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Is Evolution a Religion?
Bible study on the religion of evolution.

Many people make the point that evolution is a religion, not science.

This seems to be true to me because of the well-established term "theistic evolution," in addition to good arguments favoring evolution as a religion.

Religion is "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies. . . ." (religion. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion accessed: February 12, 2011).

The argument that evolution is a religion goes something like this: Evolution can't be proven through scientific methods; therefore, it is a belief system rather than fact. Thus as a belief system, evolution is a religion.

Perhaps this is best illustrated by the famous evolutionist, Theodosius Dobzhanksy, whose words are recorded in a number of publications. Here is the opening paragraph of the 1977 article written by Fancisco J. Ayala and published in The Journal of Heredity, titled "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" (FRANCISCO J. AYALA "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution": Theodosius Dobzhansky: 1900-1975 J Hered (1977) 68(1): 3-10).

In 1972, Theodosius Dobzhansky addressed the convention of the National Association of Biology Teachers on the theme "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution." The title of that address (published in The American Biology Teacher, vol. 35, pp. 125-129) might serve as an epigram of Dobzhansky's world view and life, although it is limited in scope, for Dobzhansky believed and propounded that the implications of biological evolution reach much beyond biology into philosophy, sociology, and even socio-political issues. The place of biological evolution in human thought was, according to Dobzhansky, best expressed in a passage that he often quoted from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "[Evolution] is a general postulate to which all theories, all hypotheses, all systems must hence forward bow and which they must satisfy in order to be thinkable and true. Evolution is a light which illuminates all facts, a trajectory which all lines of thought must follow -- this is what evolution is."

Here we have a difference in religious beliefs.

Evolutionists believe that evolution is the light which illuminates all facts, and that all theories, all hypotheses, and all systems must bow to it. But Christians believe that Jesus is the Light that illuminates all facts, and that all theories, all hypotheses, and all systems must bow to Him.

  • "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life'" (Jn. 8:12).
  • "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Col. 3:17).

Thus as Christians, to contend earnestly for the faith, we need to be acquainted with the false religious views of evolution.

  • "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

Conclusion
Evolution is a religion because it's a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially relating to the advent of man.

Therefore, we should treat evolution as the false religion that it is, and contend earnestly for the faith.