Product Description

Evolution Is Not the Bible's Enemy

Saving Darwin explores the history of the controversy that swirls around evolution science, from Darwin to current challenges, and shows why—and how—it is possible to believe in God and evolution at the same time.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35218 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-01
• Released on: 2009-06-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061441738
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Drawing on his fundamentalist upbringing and experience teaching physics at an evangelical college, Giberson has a native understanding of how conservative Christians feel and think about evolution. As a Christian evolutionist, he finds himself occupying a frequently misunderstood middle ground in the midst of a culture war, fought with culture-war weapons by culture warriors. Behind the culture war, Giberson sketches an engaging historical narrative including Darwin's background in intelligent design, what really happened at the Scopes monkey trial and how catastrophist geology derived from Seventh Day Adventism found an audience among the evangelical mainstream in the post-Sputnik era. By tackling the debate in cultural as well as scientific terms, Giberson does greater justice to the motivations of Christians who reject evolution. Yet he does not conceal his frustration—on theological as well as scientific grounds—with the rubbish of scientific creationism, which has climbed onto the radar screens of American intellectual culture only as a bad joke. Giberson's sarcasm, however honestly come by, may cause the book to alienate an evangelical audience it might otherwise engage. (June)
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Review
"A much-needed book . . . a powerful contribution." -- Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.

"A poignant account of [Giberson’s] Christian pilgrimage from Creationist to Evolutionist. He offers a sympathetic historical analysis laced with trenchant criticism of both misguided intelligent design advocates and hard core atheists." -- Kenneth R. Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University, and author of Finding Darwin's God

"An intensely personal account of [Giberson’s] intellectual journey from creationism to the acceptance of evolution . . . By situating his own story in the context of larger social and scientific developments, Giberson’s book can serve as a guide for other Christians on a similar trek." -- Edward J. Larson, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and the American Controversy over Creation and Evolution.

"Giberson has a native understanding of how conservative Christians feel and think about evolution . . . he sketches an engaging historical narrative. -- Publishers Weekly

"Giberson makes the case, persuasively and with considerable wit, that there’s no irreconcilable conflict between robust Christian faith and evolutionary biology, rightly understood. This is a wonderfully readable book: humane, modest, and wise." -- John Wilson, Editor, Books & Culture

"Karl Giberson here presents a poignant account of his Christian pilgrimage from Creationist to Evolutionist. He offers a sympathetic historical analysis laced with trenchant criticism of both misguided intelligent design advocates and hard core atheists." -- Owen Gingerich, author of God's Universe, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy & History of Science, Harvard University

"Karl Giberson skillfully unravels the tangled skein of argument about creation and evolution, showing that there need be no incompatibility between Christianity and Darwinism. His writing is lively, in a style that is both informal and informed. This is a book that many will find helpful." -- John Polkinghorne, author of Belief in God in an Age of Science

Giberson posesses a boundless inquisitiveness typical of many scientiests, but also displays the wry wit of a seasoned polemicist. He seems to know how to counteract your best arguments before you have even made them. -- Salon.com

This sensitively written and convincingly argued book succeeds in respecting both religious beliefs and scientific facts in discussing thoeries surrounding the creation of the world. . . A truly courageous work. -- Library Journal

Writing in nontechnical, engaging prose, [Giberson] tells the 150-year story of Christianity’s engagement with evolution, along the way staking out a position midway between Richard Dawkins, the apostle of atheism, and Ken Ham, the huckster of creationism." -- Ronald L. Numbers, Hilldale Professor of the History of Science and Medicine, Department of Medical History and Bioethics, University of Wisconsin

Review
"One of the best books of 2008" (The Washington Post Book World, 2008 Holiday Guide )

"Giberson makes the case, persuasively and with considerable wit, that there's no irreconcilable conflict between robust Christian faith and evolutionary biology, rightly understood. This is a wonderfully readable book: humane, modest, and wise." (John Wilson, Editor, Books & Culture )

"A poignant account of [Giberson's] Christian pilgrimage from Creationist to Evolutionist. He offers a sympathetic historical analysis laced with trenchant criticism of both misguided intelligent design advocates and hard core atheists." (Kenneth R. Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University, and author of Finding Darwin's God )

