Mapping the Origins Debate: A Book Review
A quick Google search for the word evolution will yield countless atheistic and naturalistic proponents encouraging readers toward their side of the argument. Equally true, a search for creationism will navigate you to an arena where “intelligent design” and “young earth” are buzz words. The debate (or war) between these two ideas is heated to say the least. While we as conservative, evangelicals have a rooted position here, it hasn’t stopped either us or the opposition from some habitual mud-slinging.
Building straw-men has never truly helped in an intelligent argument. It’s probably no accident that The Wizard of Oz’s Scarecrow was the character without a brain. Constructing a caricature of someone’s views in order to pigeon-hole them is neither gracious nor smart.
This is the issue that Gerald Rau tackles in Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything. Rau states, “This book presents the full range of possible models and demonstrates how our religious and philosophical presuppositions, rather than the evidence, dictate our preference” [1]. Rau courageously seeks to give an overview of the origins debate and explain the implications with each model.
Who Wrote It?
Gerald Rau received his M.A. in Science Education from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from Cornell University. Before founding Professional English International, Inc., an editing service in English academic writing based at National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi, Taiwan, he was an adjunct professor at both Wheaton College and Trinity Christian College. With a wide array of degrees and scientific education, Rau is placed in a favorable position to write a book on this subject.
What Is It About?
Rau writes, “In this book you will find (1) an overview of the models, (2) the evidence that each uses to justify its position, and (3) what data each refuses to allow as evidence and why” [2]. The motivation is simple enough: to address each of the origin models as impartially as possible, and survey the evidence.
The book is separated into eight concise chapters. Chapter 1 addresses the big questions concerning worldviews, philosophy, and science. In this chapter Rau asks the monumental questions of “what is eternal?”, “what is science?”, and “what questions need to be addressed?” In Chapter 2 the author addresses the wide spectrum of models. Most important in this chapter, he points out the distinguishing characteristics in the six models of origin, ranging from Naturalistic Evolution to Young-Earth Creation [3]. In chapters 3-6 Rau focuses on the origins of the universe, life, species, and humans, respectively. Where many would group these together, Rau pays special attention to the evidence, interpretation, and implications of each step in the origin debate. Chapter 7 addresses the benefits of each model and what it brings to the debate. At the same time, it also addresses the short-fallings in each model.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Gerald Rau is taking on a near-impossible task—to addresses all the models of origin from an impartial view. Whether you’re a naturalistic evolutionist or a young-earth creationist (or somewhere in between), you can attest to the high amount of propaganda that is promoted on both sides of the fence. One of the strengths of Rau’s book is that it gives a “helicopter” view of this debate, allowing the reader to weigh the arguments from a mostly objective viewpoint.
Another strength is Rau’s well-informed insight into how presuppositions affect one’s view of science. While both evolutionists and creationists alike herald objectivity, Rau posits that even the most scientific of us are formed by our presuppositions and worldviews. He laces this argument in and out of each chapter, drawing on it to show how we build our systems of thought. This occurs on both sides of the argument. Our foundational beliefs form the way we view the world. Rau posits that a person’s belief in a supernatural creation will affect the way they approach and understand science—and vice versa.
On the other hand, the book is not without its weaknesses. Rau’s greatest strength is also his greatest weakness. He consistently states that he wants to explain each model from an objective viewpoint; however, the reader is constantly trying to guess what the author believes. Furthermore, although he generally uses objective language, a well-placed word here or there gives the reader the idea that the author has hedged his bets somewhere. While both evolutionists and creationists alike may find helpful facts in the book, I wonder if both will walk away dissatisfied because the author neither agrees nor disagrees with their viewpoint—floating somewhere in the ambiguous middle. Simply put, the reader will appreciate the author’s intent to be as objective as possible, but will incessantly think (or at least I did) that the author has a dog in the fight.
Another weakness is this: While Rau gives some attention to the theological implications of these models, his treatment is insufficient. To be candid, I read this book from a committed young-earth creationist perspective. And while the scientific implications are certainly important, Rau doesn’t deal with the monumental theological problems with which evolutionists have to deal—at least not as extensively as is necessary. Interesting enough, there are scholars across “party lines” who attest to a biblical stance of young-earth creationism, noting the difficulties that an evolutionist model creates for an orthodox theology.
For instance, take these examples from evolutionists: “The young-earth solution to reconciling the order of creation with natural history makes good exegetical and theological sense. Indeed, the overwhelming consensus of theologians up through the Reformation held to this view” [4]. Or consider the words of this non-Christian:
The evolutionary process is rife with happenstance, contingency, incredible waste, death, pain and horror. … Whatever the God implied by evolutionary theory and the data of natural history may be like, he is not the Protestant God of waste not, want not. He is also not a loving God who cares about his productions. He is not even the awful God portrayed in the book of Job. The God of the Galápagos is careless, wasteful, indifferent, almost diabolical. He is certainly not the sort of God to whom anyone would be inclined to pray [5].
One more example, here are the words of an agnostic:
For creationists, history is based on the Bible and the belief that God created the world 6,000–10,000 ago. . . . We humans were perfect because we were created in the image of God. And then there was the fall. Death appears and the whole account [in the Bible] becomes one of deterioration and degeneration. So we then have Jesus in the New Testament, who promises redemption. Evolution completely flips that. With evolution, you don’t start out with anything perfect, you start with primitive little wiggly things, which evolve into apes and, finally, humans. There’s no perfect state from which to fall. This makes the whole plan of salvation silly because there never was a fall. What you have then is a theory of progress from single-celled animals to humans and a very, very different take on history, and not just human history [6].
Note that these quotations do not come from young-earth creationists (as we might expect), but from thoroughgoing evolutionists. Again, my point is that Rau doesn’t do much to give answer to these sorts of questions. At the very least, he could have suggested how each of these models deals with these heavy theological questions they raise.
Lastly, and this is minute, the author asterisks “glossary words,” defining them at the back of the book. Since there was a host of thoughts relegated to the footnotes throughout the book, I think it would have been easier on the author and reader alike if he would define each of these words (which one would assume are important to the discussion) in the footnotes.
Is It For Me?
While Rau states that he has written this book for high school and college-age students, there is a large amount of field-specific language used [7]. There is great content found within this book, but those who are unfamiliar with scientific terms and processes might find themselves adrift in a sea of amino acids, molecules, and genes.
Gerald Rau has given us a book to help and challenge us. Too often we take for granted our views concerning the universe, life, species, and even ourselves. For those who want to wrestle with the intricacies of evolution and the different viewpoints held there, I would recommend this book. However, readers will want to keep in mind that he doesn’t deal extensively with the theological implications of the various models. While I can almost guarantee you’ll not walk away believing a different model of the world, this book will help make you think. For that, I appreciate the work that Rau has accomplished here.
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[1] Gerald Rau, Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything (Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2012), 11.
[2] Ibid., 11.
[3] The six models of origin that Rau articulates are: Naturalistic Evolution, Nonteleological Evolution, Planned Evolution, Directed Evolution, Old-Earth Creation, and Young-Earth Creation.
[4] William A. Dembski’s The End of Christianity: Finding a Good God in an Evil World, (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009), 55.
[5] David Hull, “The God of the Galápagos,” Nature 352 (1991): 485–486.
[6] Ronald Numbers, quoted in Gwen Evans, “Reason or Faith? Darwin Expert Reflects,” http://www.news.wisc.edu/16176 (accessed October 13, 2013).
[7] Rau, 13.
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