User:Ed Poor/Aspects of evolution
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This WikiProject covers various confusing aspects of evolution from the perspective of contributors who are trying to write about how religious believers and other critics of the scientific theory of evolution regard the whole matter, with especial attention to how their usage of terminoligy (especially neologisms like unguided evolution) differs from standard scientific usage.
The main aspects of evolution studied by biologists are:
- the gradual appearance of new forms of life over millions of years
- the various processes by which these new forms of life came into being, such as mutation, gene flow, et al
- overarching hierarchical theories of evolution such as the modern synthesis
[edit] Distinguishing the aspects
Evolution is a fact. The fossil record conclusively shows a wide variety of extinct transitional species[1].
Sometimes when someone refers to "evolution" they are talking about the theory of evolution, which combines natural selection and common descent to explain where all of today's living species came from.
[edit] Religious positions on the various aspects of evolution
Many churches have made official statements about the first aspect of evolution, i.e., the gradual appearance of the various forms of life. Many churches agree with biologists and geologists that the fossil record is authentic. Roman Catholics are pre-eminent among these (see evolution and the Roman Catholic Church).
Fundamentalist Christian Creationists disgree with this aspect, insisting on the "fundamentalist" view (which they base on Scipture) that all forms of life found on earth today were created in essentially their present form around 6,000 years ago.
While agreeing with the gradual appearance aspect, some churches are silent about the process aspect while others insist that God played an active role. These churches thus accept evolution while still claiming that naturalistic processes are not enough, thus relying on the intervention of a higher power. See God of the gaps or Intelligent Design.
Other churches - usually identified as "fundamentalist" - vigorously disagree with all three aspects, asserting their religious faith that no evolution ever occurred (see Creationism).
