• BC Christian News • MARCH ISSUE 2000 • VOL. 20 #3 • Formerly "Christian Info News" •

Lamoureux sees God in evolution
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Denis Lamoureux

By Peter T. Chattaway

EVOLUTION and creation are not incompatible, according to Denis Lamoureux, a charismatic Christian who holds doctoral degrees in dentistry, evolutionary science, and theology. Taking special aim at the arguments of Michael Behe and Philip E. Johnson, Lamoureux spoke on the subject 'Is Darwinism Defeated?' at Regent College February 21.

Lamoureux acknowledged that Johnson, the author of Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds and other books, is a "modern evangelical icon." But he argued that there is still room for debate, and that Christians need to put science and theology in perspective. "It is by grace, and not by biological theories, that you've been saved," he said.

Lamoureux challen-ged three principles which he said were the basis of Johnson's argument. First, he said scientists are not as pervasively naturalistic or materialistic as Johnson suggests. Lamoureux pointed to a 1997 study which indicated that two out of five scientists believe in a God who answers prayer; he added that this figure does not include pantheists and others who might believe in other forms of theism.

Second, he said Johnson and Behe rely on a poor understanding of design.

"I think design is a powerful argument for theism," said Lamoureux, but he said the anti-evolutionists are wrong to insist that design could not have come about through evolution. Johnson is essentially promoting a 'God of the gaps' theory, declared Lamoureux, but he said that approach is dangerous because, as the gaps in our knowledge get smaller, so does God.

Third, Lamoureux said Johnson, who is a lawyer and not a biologist, does not have an adequate grasp of the scientific literature. Lamoureux cited passages from Johnson's books in which he argues, erroneously, that evolutionists believe whales are descended from rodents. Lamoureux also asserted that Johnson had relied upon "one outdated, undergraduate, introductory textbook."

In a question and answer session after his lecture, Lamoureux said the early chapters of Genesis were not to be taken literally. He dismissed the literal interpretation of the verses that talk about a hard 'firmament' in the sky, and he said the words 'Adam' and 'Eve' were not proper names in Hebrew, but referred to a generic 'dirtling' and 'the mother of life.'

"The Holy Spirit inspired, if you will, mythopoetic literature," he said.

Lamoureux also pointed to the fact that chimpanzees and humans have 98.6 percent of their DNA in common; that figure includes pseudogenes, or genes that don't serve any particular function, shared by both species. But he said humans are still uniquely endowed with the image of God. "There are no chimp Regent Colleges. There is no chimp Word of God," he said.

Lamoureux argued that Johnson and Behe have softened their earlier stances and appear to be "closing the gaps" in their own theories as they become more acquainted with the evolutionary literature. "Many evangelicals, including myself, have gone through this process of closing the gaps" as they become more aware of the science involved, he said.

He added that, as a charismatic evangelical Christian who has witnessed signs and wonders and believes in them strongly, he believes in divine intervention.

However, he said the evidence does not support the contention that God regularly intervened during the evolution of life on Earth.

Johnson and Lamoureux have debated these issues before, notably in a book published by Regent last year, entitled Darwinism Defeated? The Johnson-Lamoureux Debate on Biological Origins. In addition to their exchange, the book includes essays by Behe, Michael Denton, Regent's Loren Wilkinson and others.