Evolution is just a theory!”

“Christians don’t believe in evidence!”

Sound familiar? When discussing the relationship between science and religion, you’re likely to hear comments such as this.

 Sometimes these are offhand remarks made in conversation, but you might even find these statements echoed in publications such as Richard Dawkins’ “The God Delusion” and John MacArthur’s “Battle for the Beginning.”

In today’s ongoing culture wars, science and religion have become opposing forces. The sad part is that this need not be. We can easily reconcile the disparities between belief and science.

And no, I’m not talking about intelligent design.

No research on intelligent design has ever been published in a reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journal, and yet the theory is billed as scientific in nature and not religious. This is a contradiction in intelligent design’s very nature.

Intelligent design asserts that science simply cannot explain all the mysteries and complexities of the universe, and so we should accept the “logical” conclusion that there must be a creator — an intelligent designer. Yet, since an intelligent designer cannot be tested using current methods of science, the theory becomes an appeal to ignorance.

It’s a little like saying, “Okay, we don’t know how Object A works — let’s say it’s magic.”

Intelligent design also bills itself as a theory that it should be taught alongside other theories, like evolution. And to be clear, yes, evolution is a theory.

But it’s also a fact.

Evolution and natural selection are often lumped together in discussions or debate, seen as indistinguishable from one another. This is simply not the case.

Evolution happens. Be it on micro or macro scale, there is evidence to a significant amount detailing that evolution happens. The most famous observation of this is that of the peppered moth in England during the late 18th century and early 19th century.

During this time, the Industrial Revolution took an immense toll on the environment. Soot and filth were everywhere, covering plants and floating freely in the air. In other words, “Pride & Prejudice” might have presented Keira Knightley and her lover as just a wee bit too squeaky clean.

But anyway, back to the moths.

Before this time, the lightly colored peppered moths camouflaged effectively with the trees they rested upon. As soot and ash settled and spread, the moths became increasingly visible to predators and so they began to lose numbers. At this same time, dark-colored moths became more prominent, able to blend in far better with their environment.

Evolution was happening.

But — and there always is a but, isn’t there? — the why is still in the air. The mechanism by which evolution occurs is still unknown, and natural selection is the theory we currently use.

To draw a parallel, it was once thought the sun revolved around Earth, and the Bible was used as evidence. 1 Chronicles 16:30: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable.”

Yet, as scientific inquiry has advanced our understanding of our universe, this belief has required re-evaluation. Since faith cannot be tested with current scientific methods, what this re-evaluation has lead to is simply reinterpreting the passage.

Instead of seeing Earth as a flat brick hovering in space, Christians can now claim that what the passage means is that the earth is immovable from its orbit. We always knew the earth was there, and it was within reason to believe it would continue to be there.

Similarly, some Christians have argued against interpreting the days of creation as literal, 24-hour passing of time. A day, they argue, could easily mean an era or period.

Still, the interpretations of ye olden days were the best that people had at the time, and eventually it became necessary to review and alter these beliefs. Perhaps the theory of natural selection will also need this one day.

In the meantime, I propose this simple solution/compromise:

Those who do not believe in a god may observe evolution and chalk up the “why” to natural selection.

Those who do believe in a god can still observe evolution as a fact and explain the “why” with God’s grace.

Scientists need not deny God to further their inquiry, and Christians need not deny evolution to continue their belief in God.

See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?

 — Sophie Prell is a junior in pre-journalism and mass communication from Alta.