The End of Creation

“What is the chief end of man? The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.“ (WSC 1)

What is the chief end of creation? Jonathan Edwards wrote:

The end of the creation is that the creation might glorify God. Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed? (quoted from John Piper’s “The Dangerous Duty of Delight” p. 13

It is a beautiful sunny day after a fresh snow - let us rejoice at the display of God’s glory.

Part of an ongoing series of posts on Chapter 4 of the Westminster Confession of Faith - On Creation

February 14, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)

Evolution, Creation and Heliocentrism

Creation and the Theory of Evolution certainly does spark passionate debate. Let me list two examples from today:

A $1000.00 check is being offered to the first person who can prove that the earth revolves around the sun. Catholic Apologetics International is holding the contest. In doing this they are reopening the science vs. the Bible debate regarding the Bible’s many references to the sun revolving around the earth. Here is a short clip:

If Scripture can be dismissed by claiming that it is mostly a collection of myths and fables from ignorant and primitive people; and if the Church can be faulted for siding with an aberrant view of cosmology; then modern man thinks he has found the ultimate excuse for relieving himself of being bound by either Scripture or the Church.
That is not all. If one examines the so-called "scientific proofs" for either Evolution or Heliocentrism, the proofs simply do not exist. Yet modern man, so desperate to find his excuses, has turned mere theories into "facts," and has thereby convinced the world that IT, not the Church or Scripture, is the king of truth.

I ask this question - can one challenge the theory of evolution using Genesis 1 - 2, and still accept science’s judgement that the earth revolves around the sun? This is the kind of emotional debate that brings us back to Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith - The Authority, Inerrancy, Infallibility, and Sufficiency of Scripture. What we learned from Chapter 1, is that the answer to the above question is Yes and No.

The second example today is the celebration of Evolution Sunday by a number of churches - including one in my hometown (United Methodist Church of Sudbury). They are celebrating the 197th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.

On 12 February 2006 hundreds of Christian churches from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been claiming that people must choose between religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy have already signed The Clergy Letter demonstrating that this is a false dichotomy.

Praise God that we can gather on this same Sunday and offer worship and praise to the one and only Triune God who created the universe.

What is the work of creation?
The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. - Westminster Shorter Catechism

February 10, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (1)   |  TrackBack (0)

Creation

Last night I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Michael Behe, the author of Darwin’s Black Box speak. Dr. Behe presents a scientific argument for the existence of God. He spoke to a large and diverse group about the many convincing proofs of Intelligent Design.

We are about to begin our study in the Westminster Confession in Chapter 4 - Creation. This is an emotional as well as complex area of study. Last night, emotions ran high as several very smart university students, scientists, and professors challenged intelligent design. Science is often factual and unemotional. Last night, you saw the intersection of religion and science, as voices cracked and tempers flared, when Darwin’s theory of evolution was challenged. You cannot discuss creation or the “orgin of species“ without entering the realm of the metaphysical. This is the realm of God.

Today as I was reflecting on last night‘s lecture I came across this wonderful discovery. Here in the jungles of New Guinea: (HT Powerline)

An expedition to one of Asia's most isolated jungles, in the mist-shrouded Foya Mountains of western New Guinea (Irian Jaya), has discovered a host of new species, giant flowers, and rare wildlife.
The December 2005 expedition by a team of US, Indonesian, and Australian scientists led by Conservation International (CI) found dozens of new species including frogs, butterflies, plants, and what is thought to be the first new bird from the island of New Guinea in more than 60 years. "It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," marvelled CI's Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the expedition.

The new species of honeyeater, yet to be described, has a bright orange face-patch with a pendant wattle under each eye.

Here is a picture of the Honeyeater, for more pictures go here.

New species, new flowers, frogs, butterflies, plants - all new to us - but created and known by God. One can only cry out as we learn more about God’s creation:

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name above all the earth,
You set your glory above the heavens” Psalm 8:1

February 8, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)