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Making Sense of Evolution: Darwin, God, and the Drama of Life
Evolution makes good scientific sense. The question is whether it makes good theological sense as well. Christians who find evolution contrary to faith often do so because they focus solely on the issues of the world's design and the notion of the gradual descent of all life from a common ancestry. But that point of view overlooks the significance of the dramatic narrative going on beneath the surface. What evolution is has become more important than what it means . Haught suggests that, rather than necessarily contradicting one another, theologians and Darwinian scientists actually share an appreciation of the underlying meaning and awe-inspiring mystery of evolution. He argues for a focus on evolution as an ongoing drama and suggests that we simply cannot-indeed need not-make complete sense of it until it has fully played out. Ultimately, when situated carefully within a biblical vision of the world as open to a God who makes all things new, evolution makes sense scientifically and theologically.
183 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2010
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68 people want to read
About the author
John F. Haught
51 books37 followersJohn F. Haught is a Roman Catholic theologian, specializing with systematic theology. He has special interests in science, cosmology, ecology, and reconciling evolution and religion.
Haught graduated from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore,, and he received a PhD in Theology from The Catholic University of America in 1970.
Haught received the 2002 Owen Garrigan Award in Science and Religion, the 2004 Sophia Award for Theological Excellence, and, in 2009, the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Leuven.
He is Senior Research Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. There, he established the Georgetown Center for the Study of Science and Religion and was the chair of Georgetown's theology department between 1990 and 1995.
Haught graduated from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore,, and he received a PhD in Theology from The Catholic University of America in 1970.
Haught received the 2002 Owen Garrigan Award in Science and Religion, the 2004 Sophia Award for Theological Excellence, and, in 2009, the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Leuven.
He is Senior Research Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. There, he established the Georgetown Center for the Study of Science and Religion and was the chair of Georgetown's theology department between 1990 and 1995.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 17, 2018
Studying the intricacies of evolution in graduate school was my first theophany. Despite my highly secular upbringing and the graduate program's "pure science" orientation, there it was: real, graspable evidence of God at work. So it has increasingly rankled to see both the so-called "New Atheists" and the more fundamentally-oriented Evangelical camp more and more stridently insisting that "you can't 'believe' both evolution and the Bible" and agitating for beating intellectual plowshares into swords and digging in heels.
The chief value of this slim volume is a very clear introduction of the notion of LAYERS OF EXPLANATION, e.g.:
"your discovery that a printing press has produced this page does not contradict the fact that this page exists 'ultimately' because a publisher thought it would be a good idea to have a book on Darwin. ... an evolutionary naturalist's declaration that 'it is natural selection RATHER THAN God that explains design' ... is parallel to the illogical claim that the page you are reading can be adequately explained by the chemistry of ink and paper RATHER THAN by the author's ideas or the publisher's initiative." (p. 24)
--and then repeated demonstrations of how this concept can be used to address various aspects of the (trumped-up!) "controversy" between science and faith (design, diversity, descent, etc.). OF COURSE the page can be completely explained by the chemical arrangement of the constituents of ink and paper. Completely. If that is the only level of existence you are interested in. But if you are able to see that the arrangements of ink molecules form letters, the letters form words, the words communicate ideas. . . suddenly layer upon layer of additional richness--and ultimately MEANING--are revealed.
The fact is that both "sides" of the fuss over "evolution vs. the Bible" have a kind of microscopic focus that prevents them from appreciating the fullness of meaning available to us all. Science is COOL, and a very useful tool, but it can never give us any notion of the meaning and purpose of ANYthing, any more than a chemical analysis of the arrangement of ink and paper molecules can reveal the meaning of the words on a page--but that doesn't mean there IS no meaning. And the Bible is an astonishing glimpse into the Purpose of Everything--and absolutely not anything so tiny as a science textbook.
Haught's book is a good exercise in providing one way to address those on both "sides" and introduce a concept that may assist some to begin to open their minds to a larger view of purposeful existence.
Three "issues" I have with the text:
1) Haught is attempting to write for the general public, but doesn't quite succeed in completely crossing the bridge from his theological redoubt into "lay land." As someone who has spent a career "translating" scholar-speak for those unused to the academic mindset (mostly first-generation college students), I'd say you need to be able to join him about 1/4 of the way across the bridge.
2) Partly because of this, the book may give the impression that Haught is presenting a kind of "clock maker" God, who set all the parameters for what goes on here in the universe, but then went "hands off." Not quite the "BLIND watchmaker," but a watchmaker nonetheless. Certainly, layers of explanation do not require that the "watchmaker" be hands-off; quite the opposite (by definition, the author of a book has his/her hand in everything in the book!), and I'm not sure Haught even meant to give that impression, but some of the text does seem to trend that way.
