changes.

That is one of the many reasons that makes Christ’s sacrifice the greatest gift to mankind.  Sinful humans deserve to die and decay, but the Son of God provides eternal life to anybody who accepts Him as Savior.  From there, the saved person embarks on the most important of evolutions: the lifelong process of sanctification.

Since the goal of the Christian life is to become like Christ and Christ is permanent and unchanging, Christians are constantly evolving towards a state of permanence by means of sanctification.  This evolution is parallel with our mortal lives and ends when we die, but then we have eternal and unchangeable life in Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Unlike the Theory of Evolution, which endorses the lie that they evolved without a direction or purpose, the truth is that Christians constantly evolve to become more like Christ.

Conclusion

Last week, I attended a banquet hosted by the pro-life organization, LifePlan. The organization’s director, Lyndon Azcuna, shared the story of how his team transformed an empty Planned Parenthood clinic into a pregnancy care center.  This is not only the story of the evolution of one building from a place for destroying lives to a place for saving lives, but also an example of God’s light rising out of the darkness.

Likewise, Christians can examine the Theory of Evolution, see that it is tainted with darkness, and shine the Light of Christ onto it to reveal the truth, no matter how hidden it may be.  And the truth is that God created animals to evolve and become stronger versions of themselves, and He created humans to evolve and become more like Him.