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Most people today are not sweating bullets about whether they’re going to heaven or hell. If the gospel is truly good news for us-today, in 2009 America-it needs to address bad news. So what is that “bad news?” asks Michael Dowd, author of Thank God for Evolution. In a recent interview with ThinkFwd: host, Spencer Burke, Michael shares what he calls evolution theology, and his belief that the “bad news” is our instinctual “sinful” nature and our unchosen instincts fighting within ourselves. We say we’ll do one thing, but instead do another. We commit to something, but then fall through on our commitment. What we don’t want to do, we do despite our best efforts. This is a daily struggle. How should we view this instinctual nature?
Michael explains how evolution theology approaches this “bad news.” We all have multiple parts of our brain. Our reptilian brain is the most ancient, and focuses on survival-safety, sustenance, and sex. Our mammalian brain has aspects of kinship, status, play and reciprocity, and our new mammalian brain gives us our drive to comprehend and predict. We are brilliant at rationalization because if we can convince ourselves of something, we can convince those around us and we’ll have influence and status. Finally, our pre-frontal cortex gives us a quality that is unique to humans-judgment.
As we have evolved as humans, we still have our cravings and instincts from ancient times, but our world has also evolved so we have a mismatch between our cravings and our reality. For example, we crave sugar, salt and fats-which were critical for survival in ancient days. While we still have these cravings, it’s unlikely we’ll get killed on the way to the refrigerator-a mismatch of instinctual craving and reality. Most Christians Michael knows are not happy about their instinctual nature. But Michael says we can be grateful for this instinctual “sinful” nature if we have an evolutionary Christianity perspective. It helps us understand this mismatch and our unchosen instincts, and gives us a new perspective on sin, salvation, and the kingdom of God.
Michael sees that there is a “flat-earth Christianity” and “evolutionary Christianity”-the first one with a perspective that holds to beliefs from the times people thought the world was flat; and the second that has an evolutionary perspective of Christianity. Nothing, Michael says, is more important than having people with diverse backgrounds talk together and really hear each other-coming together from a place of learning, not just “I need to convert you.”
And so, this is the message he’s repeating wherever he goes. “Let’s get right with God-let’s have integrity.” That means, aligning ourselves with reality-as it really is, not as we wish it was.
Personal Reflections:
- If integrity = being right with God and aligned with REALity, and if the gospel is to be good news, what do you think the bad news is?
- How has your understanding of theology changed with your understanding of the world around you (i.e. flatter theology vs. evolutionary theology)?
Small Group or Staff Questions:
- How can we work out our understanding of church in community, with diverse opinions?
- How do you incorporate the added burden of stewardship-not just “can we?” do something, but “should we?”
Resources:
- FREE Chapter Download for Thank God for Evolution
- Thank God For Evolution Official Website
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July 10th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I love this site, and have learned from and enjoyed the speakers featured so far. But I especially resonated with Michael Dowd, he speaks my language. Thank you for hosting him and presenting this interview, hope to see more of him in the future. I’m going to have to buy his book!
July 17th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
This discussion makes me think of survival-based defense mechanisms used in childhood: they helped us to survive back then, but they can destroy or lives and relationships if we let us control them now. The same goes for the instincts/drives of our “reptilian”, “paleo-mammalian,” and “neo-mammalian” brains, or as Michael Dowd puts it, our “unchosen” nature.
This guy moves quickly; I had to listen to it twice, taking notes both times.
It might be helpful to view these concepts from evolutionary psychology as metaphors for understanding rather than literal constructs.
September 23rd, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Spencer, I think when we say things like, Paul is constantly talking about doing what he does not want to do rom 7, we should think about a few things.
First, is paul describing the normal christian life in romans 7? If he is where is the victory over sin he talks about latter?
Second, is he really constantly talking about it?
Third, what is paul talking about in rom 7?
First Paul is not describing the normal christian life. He is speaking of the life we want to live (christian life) lived without the spirit. If we will not walk in the spirit we will live in romans 7, this is not the normal victorious life.
Second paul is not ever saying this is the way to live out the christian life, what he is constantly talking about is death to flesh, identity with Jesus, filling of the Spirit, and walking as Jesus did. Jesus did not walk in rom 7.
Finally the harm is this. If we talk about rom 7 being normal, christians aren’t perfect just forgiven, Oh I am only human, and many more. these little sayings do not challenge believers to higher ground.
Instead of I am only human, which is not true. Why not confess we are partaking in the divine nature, oh I am only divine! We are not only human.
We need to challenge ourselves to love Jesus and obey Him, lets say what he says, and do what he does. If we walk in the spirit with the mind of christ, fully partaking in the divine nature, we will have victory, as we serve our fellow man and take care of the things God has given us. If not at least we should be taught it is possible. bill PS excellent show, the idea of evolutionary christianity is awesome, it will do much to lead us on to what is next. thanks for theooze.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
[...] is unlikely to go away anytime soon. With that said, Dowd offers us some fresh new perspectives. Check it out in HD & get the show notes [...]
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