Pastors Evolve

Movement hopes to bridge the gap between evolution and creationism

[Excerpts]

More than 10,000 pastors nationwide have signed "The Clergy Letter" of support for Evolution Sunday Feb. 12, a day designed to bring attention to a movement that believes there is a way to bridge the gap between the theory of evolution and creation theology.

At least two local pastors are known to have signed the letter, the Rev. Wally Carlson of Melrose Chapel United Methodist Church and the Rev. Bob Morwell of Union United Methodist Church.

"Evolution can only go so far, and that is where faith comes in," Carlson said. "No one really knows what is in that gray area in between the two."

"There are people on both sides of this who are so narrow-minded in their vision they can't see any truth from another direction," Carlson said.

"(This movement) is an effort to enlist the help of clergy who do not find belief in evolution incompatible with the Christian faith," Morwell said.

Michael Zimmerman, dean of the college of letters and sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, coordinates a Web site devoted to this subject. On the site, it says 10,183 pastors had signed the Clergy Letter as of Wednesday, and that 303 congregations from 47 states have signed up to take part in some sort of Evolution Sunday dialogue.

"Together, participating religious leaders will be making the statement that religion and science are not adversaries," Dean writes. "And, together, they will be elevating the quality of the national debate on this topic."

"Whenever we think we know all of the answers, we're wrong," Carlson said. "Because we don't."

Eighinger, "Quincy [IL] Whig," 1/21/06, http://www.whig.com/353447938366589.php)

[TBC: The Rev. Carlson may be self-limited when it comes to the verities of life and its beginning, but the Lord has no doubts, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis:1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
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