C. S. Lewis and Creation Science
No doubt many of you have seen the new movie based on the Chronicles of Narnia. The movie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is getting rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. Many churches are promoting the movie to its members.
Although it is no secret, many young earth creationists who have enjoyed the movie probably do not realize that the author, C. S. Lewis, is an old earth creationist, who believed in evolution.1
Many people, including many young earth creationists, regard Lewis as one of the great theologians of the last century. For instance, a search of the young earth creation science ministry Answers in Genesis reveals quotes from the works of Lewis.2 They are quick to use quotes from this great theologian in support of their young earth cause (even though Lewis would have denounced their brand of creationism). It is interesting that young earth author Jonathan Sarfati, in his book Refuting Evolution, uses a Lewis quote where Lewis argues against atheistic evolution...even though Lewis firmly believed in Theistic Evolution.3 Too bad Sarfati did not tell his readers the "rest of the story."
The example left us by C. S. Lewis, makes it apparent that one can be a great theologian, and a devout Christian, and believe in an old earth (and evolution). Even young earth creationists recognize his influence upon the church.
It is clear that you do not need to believe in a young earth to be a solid Christian. This makes all the words and claims of young earth creationism as nothing more than a "loud noise and clanging cymbals"...you can ignore them all and be a great Christian, while believing in an old earth.
1 Notable Christians Open to an Old Earth Interpretation, on the Reasons to Believe website. Contrary to the claims of several young earth creationists, including Henry Morris of ICR, Lewis never recanted from his belief in theistic evolution. Morris claims that Lewis changed his mind just before he died. As support, he used this quote.
"I wish I were younger. What inclines me now to think you may be right in regarding [evolution] as the central and radical lie in the whole web of falsehood that now governs our lives is not so much your arguments against it as the fanatical and twisted attitudes of its defenders."
As you can see, Lewis said he was inclined to think evolution was not true...he did not say it was not true. Thus, at most, he began straddling the fence between creation with evolution and creation without evolution. However, we have no indication that his view of creation without evolution would have been young earth or old earth (see icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=746)
2 For example, see www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v21/i2/angle.asp and www.answersingenesis.org/docs2/4323.asp
3 www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/re1/chapter1.asp
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
Notable Christians Open to an Old Earth
Old Earth Creationist Testimonies
Did you know that you can be a Christian,
and believe that the earth is billions of years old? You can even
believe in evolution and be a Christian. There is no conflict
between science and the Bible...all one needs is a proper
understanding how to merge science and the Bible. To learn more
about old earth creationism, see
Old Earth Belief,
or check out the article
Can You Be A
Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?
Feel free to check out more of this website. Our goal is to
provide rebuttals to the bad science behind young earth creationism,
and honor God by properly presenting His creation.