God and Evolution

Over the years I have had many people ask me to recommend to them a good book on theistic evolution--one that promotes that view openly and clearly.  I have always had a problem with that request, because the term has been applied in a derogatory way.  This book will be the one I will now recommend to those who make that request, and the positive spirit with which Dr. Wilcox writes will help people see what this position says and why.

David Wilcox is a biology professor with a Ph.D. in population genetics from Penn State.  He is also a strong believer in God and in Christ, and has a high respect for the Bible.  His basic thesis is that the debate over evolution is "a result of a failure to recognize and honor the respective boundaries of science and theology."  Much of the book deals with the nature of science and with scientific explanations of evolution.  Questions like the age of the earth are approached from a historical standpoint.  The book focuses mostly on science and scientific approaches and does not really get into biblical questions or hermeneutic and eschatology issues.  Evolution is viewed as creation, and the limitations of science and the fact that there are multiple explanations of some evolutionary claims is explained.

This is a pretty academic book, and will be especially interesting to college students and people with expertise in the biological sciences.  It is probably too advanced for most high school students or lay readers.  Fundamentalists will reject the book out of hand, but there is a wealth of scientific material and an interesting approach for academic people and people attempting to understand the evolution/creation issue in depth.

Back to Contents Does God Exist?, MayJun07.