Christianity and the Evolution of Man

(Picking up on number 19 from my list of 'things I don’t believe in') Tonight’s episode of the TV series on Darwin related the accounts of his battle to publish his studies on evolution, causing outrage among those who held to a ‘biblical’ account of creation. Darwin, a pious man, came to reject belief in a God who would ‘everlastingly punish’ unbelievers (see point 15 in previous blog), and yet he retained his belief in a creator God who was the author of life. Darwin saw glory and majesty in the awesome developments of life on earth, and the reaction of his detractors reveals more about their form of exegesis than it does about Darwin’s precepts. His detractors (and even his dear wife) were products of their culture and believers in a the prevalent (but particularly modern) idea of Christianity that interpreted scripture to mean that mans physical body was made in the image of God, and that therefore, to accept the theory and implications of evolution would be to render their faith obsolete. It also interfered with their understanding of a seven 24 hour day creation.
There are two problems with this conclusion; firstly, it is nowhere stated in the bible that Gods image in us is physically anthropomorphic. In fact it implies anything but in terms of our physical origins. According to scripture we were formed from the dust of the earth, and that to dust we will return... where then is the inviolable ‘image of God’? Of course man is often compared to God, but these comparisons are always to do with spirit and not appearance. In fact, the appearance of Jesus is the first indication that God has taken on human likeness, and not the other way around!
Christians generally accept that the image of God in man was / is in the spirit that he breathed into man, and that this spirit is what will return to God. We are constantly reminded in scripture that we are an amazing blend of earth and heaven. I would suggest that this is a more advanced ‘theory of evolution’ than anything that science has yet come up with. Current physicists tell us that there are many dimensions to time and space. They postulate that our experience and perception of life may just be one of the many planes of existence that are possible. This may sound far fetched, but it is based on current studies in subatomic particles and the very nature of the universe.
The scriptures agree. They teach us that there is a plane of existence we are meant to inherit, and that there is currently a form of ‘supernatural selection’ taking place. Only the strongest and fittest will inherit life in this dimension. However, the strength and fitness required to evolve in this way is a relational and spiritual strength whose measure is love. So, where is the body is all this? Jesus resurrection body was one that apparently existed in more than one dimension. His post resurrection appearance to the disciples in a locked room made some think that he was a ghost, so he ate fish (and probably left the bones) to let them know that he was real... So how could he walk through walls? – Simply because the walls were not as substantial as him! The matter that make up this physical universe that we perceive is not as substantial as we might think, ask any astrophysicist!
Our honour as creatures among Gods creation lies not in where we came from, (the bible is clear that we came from the same dust as all other creatures) but in Gods 'evolutionary' intentions for us... to become sons...with bodies like Jesus.
ii) The second problem with 19th century theology was a predominance of young earth creationism... but that’s another blog...