Evolving Out of Eden

Book excerpt: The now-indisputable reality of life?s evolutionary origins challenges some foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. The issues range from the nature of God as a creator and guiding hand in the lives of mankind to the Fall of Man as the impetus for the sending of a Savior. With the scientific evidence continuing to pile up, the responses of Christian leaders have themselves evolved into different forms. Biblical literalists remain a loud and stubborn voice of denial, yet they have found themselves in a strange and unwitting alliance with outspoken atheists by denying that evolution is in any way compatible with Christian doctrine. Many concerned believers are left walking a troubled middle path between Genesis and genetics, wary of the perils of losing their cherished faith on the one hand or their intellectual integrity on the other. Numerous science-savvy theologians have emerged to help them on their way, a whole cottage industry of guides working to establish their own different trails through the hostile territory outside Eden?s comforting faith-fairyland. Evolving out of Eden surveys these various efforts and offers its own frank reckoning of evolution?s significance for Christian belief.