Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 21
August 14, 1969
NUMBER 15, PAGE 3b,5a

The Bible, The Presbyterians And Evolution

B. J. Thomas

The news releases from Mobile, Alabama, on April 27, 1969, had this interesting bit of news: "The 109th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. concluded Saturday that the Bible and the theory of evolution are not contradictory. The assembly asked its one million-member predominantly southern church to change its traditional interpretation of the biblical doctrine of creation to include the possibility of evolution. This more liberal position was adopted when the Permanent Theological Committee submitted a report on "Evolution and the Bible" with the recommendation that the church drop its stated position that man was created by immediate acts of Almighty Power in favor of a more liberal view of natural animal parentage."

Well, here we have it. It really comes as no surprise, but it is amazing how people who claim, at least to some degree, to believe the Bible can and do change to fit any and every social change and even include in their belief outright atheism. This points up a very evident fact; namely, when a group loses respect for Bible teaching on any point, they will lose it on any other point when it becomes convenient and popular to do so.

No man on earth can harmonize the Bible and Evolution. Really, if a man wants to believe the theory of Evolution badly enough, what the Bible teaches is going to be his least concern anyway.

According to the news media the straw that broke the camel's back and the reason this "new interpretation" was accepted that "the scientists of the world believe and accept Evolution." First, let it come through loud and clear that truth is not determined by who believes what. Second, it is not true that all scientists believe the theory of evolution. An impressive list of the more-most scientists living today reject it and disbelieve it. A case in point is Dr. T. N. Tahmisian, a physiologist for the Atomic Energy Commission. He states, "Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are great con men, and the story they are telling may be the greatest hoax ever. In explaining evolution we do not have one iota of fact." (Did Man Get Here By Evolution or Creation? p. 11) Third, those scientists who do believe the theory of evolution, for the most part, admit that it is merely an unproven theory. M. J. Gillette said, "Biologists are, of course, confessedly evolutionists, but it is really remarkable how little evidence they admit in support of their position." ("Ancestorless Man: The Anthropological Dilemma," Scientific Monthly, Dec. 1943, p. 533)

Unlike the assemblies, synods, edicts, and creeds of men, the message of the Bible never needs revision. It admits of no additions, subtractions, or substitutions. Its lessons are changeless and timeless and cannot be rescinded by any man or by any group of men. It is always true and will stand forever! (Psalm 119:160; Matt. 24:35)

— Box 705, Haynesville, La. 71038