Karl Giberson's Interview with Skeptic's Michael Shermer

This past Monday night my friend Tim and I went to another event put on by the Templeton Foundation. This was part of the Book Forum Series and it featured Karl Giberson’s Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution. The night was centered on Giberson being interviewed by Skeptic magazine editor, Michael Shermer.  It took place at the Harvard Club in Manhatten and it had good food and wine, friendly people – well worth the effort of driving into the city. 

Part of Karl’s story is that he approached this subject coming from a fundamentalist background and while in college starting appreciating some of the elements of science and fell in love with a lot of Darwin and other evolutionary ideas.  Though you may have heard that part of the story before (it could even be yours), he adds in his book that growing up, his hero was the early earther, creation apologist Henry Morris.  I found that to be interesting.

Shermer and Giberson had a very polite and enjoyable conversation.  I’m not sure if it actually ever got too awkward and I credit Shermer for creating a positive mood.  In fact, I thought there were several moments were he could have debated but his role was to interview and I appreciated the level of restraint he demonstrated. 

So can you be a Christian and believe in evolution (the macro)? Giberson insists that you can.  He also said that the creationist tends to turn the Genesis account into a proto-science (and it’s not meant to be scientific).  When we compare against the theory of evolution we rob ourselves from the goodness of the other stories.  Further if we get distracted by the first couple chapters in Genesis, we miss too much.

As he was talking about the origins of fundamentalism he mentioned that creationism wasn’t considered a fundamental back in the early part of the 20th century. Found that also to be intriguing.

In short, Shermer kept on a line of questions that more or less asked, then why continue be a Christian.  He even questioned his motivation by saying, “You’re not pretending to believe this to make life easier for  yourself …. are you?”

Giberson did not give any overly dramatic answers.  I would tell you that he felt very comfortable and confident in his reconciling of faith and science.  He mentioned a couple times in various contexts that he maintains in the existence of God, that Christianity offers a richer worldview, that he believed in the resurrection and so on.  I also appreciated that he said that we believe “loads and loads” of things that step outside science.  He didn’t get into the details as the conversation kept moving but as much as I appreciate science as well, I thought that was a friendly reminder.

One last thing that got me thinking was his discussion on the education that Christian congregations give to their children.  As a youth pastor, this is something that I have thought about over and over not only in the teenage years but in those formative children’s years.  I plan on doing some reflection on this point in particular. 

In not wanting to make this too long of a post, I remember reading a book (by a Christian author) of some of the beautiful things that Darwin said and his inner conflicts and struggles.  In brief, too many Christians portray him as a Herod and that it is a mistake.

After some questions and answers, there was a gentlemen (I believe from the museum of science) who closed the night with some great Darwin quotes.  So good, they could probably be quoted from the pulpits if we left the name off or credited to C.S. Lewis.

I encourage you to read the book.  I skimmed most of it and plan on giving it more attention.  It’s not really an apologetic on evolution or Christianity but I think it’s serves as a great first step to those of us interested in this conversation.