Quote Originally Posted by Pindar
Hi Wigferth,

Your question is more properly addressed to Evangelical Protestantism rather than a larger label Christian*. Evangelicalism is doctrinally most often part of Reformed Christianity. This means notions like sola fides and sola scirptura are stresses. The rhetoric of sola scriptura is important because it serves as a counter to the traditional claims of say Catholicism to having ecclesiastical authority. It also means the scriptural text (The Bible) is taken as complete and untainted revelation. This is where notions of inerrancy (meaning without error) derive. Thus, reference to a six day creative period can be taken at face value.

Evolution as a mid-Nineteenth Century innovation is seen as a direct attack on the Divine Creative impulse where man was formed complete and in relation with God until the advent of Original Sin and the Fall. The Fall is understood as the issuing in of death: man and creation became mortal. Evolution has death as a critical function of natural selection, which applies to all organisms, is thus incompatible with a Divine Order that was once pristine and complete.


*Though interestingly Evangelicals will often refer to themselves as Christian to the exclusion of any other sect of Christianity.
Uh okay, that makes it slightly clearer. To be honest though as a moderate Arian Christian I'm not impressed by the arguement. Just because the Bible is perfect (which I don't believe) that doesn't mean it all has to be taken litterally.

If the Bible is just litteral (six days) then that makes it pointless. It means you never have to think about what you are reading, where is the understanding? It's God just appearing and saying "believe or else." If he does that faith becomes irrelevant.

I would contend that the Bible cannot be taken litterally.

Quote Originally Posted by Navaros
The Pope and Archbishop have entirely given up their faith: they put the evil thoughts and desires of men ahead of what God said. Surely that is definitely giving up their faith in God and replacing it with faith in evil man himself. In addition to committing what the Bible says is the one unforgivable sin: turning the Word of God into a lie. This is exactly what the apostate church as described in the Bible consists of.
Or perhaps they are more tollerant and forgiving of the faults of the world and try to gently correct them, rather than launching a crusade.