Thinking about Evolution: 25 Questions Christians Want Answered

by Anjeanette Roberts, Fazale Rana, Sue Dykes

We Have Questions about Evolution, But Is It Safe to Ask? As children, we fearlessly enter the world with curiosity and a sense of exploration. As we get older, the stakes get higher. We find that new ideas can be disturbing when they don’t fit our view of life or they challenge our current understanding. The potential for disruption is why many people are afraid to ask questions—or to allow others to ask. In Thinking about Evolution, molecular biologist Anjeanette “AJ” Roberts, biochemist Fazale Rana, paleoanthropologist Sue Dykes, and analytical philosopher Mark Perez guide us to a place where, once again, we can fearlessly embrace curiosity. We’re invited to ask questions such as, “Is evolution really a problem for the Christian faith?” and “What if evolution is true?” Then, we can wrestle with the answers together, building the confidence that allows us to be more comfortable with others’ questions—as well as our own. “[A] must-read book for Christians who have the courage to challenge preconceived ideas about evolution and consider how science, philosophy, and theology intersect. Thinking about Evolution is powerful, well-researched, and truly inspiring for people of faith who want to pursue deeper understanding of our world and the God of the Bible.” Alia Eyres CEO, Mother’s Choice, Hong Kong

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2020

Reviews

[Kathleen Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for those who are fearless. Whether you are an atheist, agnostic, theistic evolutionist, old-earth creationist, or young-earth creationist, Thinking About Evolution: 25 Questions Christians Want Answered will both inform and surprise you.

Wherever you may fall within this wide spectrum of viewpoints, everyone is aware that the subject of evolution has divided all the aforementioned camps from one another by varying degrees. Moreover, Darwinism has become centerpiece to the claim that the scientific endeavor is a purely secular one. From its original form, a neo-Darwinian theory of evolution (i.e., modern synthesis) eventually developed and was accepted with little serious scientific critique—until an increasing amount of dissenting data was accrued over several decades throughout various disciplines.

“In more recent decades, the challenge of incorporating several unanticipated discoveries and observations has evolutionary biologists debating whether continued revision of the modern synthesis is possible of if it needs to be scrapped and replaced with an extended evolutionary synthesis.” (p. 39)

Note that extended evolutionary synthesis is not just an extension of modern synthesis (as the name might imply) – rather, it is more aptly characterized as a revision. Likewise, the development of neutral theory has occurred “in response to genetic sequence analysis and computational modeling that challenged the adequacy of modern synthesis’ mechanisms.” (p. 40)

Thinking About Evolution was written by four co-authors with impressive credentials. Anjeanette “AJ” Roberts holds a PhD in molecular and cell biology, conducted postdoctoral research at Yale, and served as a staff scientist at the National Institutes of Health. Fazale Rana holds a PhD in biochemistry and worked as a senior scientist in product development for Proctor & Gamble before joining the Reasons to Believe scholar team. Sue Dykes earned a PhD in paleoanthropology at the University of Witwatersrand, specializing in the classification of hominid teeth. Mark Perez holds both an MA in analytic philosophy and MPA with an emphasis on organizational development. In both government and private sectors, he has taught critical thinking and problem solving.

These scholars possess distinct yet complementary professional backgrounds that offer insight into the peer-reviewed research and beyond. Roberts provides an overview of evolutionary theory, clarifies confusing scientific terminology, helps the reader distinguish observations from inferences, and identifies types of reasoning that may be legitimately employed to make assertions about the past. In addition, she also explains the role of philosophy in science and why there are limits to what science can tell us. Her chapters regarding the inherent limits of natural selection and evolution’s “novelty problems” are masterfully presented.

Rana opens Darwin’s “black box” and describes how the complexity of biochemical systems required for life mitigate against purely naturalistic explanations. As an anthropologist, Dykes offers insight into what we can and cannot yet ascertain from human origins research. The information provided by Rana and Dykes is highly relevant and discipline-specific, but I would have like to seen it clearly contextualized within the RTB Creation Model* that has served to provide an overarching, multidisciplinary support for the organization’s old-earth creation position for three decades.

