Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, and Evolution [Paperback]

Deborah B. Haarsma (Author), Loren D. Haarsma (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2007

Two physicists present a solid Reformed perspective on how to evaluate the competing ways in which Christians understand the origins and history of the universe. This book shows how to honor both the word of God and God's world in coming to a responsible understanding of how God created the universe and our world. Each chapter includes discussion starters for small groups.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is an absolute must-read book for every young-earth creationist speaker before he steps into the pulpit of another church with non-scientists in the pews. The authors are well-trained scientists, and passionate about their view of the inerrancy of Scripture. --Dr. Ken Wolgenmuth

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Faith Alive Christian Resources (October 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592552277
• ISBN-13: 978-1592552276
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #562,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deborah B. Haarsma is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she has been on the faculty since 1999. She earned a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and undergraduate degrees in physics and music from Bethel College. Deborah studies galaxies and the universe using telescopes in New Mexico, Hawaii, Chile, and earth orbit. Her work on gravitational lenses and galaxy clusters has been published in "The Astrophysical Journal" and "The Astronomical Journal." Deborah often speaks and writes on astronomy and Christian faith, equipping pastors and churches to engage science.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Presents the spectrum of Christian views on Genesis and origins, November 8, 2007

By 

Paul R. Bruggink (Clarington, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, and Evolution (Paperback)

This book is for Christians who are seeking a better understanding of the spectrum of views that Christians hold on how to relate the findings of science with interpretation of the Bible. In presenting and discussing the spectrum of views, "Origins" makes a useful distinction, not often seen, between "Interpretations of Genesis" and "Views on Origins," and includes nice summary tables of each.

Under Interpretations of Genesis, the Haarsmas (professors in the Physics and Astronomy Department at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan) present and discuss Young Earth, Gap, Day-Age, Appearance of Age, Visionary Day, Proclamation Day and Ancient Near East Cosmology interpretations, along with "Creation Poem" and "Kingdom-Covenant" interpretations. The latter two interpretations both seem to be virtually identical to the Framework Interpretation of Meredith Kline et al., yet there is no reference to the Framework Interpretation, either in the text, the table or the bibliography, which I find surprising and unnecssarily confusing.

Under Views on Origins, the Haarsmas present and discuss Young Earth Creation, several flavors of Progressive Creation, and several flavors of Evolutionary Creation, as well as Intelligent Design.

The book has questions for reflection and discussion and a brief bibliography at the end of each chapter, but no index. It contains numerous references to short supplemental articles or additional examples located on a particular web site. Personally, I would have greatly preferred that this material be included as sidebars or additional appendices.

Overall, I found "Origins" to be a good introduction to the wide spectrum of Christian views, although, compared to other books on the same subject, it does have a relatively weak treatment of the implications of original sin on the various views presented.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for Christians interested in origins, November 16, 2008

By 

Kyle A. Dillon (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, and Evolution (Paperback)

This book summarizes the various positions that Bible-believing Christians take on such questions as creation, evolution, common ancestry, Intelligent Design, human evolution, and Adam and Eve. The authors attempt to present an unbiased survey of all sides of the debates, but it becomes clear by the end what their positions are on certain issues. They are "evolutionary creationists," referring to the belief that God worked through ordinary, natural means to produce the diversity of life (including humans) on earth.

They establish very convincing arguments for an old earth, common ancestry, and (perhaps most controversially) the evolution of humans from primate ancestors. I must admit that I found their case extremely persuasive. As a Christian, I was initially reluctant to entertain the possibility that we humans have descended from apes, since it goes against centuries of theological teaching. But the science that the authors present--including such evidences as hominid fossils and genetic comparisons--is solid enough to make me change my mind.

My one reservation about their position is over how evolutionary creationism would affect natural theology. The Bible teaches that God's existence and power are clearly and inexcusably evident in creation (Rom. 1:20). In other words, on the Day of Judgment, no one can plead ignorance, because there is sufficient evidence for God in the natural world. Evolutionary creation seems to undercut that biblical teaching by presenting a view of creation that looks indistinguishable from an atheistic view. Although the authors address that very question (pp. 234-236), their response is rather unsatisfying. They almost make it sound as if we Christians have no choice but to retreat into fideism.

On the other hand, their critiques of the Intelligent Design theory are valid. We need to be careful not to fall into "god-of-the-gaps" arguments, which try to prove God's existence from everything that science can't yet explain. But I still think that a strong case can be made for ID, if it is framed appropriately. After finishing this book, I find myself mostly in the "progressive creationist with common ancestry" camp.

Christians--especially those in preaching/teaching positions--need to read this book. Science had radically changed our understanding of origins over the past several decades, and theologians need to keep up with these developments, so that we can reach a coherent and integrative understanding of God's Word and God's world.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Grand Dialogue, March 3, 2010

By 

S. Girwarnauth (GVSU, Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, and Evolution (Paperback)

This book is recommended reading for anyone interested in the debates in contemporary Christian circles over the origins of the cosmos. It is highly readable, informative, and gracious. The authors have managed to touch nearly every view and not be vacuous. Indeed, any reader should be able to appreciate their deep commitment to Theism and science, and their desire to harmonize a clear and articulate reading of Scripture (the book of Revelation) with what 3500 years of research and investigation have given us (the book of Nature). Step aside Ken Ham, you have met your dialectical better.