Giberson posesses a boundless inquisitiveness typical of many scientiests, but also displays the wry wit of a seasoned polemicist. He seems to know how to counteract your best arguments before you have even made them. (Salon.com )

Giberson attacks the conundrum [of evolution] with eloquence and clarity. (Washington Post )

"Giberson . . . provides an edifying summary of the tenets and the flaws of modern creationism . . . and raises a valuable alarm about the dangers facing American science and culture." (New Republic )

"Karl Giberson skillfully unravels the tangled skein of argument about creation and evolution, showing that there need be no incompatibility between Christianity and Darwinism. His writing is lively, in a style that is both informal and informed. This is a book that many will find helpful." (Ronald L. Numbers, Hilldale Professor of the History of Science and Medicine, Department of Medical History and Bioethics, University of Wisconsin )

"Karl Giberson skillfully unravels the tangled skein of argument about creation and evolution, showing that there need be no incompatibility between Christianity and Darwinism. His writing is lively, in a style that is both informal and informed. This is a book that many will find helpful." (John Polkinghorne, author of Belief in God in an Age of Science )

"Giberson has a native understanding of how conservative Christians feel and think about evolution . . . he sketches an engaging historical narrative. (Publishers Weekly )

"Sensitively written and convincingly argued. . . . [A] truly courageous work." (Library Journal )

"A much-needed book . . . a powerful contribution." (Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. )

"Karl Giberson here presents a poignant account of his Christian pilgrimage from Creationist to Evolutionist. He offers a sympathetic historical analysis laced with trenchant criticism of both misguided intelligent design advocates and hard core atheists." (Owen Gingerich, author of God's Universe, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy & History of Science, Harvard University )

"An intensely personal account of [Giberson's] intellectual journey from creationism to the acceptance of evolution . . . By situating his own story in the context of larger social and scientific developments, Giberson's book can serve as a guide for other Christians on a similar trek." (Edward J. Larson, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and the American Controversy over Creation and Evolution. )

Customer Reviews

Doesn't deliver what the subtitle promises
Karl Giberson's book is a very enjoyable history of the "Darwin wars," particularly in America. Near the end of the book, he makes a short but convincing case for the theory of biological evolution, summarizing the evidence from the fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy, developmental similarities and genetics. However, he does not address the theological implications of biological evolution. He is, after all, a scientist, not a theologian.

He provides some interesting observations on Darwin's personal religious views, the Scopes trial, the Arkansas trial, the Dover trial, the background of Whitcomb & Morris's book "The Genesis Flood," and the culture war between Richard Dawkins & co. and Phillip Johnson & co.

He makes a number of very blunt negative observations about Young Earth Creationism [YEC], e.g., " 'The Genesis Flood' was intellectually disastrous on two fronts," and "There is no reason for anyone, Christian or otherwise, to take these [YEC] claims seriously."

I highly recommend this book to Christians who want a relatively brief and very readable introduction to how we got to the point where half of America's Christians do not accept the theory of biological evolution and to Young Earth Creationists who are having doubts about their position on this issue.

Misleading title and subtitle
Having grown up in the American evangelical denomination called the Church of the Nazarene (which presumably is the author's affiliation, since he teaches at Eastern Nazarene College), I was impressed, on my very first visit to a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, by how focused the latter was on Christ. Thirty years later, having been a Lutheran for many years, I am reminded of this experience as I reflect on the subtitle of Giberson's book, "How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution." I understand being a Christian, now, as a radically Christ-centered thing. This means that the importance of Christ is not just basically a matter of what He accomplished two millennia ago on the Cross while today the Christian's relationship to God is primarily a matter of the Holy Spirit, which, if I may simplify a bit, is what I imbibed from my Nazarene experience. Rather, as a Lutheran Christian I understand that it's all, everything, about Christ. Preaching is about Christ, Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper are real means by which He acts in my life, etc.

