I Love Jesus & I Accept Evolution

In this thought-provoking book, born-again Christian Denis O. Lamoureux argues that the God of the Bible created the universe and life through evolution--an ordained, sustained, and design-reflecting natural process. In other words, evolution is not the result of blind chance and our creation is not a mistake. Lamoureux challenges the popular assumption that God disclosed scientific facts in the opening chapters of Scripture thousands of years before their discovery by modern science. He contends that in the same way the Lord meets us wherever we happen to be in our lives, the Holy Spirit came down to the level of the inspired biblical writers and used their ancient understanding of origins in order to reveal inerrant, life-changing Messages of Faith. Lamoureux also shares his personal story and struggle in coming to terms with evolution and Christianity."Having travelled a path from atheist to young earth creationist to evolutionary creationist, Denis Lamoureux has thought deeply about the intersection of the truths in the Book of Nature and the Book of the Bible. In this remarkable and courageous analysis, he describes how he has found compelling harmony between these worldviews. Though certain literal interpretations of Genesis are rendered untenable, open-minded believers will emerge with their faith refined in the fire of rigorous but loving intellectual argument."--Francis Collins, former Director of the Human Genome Project, author of The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief"Although there are many fine books that treat the compatibility of ''faith and science'' in general, Lamoureux is alone in treating with candor, sophistication, and pastoral sensitivity the interpretive issues that face any Christian reader of Scripture. Lamoureux understands that the heart of the issue is not faith and science, but (1) how one can interpret Genesis as both ''ancient science'' and as God''s Word, and (2) how Paul reflects this ancient science in his use of Genesis. This book yields much needed clarity and progress in a topic that continues to vex and intrigue evangelical readers, even after generations of dis-ease and awkward silences. It is a book whose time has come."--Peter Enns, author of Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament"In this new book, Denis Lamoureux helps us understand how Christians can take the Word of God in Scripture and the Word of God in creation seriously at the same time. Perhaps we are at last coming to a time when even very conservative evangelicals will be able to marvel at the long and beautiful process that God used to create our world."--Kenton Sparks, author of God''s Word in Human Words: An Evangelical Appropriation of Critical Biblical ScholarshipDenis O. Lamoureux is Associate Professor of Science and Religion at St. Joseph''s College in the University of Alberta. He holds three doctoral degrees--dentistry, theology, and biology--and has written two books: Darwinism Defeated? The Johnson-Lamoureux Debate on Biological Origins (co-authored with Philip E. Johnson, 1999) and Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution (Wipf & Stock, 2008).