What is BioLogos?

Answer

BioLogos is an organization that advocates various forms of theistic evolution. Their motto is “science and faith in harmony,” aiming to demonstrate that science and faith can coexist. One of BioLogos’ key assertions is that God initiated the process of evolution, thus attributing Him responsibility for origins, while rejecting a literal six-day interpretation of creation. According to scientific evidence, which is based on observable aspects of the natural world, BioLogos argues that a creation period of six 24-hour days is not the intended way for us to interpret Scripture.

BioLogos effectively reminds everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, that science does not rule out the miraculous. Noted science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke once stated, “Magic is simply science that we don’t understand yet,” emphasizing the limitations of science (a paraphrase of Clarke’s Third Law, from Profiles of the Future, Harper and Row, 1973, p. 21). Just because we may not comprehend how God performed a miracle does not imply that He lacked the ability to do so. Christians maintain that God is all-powerful and sustains the entire universe by the “word of His power” «who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; », (Hebrews 1:3).

Consider the account of Joshua’s army and the sun standing still—a narrative that many find entirely implausible and scientifically irrational «And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, Until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. », (Joshua 10:13). In order for the sun to stop, under natural circumstances, the earth would have to stop in its rotation, which skeptics note would destroy all life on the planet. However, this is not the sole possible explanation of how God performed the miracle. Even if He did halt the earth’s rotation, could not the all-powerful, all-wise God have compensated for the lack of rotation and preserved life on earth? Christians do not assert, “Based on science, this or that is impossible”; they affirm, “With God, all things are possible” «But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. », (Matthew 19:26).

In our perspective, BioLogos sometimes exerts excessive effort attempting to elucidate the actions of God using natural means, rather than supernatural means. God dwells in the supernatural realm, a domain that science is incapable of measuring, testing, or explaining. Science is the exploration of what is natural—it does not enlighten us about the supernatural. Some facets of creation are simply better comprehended as supernatural occurrences, rather than being ascribed contrived “natural” origins.

Christian theology heavily relies on supernatural events, and BioLogos acknowledges the reality of miracles. This encompasses the virgin birth of Christ, the atonement, the resurrection of Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All these tenets are fundamental to Christianity and cannot be disregarded. Fortunately, BioLogos does not dismiss the supernatural or the miraculous. According to BioLogos, God can intervene in the natural world and has done so, as documented in the Bible.

BioLogos also excels in reminding all individuals, Christian or not, that science is not infallible. Science is susceptible to interpretation and bias, just as the study of the Bible can be influenced by fallible human error. Evolutionists frequently criticizeize Christian beliefs for being axiomatic—and not subject to change based on new information—but the science world has its axioms as well.

While we disagree with the conclusions of BioLogos, especially those related to evolution and the precise nature of God’s role in creation, their views are not incompatible with a high view of Scripture. We reject some of their argumentation on scientific issues but appreciate their acceptance of Scripture and the truths of Christianity.