3) Haught's focus on the "dramatic" nature of the "divine narrative"--that it is all about bringing all creation toward some as-yet-unimaginable noble climax, in the same way that the plot of a story can throw all kinds of horrible things at the characters that ultimately pay off in a winner of an ending--can make God sound not only hands-off, but kind of "mean"--if you are one of the characters horribly suffering and dying so that ultimately others can reach that climax, what does that make you? There's no comfort here: "Without any conflict with physical, chemical, or biological readings of life, theology may reasonably propose that a deeper transformative principle has been quietly inviting the cosmic process toward such momentous outcomes all along, and that it has been doing so without intruding into or interrupting natural processes that, at the level of a purely scientific understanding, seem to be altogether devoid of any deep significance." (p. 77)
In fairness, it isn't Haught's concern here to try to answer "the problem of pain" in this slim volume. Nevertheless, it is clear that the notion of "layers of explanation" not only does not exclude, but certainly allows for (and may even require) God's INFUSING and INFORMING those natural processes, at every moment. Unfortunately, Haught seems to fall victim a bit to a lingering mindset of "separation of faith and science"--he still seems at times to be arguing "this, NOT that"--or at least, "this over here, with that over there," rather than "this AND that, interleaved, coexisting, and mutually enriching" (hey, there it is again, the good old Catholic "both/and"!).
Nevertheless, the book is a good presentation of, and exercise in using, the concept of layers of explanation, which is sorely needed to counter the fundamentalist notions of BOTH the "new" atheists with their straw-man notions of God and religion, and the entrenched Evangelicals who only injure their own cause when they try to make God too small.
The chief value of this slim volume is a very clear introduction of the notion of LAYERS OF EXPLANATION, e.g.:
"your discovery that a printing press has produced this page does not contradict the fact that this page exists 'ultimately' because a publisher thought it would be a good idea to have a book on Darwin. ... an evolutionary naturalist's declaration that 'it is natural selection RATHER THAN God that explains design' ... is parallel to the illogical claim that the page you are reading can be adequately explained by the chemistry of ink and paper RATHER THAN by the author's ideas or the publisher's initiative." (p. 24)
--and then repeated demonstrations of how this concept can be used to address various aspects of the (trumped-up!) "controversy" between science and faith (design, diversity, descent, etc.). OF COURSE the page can be completely explained by the chemical arrangement of the constituents of ink and paper. Completely. If that is the only level of existence you are interested in. But if you are able to see that the arrangements of ink molecules form letters, the letters form words, the words communicate ideas. . . suddenly layer upon layer of additional richness--and ultimately MEANING--are revealed.
The fact is that both "sides" of the fuss over "evolution vs. the Bible" have a kind of microscopic focus that prevents them from appreciating the fullness of meaning available to us all. Science is COOL, and a very useful tool, but it can never give us any notion of the meaning and purpose of ANYthing, any more than a chemical analysis of the arrangement of ink and paper molecules can reveal the meaning of the words on a page--but that doesn't mean there IS no meaning. And the Bible is an astonishing glimpse into the Purpose of Everything--and absolutely not anything so tiny as a science textbook.
Haught's book is a good exercise in providing one way to address those on both "sides" and introduce a concept that may assist some to begin to open their minds to a larger view of purposeful existence.
Three "issues" I have with the text:
1) Haught is attempting to write for the general public, but doesn't quite succeed in completely crossing the bridge from his theological redoubt into "lay land." As someone who has spent a career "translating" scholar-speak for those unused to the academic mindset (mostly first-generation college students), I'd say you need to be able to join him about 1/4 of the way across the bridge.
2) Partly because of this, the book may give the impression that Haught is presenting a kind of "clock maker" God, who set all the parameters for what goes on here in the universe, but then went "hands off." Not quite the "BLIND watchmaker," but a watchmaker nonetheless. Certainly, layers of explanation do not require that the "watchmaker" be hands-off; quite the opposite (by definition, the author of a book has his/her hand in everything in the book!), and I'm not sure Haught even meant to give that impression, but some of the text does seem to trend that way.
3) Haught's focus on the "dramatic" nature of the "divine narrative"--that it is all about bringing all creation toward some as-yet-unimaginable noble climax, in the same way that the plot of a story can throw all kinds of horrible things at the characters that ultimately pay off in a winner of an ending--can make God sound not only hands-off, but kind of "mean"--if you are one of the characters horribly suffering and dying so that ultimately others can reach that climax, what does that make you? There's no comfort here: "Without any conflict with physical, chemical, or biological readings of life, theology may reasonably propose that a deeper transformative principle has been quietly inviting the cosmic process toward such momentous outcomes all along, and that it has been doing so without intruding into or interrupting natural processes that, at the level of a purely scientific understanding, seem to be altogether devoid of any deep significance." (p. 77)
In fairness, it isn't Haught's concern here to try to answer "the problem of pain" in this slim volume. Nevertheless, it is clear that the notion of "layers of explanation" not only does not exclude, but certainly allows for (and may even require) God's INFUSING and INFORMING those natural processes, at every moment. Unfortunately, Haught seems to fall victim a bit to a lingering mindset of "separation of faith and science"--he still seems at times to be arguing "this, NOT that"--or at least, "this over here, with that over there," rather than "this AND that, interleaved, coexisting, and mutually enriching" (hey, there it is again, the good old Catholic "both/and"!).
