Evolution vs. Creation: Who's Right?

Did God create man in the image of himself, or did man evolve from a lower organic species?

The debate between the theory of evolution and the theory of creation began about the mid-1800s and has been causing turbulence in the world ever since. By definition, the theory of creation states that “living things can only be explained be the existence of an Almighty God who designed and made the universe and all the basic kinds of life…” (Life, 10). Theologists and other advocates, such as Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, teach creation through interpretation of the Bible.

On the other hand, scientists teach the theory evolution as the constant modification of organic species. Advocates of evolution such as Charles Darwin, believe that man descended from some lowly-organized form that would have been classified among the Quadrumana, or monkeys. However to decide which of the two theories is more sound, we must examine the literary and scientific evidence and arguments that exist.

A few pieces of literary evidence come from the founder of evolution himself, Charles Darwin. Although not the first to propose the theory, Darwin is given credit because of his excellent work as a naturalist and his idea of natural selection.

He goes on to say that the extinction of old forms and the production of improved forms are directly related; and that once a species disappears, it never reappears. However, man’s descent from apes is only briefly mentioned in The Origin of Species. It is in his book, The Descent of Man (1871) that Darwin sheds light on “the natural history of man.” (Darwin, Descent 1571). In this particular work, he explains that the conclusion of his in-depth studies has led him to believe that man is descended from a less organized form. He bases his findings on innumerable and unmistakable points of actual evidence.

To strengthen his argument, he refers to many competent naturalists who agree with his reasoning. Charles Darwin’s work on the evolutionary theory is often considered genius, causing him and his work to be highly esteemed and respected.

The scientific evidence available on the subject of evolution is abundant, though much of this evidence does not support the theory. For instance, evolutionists believe that all life originated from a previous, less-organized form; and fossil records do prove that varieties of life existed before the arrival of man. However, the records do not explain how life began; nor do they give evidence of transitional fossils that connect the different species or of partially formed bones and organs. These consistent gaps in the fossil record lead many to wonder why “the fossils go missing in all the important places” (Life 71).

Another example that evolutionists use to strengthen their argument is mutations. Mutations are the accidental changes that evolution requires. According to Carl Sagan, ‘Mutations provide the raw material for evolution. The environment selects those few mutations that enhance survival, resulting in a series of slow transformations of life form to another…” (Life 99).

However, the scientific information existing on mutations contradicts this belief. Firstly, the occurrence of mutations on DNA is very infrequent, and the proportions that these mutations will be beneficial rather than harmful is one in thousands. Many of today’s diseases are evidence of that. Secondly, mutation experiments done on fruit flies prove that mutations only result in variations and never anything new. Even “if a thousand mutations were combined in one specimen, there would still no new species” (Life 105). The scientific evidence available on the question of evolution has been scrutinized again and again, yet it still seems to disprove the evolutionary theory.

Creationists develop their belief of origin through a general interpretation of the most widely read book in the western world, the Bible. The first chapter of the Bible, Genesis, is the best- known account of creation. One key to accurate interpretation of Genesis is to understand that the Bible was not written to explain creation; instead, it only covers the major events in a progressive way. Another key is to understand the meaning of the word “day,” which in Hebrew can mean different lengths of time, and not just a 24-hour period. Even in English today, we may use “day” to refer to a person’s lifetime. Therefore, the Biblical translation of the word refers to “all creative periods” (Life 26) and not just a 24-hour period.

Creationists also use the amazing and unique design of organisms and our world to explain the presence of an intelligent Creator. For example, the complexity of a living cell and the process of photosynthesis are highly unlikely to have been formed by chance. The existence of amazing song birds all around the world is also evidence of intelligent design. The same is true about instinctive “wisdom” of some insects and animals. The greatest example of design on Earth is the miracle of the human brain, its capacity and capabilities. “To say that the human brain evolved from that of any animal is to defy reason and facts” (Life 171).

With so much evidence of design surrounding us, it does not seem unreasonable or irrational to credit an intelligent Creator. In addition to the Bible and intelligent design, creationists also use the lack of evolutionary evidence to strengthen their argument.

Conclusion

The debate between evolutionists and creationists can be summarized as a challenging battle over scientific evidence. Evolutionists argue that scientific evidence on hand proves that man and other organisms descend from lower organized forms; they reject the theory of creation because, to them, it does not seem scientific.

At the same time, creationists argue that the scientific evidence available disproves the theory of evolution and supports the beliefs of creation. For us to decide which theory to accept, we must examine the facts presented once, twice, or possibly more, and make an educated decision. Maybe one day that controversy will be ended and one of the theories will become fact… maybe not.

Works Cited

Darwin, Charles. “The Descent of Man.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 2. Ed. M.H. Abrams, 6^th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993.

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1928.

Life – How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? Brooklyn: International Bible Students Association, 1993.