Recovering Evangelicals #25 YECist 2nd response to science — reject faith
When modern science conflicts with a Young Earth Creationist worldview, two common responses are either to deny the science (last week’s topic) or reject the faith. This week, we talk to someone who opted for that 2nd coping strategy. But the person we talked to isn’t just another one of the many people who quietly held their faith and then silently drifted away.
Paul Enns had been someone who was incredibly active in Christian ministry at all levels, went to Bible College to dig deep into his belief system, memorized most of the New Testament and taught kids to do the same, and devoted most of his waking hours to fully living his Christian faith.
And when he made the simple “mistake” of setting out to learn what “those lying scientists” had to say about dinosaurs, he had a road-to-Damascus experience in reverse. He found the scientific evidence for evolution so overwhelming and the YECist counterarguments so flimsy, that he not only rejected his faith, but he became a man-with-a-mission: a YouTube vlogger with almost 200 videos and 46,000 followers. The main target of his new-found ministry is Young Earth Creationism and its leaders.
Boyd and I found much to learn from him.
Not reasons to give up Christian faith or YECism.
Instead, how certain a Christian worldview sets people up for their faith to fail catastrophically.
And how the church’s response to the wounded warrior is to let them die and then forget about them.
And possibly how a more open attitude to questions and doubts, and a more compassionate response to those who struggle, might lead to a more vibrant faith.
We really feel his story is one worth listening to.
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