Nevertheless, the book is a good presentation of, and exercise in using, the concept of layers of explanation, which is sorely needed to counter the fundamentalist notions of BOTH the "new" atheists with their straw-man notions of God and religion, and the entrenched Evangelicals who only injure their own cause when they try to make God too small.
November 26, 2011
If you've been wondering about how to reconcile your Christian faith with evolution, this will be a worthwhile book to read. It's a primer in evolutionary theology, not a systematic treatment of all the implications of evolution on faith & practice. Theologians need to do much more work on the impact evolution has on essential Christian doctrines. But, this a great start.
One of John Haught's big ideas in this book is that, ironically, young earth creationists and Darwinian materialists arrive at the same, wrong conclusion: evolution and revealed religion are mutually exclusive. In fact, Haught argues, the two camps share the same faulty premise that the ultimate meaning of life is grounded in the question of design. Haught denies this emphatically: the meaning of life--of all reality--is that the much deeper, richer drama of life. God is using evolution to create the future, an adventure into which he invites us. Here's a question to gnaw on: evolution may well be able to explain some religious experiences & beliefs, but can it account for all of them? For instance, once enlightened, why do materialists continue to value the survival of the human race? What inherent good is there in protecting humanity from extinction--the genetic "goal" to which they ascribe values like truth, practices like self-sacrifice, and even religious beliefs?
I really enjoyed the book for its hopeful view of the future and its integration of God's revelations through Scripture and nature.
One of John Haught's big ideas in this book is that, ironically, young earth creationists and Darwinian materialists arrive at the same, wrong conclusion: evolution and revealed religion are mutually exclusive. In fact, Haught argues, the two camps share the same faulty premise that the ultimate meaning of life is grounded in the question of design. Haught denies this emphatically: the meaning of life--of all reality--is that the much deeper, richer drama of life. God is using evolution to create the future, an adventure into which he invites us. Here's a question to gnaw on: evolution may well be able to explain some religious experiences & beliefs, but can it account for all of them? For instance, once enlightened, why do materialists continue to value the survival of the human race? What inherent good is there in protecting humanity from extinction--the genetic "goal" to which they ascribe values like truth, practices like self-sacrifice, and even religious beliefs?
I really enjoyed the book for its hopeful view of the future and its integration of God's revelations through Scripture and nature.
October 8, 2012
A rare perspective, and one that I really appreciated. Haught demonstrates new ways of thinking about evolution that not only reconcile well with a Christian worldview, but make better sense with a Christian worldview than an atheist one. An effective rebuttal (for the most part) of the viewpoint held by many of the new atheists (Dawkins, Coyne, etc.) that a scientific worldview necessarily leads to atheistic naturalism.
A few drawbacks: the book seems a bit long-winded at times, taking longer than necessary to explain the concepts, and can be a bit repetitive. Occasionally the author lapses into a bit of hokey-sounding hand-waving which weakens his argument.
Overall, the general ideas in the book are probably 4.5 stars, but the writing maybe only 3-3.5 stars...still, well worth the read if this is a subject you are interested in. I got it from the library but ended up buying a copy because I decided these were ideas I wanted to reflect more on.
A few drawbacks: the book seems a bit long-winded at times, taking longer than necessary to explain the concepts, and can be a bit repetitive. Occasionally the author lapses into a bit of hokey-sounding hand-waving which weakens his argument.
Overall, the general ideas in the book are probably 4.5 stars, but the writing maybe only 3-3.5 stars...still, well worth the read if this is a subject you are interested in. I got it from the library but ended up buying a copy because I decided these were ideas I wanted to reflect more on.
February 22, 2011
pretty good for what it was trying to do . . the main contributions could've been made much more quickly though, and lots of the book felt like a repetition of the same two main ideas: the universe "evolving upward into God" and the concept of "layered explanation," both of which i like, but both of which don't require as much as he took to explain . . i'm thankful for his championing here of Tillich and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, neither of which i knew much about, but both of which seem relevant as he used them . . my main issue is: given the view he's espousing, how do we answer the issue of original sin, the fall, the need for redemption, etc. . . and can some reason be given for accepting the theological understanding of evolution he's promoting, rather than just arguing that things *can be seen* that way . .
August 22, 2014
As always, John Haught directs us to be grasped by a reading that is engaging, insightful and clarifies our minds about a true dialogue between science and religion. His critique of "new atheists" like Dawkins, Dennet, Coyne and others, is masterful to the point of allowing us to understand the contradictory spiral of their underlying evolutionist materialism. At the end, he leads us to discover, if only briefly, the greater thinker that Teilhard de Chardin really is. I foresee that Haught's contribution is one of the most essential steps in moving toward the future theology of evolution that we've been waiting for.
May 5, 2011
The book could be interesting if it wasnt for the fact the author took 140 pages to say the same thing over and over again.
The entire book could have been done in two pages.
The entire book could have been done in two pages.
May 28, 2012
A very helpful book. Written so anyone can understand it, though it is not "simple." It is a bit repetitive, but well worth the read -- especially if you have someone with whom you can discuss it.
November 26, 2012
An easily read about the spiritual side of evolution.
February 3, 2017
Enjoyable book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews