The Bible, Evolution, and Science - Is There a Conflict?

The purpose of this article is to clear up the misconception among believers of Judeo-Christian religions and scientists, regarding the relationship between scientific claims and religious claims with respect to Biological Evolution and the origin of human beings. For many on both sides, there exist a real conflict between science and faith when it comes to the origin of human beings. I will attempt to explain why I believe there is no conflict between the claims of the Judeo-Christian worldview (the Biblical worldview) and that of modern science regarding the origin of human beings.

It is essential that we acknowledge certain self-evident truths in order to build this case:

1 - Science is the best tool to explore and understand the material realm, as it can explain how material things work. However, science is limited regarding the explanation of aspects in the immaterial realm, such as ethics, philosophy and morality. The following is an example that illustrates this truth. Science can tell us how to make a nuclear bomb, but it cannot tell us whether it is right for anyone to use one. So science is a great tool to establish truths in the material realm, but it is unable to be used to establish truths in the immaterial (metaphysical) realm.

2 - A human being is a combination of body and mind (soul), where the body is physical (composed of matter) and the mind is immaterial. This is the traditional view of the composition of human beings, and it is also known as Mind-Body Dualism. As per this view, our mind is not the same as our brain; it is different from the brain, but it has a relationship with the brain. The brain is the instrument through which the mind produces thoughts, just like a musician uses an instrument (like a piano) to produce music. The brain is material (composed of matter) but the mind is immaterial. Here is a simple illustration by which we can understand this truth. I want you to think of a tiger right now. If a neurosurgeon operates on your brain at this very moment, will he or she find that tiger? Certainly not! But the mental picture of the tiger in your mind is real. So where is the tiger located? Not anywhere physical, but in your mind. This is something that we human beings experience every day, and that’s why it is a self-evident truth.

Having established those two fundamental facts, let us now examine what Biological Evolution means.

Evolution, in its most simple definition, is the change that occurs in living organisms over time. If we treat evolutionary claims as scientific claims, then these claims are strictly to be applied in the realm of physical matter. The Theory of Evolution attempts to explain how mutations can make changes in cells and as a result of these changes, how organisms can change from simple structures to more complex structures.

Please note that based on the self-evident truth (1) mentioned above, Evolution, in a scientific sense, cannot explain the existence of immaterial things such as the mind or consciousness. It is foolish to investigate science for answers to questions in the immaterial domain.

So, if the evolutionary theory turns out to be true, it establishes one thing: that the human body is very similar to the animal body. Currently, there is a great deal of scientific evidence both for and against the Theory of Evolution. Since my goal here is not to prove or disprove the Theory of Evolution, I will not go further on discussing it here, but if you are interested, it is definitely an important subject to study. Let us assume for now that the scientific Theory of Evolution is true and thus, human beings and animals are very similar when it comes to their physical body (material composition).

Now let us examine the Judeo-Christian (Biblical) claim about the origin of human beings.

The Biblical claim is not that the human “body” is unique, but rather, that the human “being” is unique (Genesis 1:27). According to the Biblical worldview, human beings are different from all other living organisms because they were created in the “image of God.” Therefore, human beings are known as moral beings and possess a mental faculty called conscience. This is different from any animals, as they are neither moral beings nor have consciences. We never see a lion stop and think before it kills and eats a zebra whether it is the “right” thing to do. This is also why a snake has no guilty conscience when it kills and eats a mouse. Interestingly, this is the explanation of the Judeo-Christian worldview, for the fact that we all know deep in our hearts that human beings have intrinsic value. Animals, on the other hand, do not have intrinsic value; their value is always in relation to humans. Their value is merely extrinsic.

So, according to the Biblical worldview, a human being (a combination of body and mind) is unique, compared to animals. God did something special with human beings in that He imparted a mind (immaterial) to the body (material). As you can see, this (creation of human being according to the Bible) is not a scientific claim, but rather, a metaphysical claim because it involves an immaterial component called mind or soul.

According to the Theory of Evolution, the human 'body' is not unique as it is strikingly similar in composition to that of animals. This is purely a scientific claim as it strictly stays within the material realm. We are talking about cells and mutations and thus no immaterial realm involved here.

As you can see, there is no conflict here. Evolution, in a strict scientific sense, cannot prove or disprove the existence of the mind (soul), which is the immaterial part of human beings.

If the Biblical worldview claimed that the human “body” (physical) is unique, then there would be a real conflict between that claim and the claim of Evolution. But the Bible never claims that the human body is unique; instead, it states that both human body and animal bodies are made up of the same substance (dust of the ground - Genesis 2:7 & 2:19). Thus, the claim of Evolution (a scientific claim) and the Biblical claim (a metaphysical claim) are not in conflict with each other.

People on both sides of the debate often make categorical mistakes in their arguments, and I’ve collected some of the most common ones below.

When some scientists claim that Evolution explains the origin of human beings, they are making one the following errors:

1 - They are using the Theory of Evolution as a metaphysical claim, not a scientific claim. Most likely, they are masquerading a metaphysical claim as a scientific one in order to mislead folks who are not even aware of these distinctions. They need to be honest and say that the claim is NOT a scientific claim, since it includes the metaphysical realm

2 - They are reducing the 'mind' to 'matter.' In other words, they are subscribing to a view called Reductionism, which says that the human mind is the same as the brain and not distinct from it. This claim is a valid scientific one, but they are denying the self-evident truth (2) mentioned above.

When some Christians claim that Evolution is wrong because it is against the Bible, they are making one of the following errors:

1 - They believe that the Bible claims the human “body” is unique, as opposed to that the human “being” is unique. As I explained above, this is simply not true. The Bible clearly shows that God formed both animals and the physical part of the human body from the same substance. What’s unique is that God created mankind in His image, which is clearly not a physical image, but an immaterial image.

2 - They think science can disprove a metaphysical claim. As I explained above, science is a great tool for explaining the material realm, but it cannot do anything with the metaphysical realm.

There are Christians who claim that God (an external agent) used the Evolutionary method to create human beings. This claim can be a valid claim, but they must absolutely be honest and admit that it is a metaphysical claim, not a scientific claim. The moment you bring up an ‘agent’ and a ‘purpose’, you are moving away from the scientific realm.

Similarly, there are scientists who claim that Evolution is a process totally undirected by any external agent. This claim can be a valid claim, but it is not a scientific claim; rather, it is a metaphysical claim. They must be honest and admit that it is a metaphysical claim, not a scientific claim. (A clarification here: When biologists use the term ‘random mutation’, they are not equating the meaning of ‘random’ with ‘chance.’)

Thus, as I have attempted to explain here, there is no real conflict between science and the Bible concerning the origin of human beings. In fact, I believe science and the Bible are complementary in this aspect. For us to achieve a coherent view on reality, we will need truths concerning both the metaphysical realm and the material realm. Religions in general (the Bible in particular) provide us with truths about the metaphysical realm while science provides us with truths concerning the material realm. The great scientist Einstein believed this and that’s why he said the following: "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

(If anyone desires to have an in-depth study on this topic, a book I would recommend: ‘Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism’, by Alvin Plantinga)