St. Basil on "In the Beginning"

"Thus the writer who wisely tells us of the birth of the Universe does not fail to put these words at the head of the narrative. "In the beginning God created;" that is to say, in the beginning of time. Therefore, if he makes the world appear in the beginning, it is not a proof that its birth has preceded that of all other things that were made. He only wishes to tell us that, after the invisible and intellectual world, the visible world, the world of the senses, began to exist."
-St. Basil of Caesarea, Hexaemeron, Homily I

If "In the beginning God created," the presupposition must necessarily be that God existed even before time itself, in a manner of existence which must be beyond our understanding. This means that God does not "change" nor is subject to change, but works within the universe of time from outside of it.

We perceive God in time because we are created beings, but God Himself is beyond the beginning and end of things; He knew exactly that Adam would sin, and when he did sin God knew exactly how He would redeem humanity. He knows exactly what will become of each and everyone of us because all of time and space are held in His hand.

-Steve K.

Charles Darwin's Marriage...of Science and Religion

from LA Times

He was too honest. He told Emma of his doubts about the veracity of the Bible and of his growing skepticism about religion. Emma said she would marry him anyway. She prized his candor, and she knew he was a good and moral man. But in a letter she sent him soon after their engagement, she told him that she was sad that "our opinions on the most important subject should differ widely."

It turns out that Charles Darwin himself was married to a pious Christian woman, Emma Darwin (news to me, at least). What IS surprising to me though is that evolution theory has caused so many to doubt and reject belief in God. It's almost as if God is rejected if He does not fit in our a priori definitions of Him. Part of me believes if the Orthodox Tradition were available in the West at the time, the emphasis on a God existing beyond understanding would soften the shock of this kind of science. Our sort of mystical theology emphasizes that God stands within and without creation as the author of creation.

Granted, I am not completely embracing the theory of evolution as true. The movement to completely discount any serious study into disproving certain elements of evolution is a travesty. For more information on this, I recommend Ben Stein's recent movie Expelled as well as the Politically Incorrect Guide to Science by Tom Bethel. Whatever the actual means of creation are, we will certainly never show for sure. How can you prove events of the past with 100% certainty? Regardless, the author, mover, and holder of all things is eternally the Lord.

-Steve K.