Perhaps the most novel approach to the old evolution debate is offered in a single chapter by Perez. He succinctly identifies common fallacies of logic that are endemic to the evolution debate (with examples exhibited by both creationists and materialists). He calls each fallacy out by name and gives examples: the false dilemma, the argument from ignorance, bald assertions, slippery slope, the a priori fallacy, question begging, the straw man fallacy, equivocation, rhetoric and fallacy of irrelevant conclusions.

To be clear, the authors of this book support an old-earth creation and exercise a high degree of data-based skepticism about why observed microbial evolution and microevolution (i.e., adaptive capacity) do not provide de facto evidence for chemical evolution or macroevolution. As they focus on the both the relevant research and methods of reasoning, they unapologetically call themselves evidentialists. This emphasis on the scientific side of the debate (more so than on the theological side) will make many evangelicals uncomfortable; however, because RTB scholars primarily seek to engage practicing scientists, the ministry's scholars tend to begin dialogue with data that can be mutually agreed upon. In Christian circles, this might be termed “becoming the scientist to win the scientist” or putting into practice the concept that “all truth is God’s truth.”

“As we keep Christ at the center and follow the evidence where it leads, we can remain confident that we have nothing to fear from the truth.” (p. 284)

You do not have to agree with these authors to learn from them. Any scientifically literate person who is willing to critically evaluate the latest and most relevant research regarding the topic of evolution will find this book informative and useful in developing a defensible perspective on this much-debated subject.

[Carey Smoak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides answers to difficult questions about evolution from a progressive creation viewpoint (also known as old-earth creationism).

[Barrie Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins famously wrote in The Blind Watchmaker that “Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.” The authors of Thinking About Evolution give many reasons to question this assertion. Three of the authors are PhD scientists: molecular biologist Anjeanette Roberts, biochemist Fazale Rana, and paleoanthropologist Sue Dykes. One chapter is by philosopher Mark Perez, who surveys logical fallacies that often creep into arguments over evolution. All four authors write from their perspective as Christians embracing a progressive creation/old-earth creation model. While acknowledging their beliefs in an “Outing Our Bias” statement at the outset, they discuss the subject matter as scientists. In Chapter 2 Anjeanette Roberts answers the question “Is Religious Belief the Only Reason to Question Evolution?” by describing reasons that many scientists today think that the neo-Darwinian synthesis needs revision or replacement. These reasons are based on scientific data alone.

The authors distinguish the various types of evolution and survey the scientific evidence for and against each type. The evidence for microbial evolution and microevolution (adaptation within a species) is solid. However, the same cannot be said for chemical evolution or macroevolution (the development of whole taxonomic groups over time).

Regarding chemical evolution, Fazale Rana argues convincingly that researchers have yet to demonstrate a credible pathway to the origin of life on the early Earth. He points out that the absence of an explanation for chemical evolution stands as a major challenge to the naturalistic evolutionary paradigm.

The majority of the 25 questions addressed in the book relate to the evidence for and against macroevolution. The questions cover topics that those familiar with the subject will recognize, for example: “Can Evolutionary Processes Generate New Information?” or “Can Evolutionary Co-option Explain the Irreducible Complexity of Biochemical Systems?” The authors respond to many arguments made in support of macroevolution. For example, Fazale Rana provides a compelling response to the endosymbiont hypothesis, an evolutionary explanation for the origin of complex cells, highlighting the evidence for a mind behind mitochondrial biochemistry.

Special attention is paid to the fossil record and to questions of human origins in the five chapters written by Sue Dykes. These chapters are worth the price of the book. She addresses topics such as “What about the Genetic Similarity between Chimps and Humans?”, “Did Humans and Neanderthals Interbreed?” and “Did Neanderthals Create Art?” Anyone interested in the question of human origins will want to read these chapters.

Molecular biology, biochemistry and paleontology are treated at a high level in this book, and some readers may have to do background reading to follow certain discussions. The authors support their arguments with abundant footnotes for those who wish to go deeper into the subject.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in debates over evolutionary biology.

[Sammy Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and found it very insightful. As a layman I did struggle on some of the chapters, but I appreciated the attempt to explain their points. RTB continue to impress me with their literarature. The approach is gentle and I think I would have no trouble sharing this book with my agnostic and atheist friends who see no other option to the naturalist narrative.