disruptive grace

In an interview recently EddieIzzard was talking about dinosaurs. Naturally, he made the whole thing brilliantly funny. Then, in a break from the jest, he mentioned something that left me thinking, he said: ‘that’s why I can’t believe in god, what kind of person would create giant animals that would roam the earth for millions of years then die out with no one being around to see see them.’ This is a fascinating statement, as it reveals some interesting presumptions. First, we (or in this case Eddie) know what God is like and we know that it is not in his character to allow this to happen. Second, that the reason for things to exist is for humans to see them; this is a very human centric reasoning. In recent years some people have taken a similar approach in regards to ‘how things came to be’, but coming to different conclusions. By assuming certain things about God, they conclude that he couldn’t create using evolution.

Having said that, the nature of knowledge and understanding requires that we follow lines of thought and as a result we have to assume certain things and then follow the thought trail. I do think, however, that the thought trails described above (though carried out by intelligent and well meaning people) have been left wanting.

What if we start with the assumption that evolution is a genuine reality and that God is also reality. Perhaps then by looking at the world this way we can start to discern aspects of who God is and his character. As the Psalmist wrote “the heavens/skies declare the glory of YHWH” and Paul notes that creation is witness.

If we follow this thinking, looking at the history of this evolving creation, we find that God is not a person who regards time in the same manner that we do. God appears to enjoy process and is patient. Apparently willing to allow things to change slowly over time and also not just create a universe and then leave it to it’s own devises, but rather create a universe that goes on creating and that being the intention. Perhaps we could also say: God would take great joy in this evolution, just as many of us do as we wonder at how things came to be this way.

Our own lives seem to testify to this. None of us are born adults, nor do we remain children all our lives. We are made to change and we recognize that as a good thing. We also know that change happens very slowly in our lives, sometimes to our own frustration, particularly when we’re trying to overcome an addiction or character flaw.

I sometimes speculate that if God wanted to break a block of concrete he wouldn’t attack it with a cosmic sledgehammer but rather plant a small acorn in a small crack. Then over time an oak tree would grow, and gently but majestically break the concrete. This, I think, would be the righteous way.

Glaciers are created very slowly over time, each year another inch of ice is added to there surface. Apparently glaciers wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for a slight tilt and wobble as the the earth revolves on its axis. This small inclination makes all the difference. So, slowly the size of these glaciers increase, until one day the weight of them becomes so much that they start to move and then nothing can stop them. They are one of the most powerful forces on the planet, slowly carving up the earth and creating new valleys and rivers.

At this time of year we remember the birth of a baby, over two thousand years ago, born in poverty and squalor. A vulnerable human born to a downtrodden people, at the edges of an oppressive, and apparently, almighty empire. Within 400 years the empire was a distant memory, but the life of this human is remembered and admired two millennia later across the globe.