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WAREHAM UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

Understanding the Bible today

Dear Friends,

I recently watched a programme by David Attenborough about the
discovery of the huge head of an ancient sea creature embedded
in the Kimmeridge cliffs. The fossilised head is about 3 metres
long, and so the whole body must have been enormous. The head
is that of a new type of plesiosaur, a marine creature, and has
been carefully conserved by Michael Etches in the well known
'Etches' Collection of Jurassic Marine Life' in Kimmeridge.

In 1839, Charles Darwin published his 'Origin of Species by means
of natural selection'. Darwin was at first reluctant to publish his
research because of the furore it might evoke. The book shook the
Victorian world, as most people had taken the Bible literally,
believing that God first created Man and Woman, then all living
things and that they were unchanged through time.

It was thought the Earth was only a few thousand years old, when
it is many millions. The discovery of ancient fossils showed that
other creatures like dinosaurs and sea dwellers preceded
Humankind, and that species adapted, or evolved, to fit their
environment. Many species did, in fact, die out, like the sea
monster mentioned above.

Today we are privileged to know a lot more about the natural world
and evolution is generally accepted. When we read the Bible
today, we do it against a background of scientific discovery, as
things are slowly revealed to us. To me this makes Creation even
more wonderful. We cannot know the mind of God, we will never
understand fully what He intends. But he has given us human
intelligence, reason, curiosity and discernment. We can use these
gifts in our Bible Study.

Every blessing
Janet

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