Darwinian Evolution Versus Creationism — Can There Be Peaceful Coexistence?


A recent article published on the Huffington Post website is arguing for the peaceful coexistence between Darwinian theory of evolution and creationism, but it ends up arguing for a quasi-New Age belief system truce. The article tries to weave a synthesis between science and religion-based science denialism.

Failed Synthesis

On the other hand, the author obviously has the good intention of trying to be polite to the respective adherents of the opposing ideas but ended up espousing another pseudoscientific idea of merging Darwinian evolution through natural selection with the unified field theory of physics.

Instead of a logical synthesis, it was like an awkward combination of incompatible ideas, haphazardly woven together into a rag. According to the Huffington Post article:

“Theologians think of the unified field as “God.” So, in a sense, human beings were created in God’s image. On the one hand, Darwin was right: species evolve through natural selection. On the other hand, Creationism is correct in that the evolution of those species was in a direction toward the coherence inherent in the unified field. That is to say, species evolved in a direction toward the image of God.”

Neither Richard Dawkins nor Ken Ham would be impressed by this attempt of lumping science with religion with a dash of quasi-mysticism.

Peaceful coexistence between two diametrically opposed ideas is always possible but it depends on how you define what can be considered “peaceful.” If by peaceful you mean perfect intellectual harmony, then it will never happen but if you mean civility then it is not only a possibility but a reality.

As one recent study reported on the Phys.org website suggests, the functional human brain is divided into two domains, namely, the analytic and the empathetic. These cognitive domains are sometimes in conflict and difficult to reconcile especially in the case of the belief in the supernatural.

Could Darwinism and creationism have peaceful coexistence? Well, the answer will not only depend on the definition of terms but on which cognitive domain is the most dominant under certain situations.

Darwinian Civility

Even on the otherwise minefields of social media where anonymous trolls and hecklers abound, civility between evolutionists and creationists is the norm at least when it comes to personal timelines. Whether you believe in young earth creationism or in Darwinian evolution, you will seldom find friends who will engage you in a debate.

The story is totally different if you try to participate in the discussions in Facebook groups or forum threads on topics that are opposite to your viewpoints. It would be like entering a den of hungry lions – expect to be mauled and torn to pieces.

Civility could easily be thrown out of the window if the topic is emotionally-charged like the intellectual (oftentimes pseudo-intellectual) conflict between Darwinism and creationism.

Peaceful coexistence is a reality when it comes to the clashing ideas of Darwinian evolution versus biblical creation. So far, no major violent confrontation or “holy wars” resulted from the debate.

Public Education

On the other hand, it might not be a legitimate issue to debate about Darwinian evolution in the scientific circles but it still remains controversial in the area of politics, particularly when it comes to state policies regarding public education. Many ultraconservative politicians are very crafty in sneaking in right-wing religious agenda in the public schools such as in the case of teaching creationism in many of its forms.

Featured image via 3-D Christianity

Homar has been a writer and editor for both print and online publications for more than fifteen years. He also worked for a scientific research institution and for a book publishing house. He currently works as a home-based freelance online writer and copy editor. He is active in various local civic organizations and regularly contributes as a columnist in regional newspapers in the Bicol Region, Philippines.