Proponents and detractors of evolution have once again been in the news, following the recent decision by the Board of Education in Kansas to eliminate evolution from the science curriculum. What side would Presbyterians support in this debate? To answer, let's look at some results from the November 1998 Presbyterian Panel survey on "Science, Technology, and the Christian Faith."
First of all, it is clear that almost every Presbyterian is a "creationist," if by that term we mean someone who believes that the universe came into being through the agency of God. In all, 99 percent of pastors, 97 percent of specialized clergy, and 96 percent of members and elders agree most of them strongly--that "the universe was created by God." However, very few Presbyterians are creationists to the extent that they take subscribe to literal interpretations of the Genesis accounts that place the beginning of time only a few millennia in the past. When asked the age of the universe, only 5 percent of members, 4 percent of elders, 3 percent of pastors, and 2 percent of specialized clergy make estimates of less than 10,000 years. Majorities who venture a guess (many respond "don't know") give numbers of a billion or more.
While most Presbyterians are willing to defer to science for correct measurement of the age of the universe, they are less certain about accepting the principal scientific account of the universe's inception. Fewer than half of members (43 percent) and elders (47 percent) believe that "the universe began with a huge explosion." Somewhat higher percentages of pastors (69 percent) and specialized clergy (72 percent), however, believe the universe began with a big bang.
Most Presbyterians are open to the possibility of evolution, at least in a general way. Overall, majorities in every Panel sample, ranging from 91 percent of specialized clergy and 85 percent of pastors to 67 percent of elders and 61 percent of members, agree that "evolutionary theory is compatible with the idea of God as Creator." However, support for evolution shrinks when the focus shifts specifically to the question of homo sapiens. Majorities of members (53 percent) and elders (51 percent) disagree that "Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals"--as do substantial minorities of pastors (38 percent) and specialized clergy (26 percent).
The thread that ties these results together is the centrality of God in the creation of matter and life. Most Presbyterians are happy to leave the timing and other details to God, and many accept that scientific accounts of the beginning of the universe and the development of life may accurately describe the divine plan. In short, they see no inherent incompatibility between science and faith. But they become troubled when scientific accounts alone are used to explain why stars, planets, and people exist. That's why statements like "the universe began with a huge explosion" or "human beings ... developed from earlier species of animals" are viewed skeptically by majorities of laity and large minorities of clergy. These statements focus on the means, not the meaning, of human existence. In short, they leave out any reference to the most important part of the story: God.
A more complete summary of the findings of Panel survey mentioned here is available on the web at Science, Technology, and Faith (November 1998)
Research Services