Creation, Evolution, and Salvation

This week there was a debate between a scientific evolutionist and a fundamental creationist.  Each one standing at opposite ends of justice. They stated their case.  Now, I have my two cents to add.

In support of the creationist:  Human beings are not a mistake, a freaky branch in the chain of life.  Human beings are the fruit of the love of God, not a chance occurrence.  Human beings are the result of the will of God the Father, our Creator. 

Believers know this.  Yes Father, you have willed us.

In support of the evolutionist:  Humanity’s existence is influenced by all that is the history of the world.  In this history is hate, violence, prejudice, ignorance, and sin which has been imprinted on us. But humanity has experienced the history of human goodness, love, and achievement.  Both good and evil are present in us.

In this dualism, humanity evolved.  But, God and grace are in our history, too. Through God and grace, human beings have become who we are; and, what we are to become.

Life is not a straight line. I cannot sit at the beginning of me and see me that I am to become.  There are too many bumps, curves, and intersections.  Life is not a straight line of sin and it is not a straight line to salvation.  Yet, God always has a straight line to us that we fail to find. 

An example is the fruit tree.  Most fruit trees have trunks and branches that are bent and knurled; maybe, full of thorns; maybe, the stem is brittle or poisonous.  The branches can be broken, curved, and knotted, but at the end of the branch is the fruit. The places were the distractions of the tree end and the goodness of the fruit begins, the source of new life.

Salvation is that place offered to us by God.  Salvation is beginning of a new life, where we begin to find a new earth; where we begin to find a new heaven; where we begin to see that straight line. 

We are given salvation by God who accepts us even though we find ourselves clearly unworthy, broken, knurled, some even poisoned.  Humanity stands before an accepting God that brings us to the place of salvation, to a place of peace where God’s justice resides. 

So for evolutionist and the creationist let us remember the words of St. Josephine Bakhita - Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know him.  What a great grace it is to know the Lord.