Recently, more and more biologists, biochemists, and other scientists subject the theory of evolution to certain criticism (Larson & Numbers, 2012). More and more scientists start to reject the theory of evolution as the only one that is possible, and get inclined to the idea of an intelligent creator of life, based on the discoveries of the last 40 years. Thus, it is important to understand the controversy between the theories of creation and evolution as it exists in schools.
Within the second period molecules were made from atoms, from molecules - compounds. Thus, the second "day" in the scientific picture is a period of chemical evolution, in which an established inorganic and organic chemicals, land, water, proteins, etc. were formed, that is a building material for biological evolution. Third period: cells were created of chemical compounds in the world, from the cells living organisms originated, including humans. Thus, the third "day" in the scientific picture is a period of biological evolution, in which an established plant and animal worlds on the Earth were created, that is, a building material for social evolution (Larson, 2010). Fourth period: out of the living organisms that reproduce sexually, families were created, out of the human family generations of families were developed, out of which - the tribes, of tribes - the state of the state – unions of stated, which is today’s state of evolution.
As for the theory of creation, in it all starts with creation of the world and living things. For a very long time there was nothing, not even the Earth itself, and there was solid dark, cold emptiness and only one Almighty God existed. God started with creation of the heavens and the earth. But they did not yet have certain shapes, and, as it is said in the Bible, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Then God separated the light from the darkness and called the light Day, and the darkness Night.
On the second day God created the firmament, which divided the water so that the water was over it, and some - underneath it. On the third day God gathered the water under the sky in one place, and there formed the firm ground. He called it the land, and water - seas. God liked what he created, and at his request on the ground there grew grass and trees. And God saw that it was good (Pond & Pond, 2010).
On the fourth day, God created light, to give the light to the earth, and to separate day from night. By lights it was possible to count days, months, and years. The great light shone in the daytime, the one that is smaller, gave light at night, and stars helped it. On the fifth day, God started creating living things. First he created fish, aquatic animals and birds. God loved them all, and he wanted that there was as much as possible such creatures.
On the sixth day God created helpers - beings who were living on land: cattle, and snakes and wild animals. But he had a lot of other things, and he made an assistant - a man. Outwardly, he was like a God himself. And as God ruled over the entire world, man had dominion over all the earth and all living things (Ruse, 2010). God created man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into it, and after a while created woman.
The main differences between the theories are the following:
- The main difference is the presence of the God-Creator in the theory of creation and its absence in evolution. According to the latter one, the world is self-creating by the laws of the nature.
- Religious picture is created not in the scientific language, which is conditioned by the time when it was created – thousands of years ago.
- The number of period in the religious theory is 7 (including the day of rest) and in scientific – four. It is also necessary to state that in the latter there is a clear picture of the present day, while in religious – there is nothing stated about it.
- Consequence of creation is also different.
- The process of creation has its pauses in the theory of creation, while in scientific it is continuous.
- In religious picture the length of days is the same, and in scientific it is different and goes with acceleration.
In practice, these controversies and certain difficulties that each of the theories have in describing the origin of life and our planet on the whole, make it difficult to learn these processes at schools. But a good way out of this controversy in studying will be not denying the both theories, but instead combining them to understand better the process how God created the world. Evolution in this case shows the depth of the theory of creation and doesn’t deny it.
References
Larson, E.J. (2010). The Creation-Evolution Debate: Historical Perspectives. Georgia: University of Georgia Press.
Larson, E.J. & Numbers, R.L. (2012). Creation, Evolution, and the Boundaries of Science: The Debate in the United States. Almagest, 3(1), 4-24.
Pond, F.R. & Pond, J.L. (2010). Scientific Authority in the Creation–Evolution Debates. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 3(4), 641-660.
Ruse, M. (2010). Robin Attfield: Creation, Evolution and Meaning. Acta Biotheoretica, 58(1), 81-84.
Wood, T.C. (2011). Using creation science to demonstrate evolution? Senter’s strategy revisited. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 24(4), 914–918.
