IT has been heartening to read, over the past few weeks, the debate between the Theory of Evolution and Biblical Creation within the columns of your letters page.
It is good to see a local newspaper making space available for such an important topic. I am concerned, however, with one particular aspect of this debate.
As a committed Christian who thanks God daily both for his wonderful and unique gift of Creation and for the love, grace and eternal life to be discovered in his only son, Jesus Christ, I am not convinced that the idea of evolution, and there is more than one theory of evolution, is inconsistent with the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis.
The debate, so far, has placed Christianity in firm opposition to the idea of evolution. That is far too simplistic. There are as many committed Christians sympathetic to certain evolutionary theories as there are those who are opposed.
The one thing, I pray, all Christians can agree upon, is that, whatever the arguments concerning how the created universe came to be as it is, it was created and it is sustained by the creative love of God and, in that love, resides our very reason for being. God has bequeathed us open and enquiring minds.
Let us not be afraid to explore openly and honestly the wonders of his created order.
REV CHRISTOPHER NEVEL
Looe
Thank you for the many letters on this subject - we have not been able to print them all but wish to thank all our readers who responded to the original letter.
Editor