Richard F. Carlson

This handy little book basically sums up what I have long thought about the creation-evolution chestnut. Naturally, then, I readily commend it. Carlson—a working scientist—and Longman—an Old Testament scholar—affirm their evangelical commitment to biblical authority and infallibility. They say that they see no reason to doubt the broad scientific consensus about the age of the universe, of our world, and of life in it, including the evolutiuonary paradigm in biology. There is, thus, show more a conflict between this consensus and a literal interpretation of Genesis 1.

The next issue is about whether the only way to interpret Genesis 1 is literally. After considering how creation is used and described in the Old and New Testaments outside Genesis, they note that Genesis 1 and 2 are really two separate creation accounts. While these chapters do reflect ancient Hebrew concepts of the natural world, the authors propose that the real message of these chapters is their underlying polemic against pagan views of gods, humans and the cosmos.

Thus, the crux of the creation-evolution debate for evangelicals is not about the veracity of current science or the authority of scripture, but about how scripture is interpreted. This perspective is rarely considered in the hot houses of creationist ferment.

The book clearly sets out the authors' case. Unfortunately, it is a little artless at times and sounds more like a formal proposition than a book to engage the doubters. Since the authors see the central problem as biblical interpretation, the book is lighter on science than some may want. Reflections on the creation-evolution debate and the way forward may also have been welcome. However, given all of these quibbles, the book is a clear exposition of its case. If only more evangelicals were to embrace that case, then the distracting scandal that is the creation debate could fade away. show less