The relevance of this to the book at hand is that it gives me some idea about why there is virtually nothing in what Giberson writes that, for me, relates to being a _Christian_, as distinct from a believer in "God": that is, Nazarenes are not as focused on the centrality of Christ as Lutherans are. (I do not mean to disparage Giberson's faith in Christ.) But as I read the book and, now having finished it, reflect upon it, I wish that the subtitle had eschewed "Christian" and just said "How to Believe in Evolution and Also in God" or something like that, which would have given a more accurate idea of the book's achievement.

I became aware of the book from seeing something in Books and Culture, which is associated with the evangelical magazine Christianity Today. Persons considering Saving Darwin who are hoping for a book that will help them with the topic of evolution, as written by an evangelical, should be aware that Giberson basically writes simply as a theist -- hardly as an evangelical Christian, or, I would say, as a _Christian_ at all.

Moreover, much of the book is a readable historical review of conflicts between creation science-type folks and scientists who affirm evolution. It's interesting, if familiar, stuff, but it doesn't help all that much with the topic suggested by the subtitle. Even the title is kind of misleading. "Saving Darwin," in the context of what the book actually does, seems to mean "Trying to Get Darwin Some Respect from Christians." That's not a bad idea, and in that effort the author succeeds. But that's not what evangelicals probably will think they are buying if they order this book.

A Christian prepared to accept evolution has need, from a book with the subtitle of this one, for some indications, at least, of how he can still believe

--that man was created in the image of God (ignored by Giberson unless, despite a careful reading, I missed it)
--that as sin and death came by one man, so salvation comes by one Man, Christ, the Second Adam
--that if the Old Testament contains myths (I believe Giberson uses the term "fairy tales"), there is a way to avoid relativizing these biblical myths as the same sort of thing as in other religions, with the inevitable inference that other religions or even any religion may be equivalent to Christianity

And also Giberson ought to come forward with them, if there are any biblical passages (including sayings of Jesus) supportive of evolution. If not, what was God's intention in giving us the Bible? Is the Bible still Holy Scripture?

Finally, although the tone improves as the book continues, I object to the author's description of God's "divine tantrums" in the Old Testament (p. 49), and his remark that the biblical God, when He had finished creating, "[took] a day off to do God knows what" (p. 53). Even if Genesis is a myth in some sense, the wise guy tone is inappropriate.

Wonderful Explanation of How Christianity and Evolution Are Compatible
Saving Darwin is an excellent book! A must read! It is a very accessible analysis of the "origins" controversy in American culture. Giberson preserves the integrity of science while being religiously sensitive and encourages us to see the harmony, in principle, of science and Christianity.

Giberson convincingly argues for the explanatory mission of science as the detection of natural mechanisms as causes for natural phenomena, while steering carefully between two serious misunderstandings of science. On the one hand, popular cultural icons of science who represent evolutionary theory as entailing a naturalistic worldview--or even any particular philosophical position such as ethical relativism or social Darwinism--are misrepresenting science as such and thus harming our cultural discussion. On the other hand, religious fundamentalists who think that biblical sources should be imported into scientific work--as in "creation science"--are equally misguided about what science is. The more recent Intelligent Design movement also displays an egregious misunderstanding in insisting that science can inquire into transcendent or ultimate (supernatural) causes for natural phenomena. Giberson exposes the serious defects in these religiously-based "alternative" ways of doing science which continue to polarize the cultural discussion in their own ways.

Although Giberson's autobiographical journey, so well portrayed in the book that many can identify with him, carried him away from his early anti-evolution fundamentalism, it did not erode his Christian belief because he came to see evolution as an expression of God's creativity. Giberson shows that more sophisticated (less simplistic) categories for understanding the Bible and Christianity, coupled with a realistic, nonagendized view of science, make it entirely possible for a faithful believer to embrace evolution as a fascinating part of the total truth about God's ways with the world.

The reader of this book will be invited into the thought process that led the writer to see Christianity and evolution as compatible and even as mutually enlightening one another. The reader will also learn the history of the origins debate in this country, some of the real history of science and its positive relation to Christianity, and some helpful conceptual distinctions for making sense of this important issue.