Poll for Christians about creation and evolution

[AMumInScotland]

I realised recently that I work on the assumption that most UK Christians believe in some form of evolution rather than direct creation, but I wonder if I'm right or not. I know MN Christians are not necessarily a random sample, but I'd be interested to know at a very basic level whether you believe -

a. all species of life on earth were created in more-or-less their current form directly by God. This may have been in 6 days, or in a longer timescale, but each one is the way it is because God made it so, and there has been only fairly minor change over time and certainly no new species coming into existence because of evolution.

or b. the species currently in existence on earth have evolved from simpler life-forms. This may or may not have been influenced by God to a greater or lesser event. Species have come into existence through a process of change in previous species,

If anyone who does not consider themselves a Christan wants to join in, they're welcome, but could they please give some brief info about their religioous (or atheist) views to clarify.

[AMumInScotland]

Personally, I believe b

[yama]

Grew up with Christianity - although I was much more interested than the rest of my family. Haven't attended Church in years. No strong beliefs.

Like you I believe b. Like you I assumed most UK Christians did too.

[bleurgh]

b.
or God created evolution
one of those

[bleurgh]

no - b. AND God created evolution.

[georgimama]

b) with the addition that God created the evolutionary process in the first place.

[DutchOma]

Yes, God created through evolution

[onager]

I'm atheist so you can guess where I stand, but I thought I'd post and bump this since I want to know what people think too. I can see huge problems for either camp.

[MaryBS]

I'm not a Creationist. Not sure that Evolution holds the entire answer, as I've mentioned before. Sometimes something entirely new is formed, called a "paradigm shift", where the offspring look nothing like the parents.

Still believe in a God that started it all off though.

[NineYearsOfNappies]

How about c. Intelligent Design? Guided Evolution if you will.

[AMumInScotland]

I think I'd count intelligent design as a version of "b" - evolution with a lot of influence!

[ummadam]

I'm a muslim - we have roughly the same creation story as Christians unsurprisingly but it is emphasised that the 'days' of creation were not days as we know them but much longer periods of time. As someone raised Christian, converted to Islam and with a scientific background it makes perfect sense to me to see evolution as the process by which God created life as we now know it.

[MeAndB]

I am a creationist, I firmly believe in God who created the world in 6 actual days, and that everything he made was perfect and that there was no evolution. I know that on this board not many folk believe what I do.

[amber32002]

I believe God created the earth and life on it, but his "six days" could be billions of years to us. I also think that life continues to evolve because God designed it that way. So sort of a cross between A and B

[SqueakyPop]

Young Earth Creation

[AMumInScotland]

Thanks for all your replies. So far we seem to be at

a 2
b 8

plus one a sort of mix, and one c! (typical mumsnet )

I think on that basis, it's fair to say that "most" believers think that the current species have developed by a process of evolution, though we also believe in a creator God and have different ways of reconciling the "ultimate cause" and the process by which species came into existence.

[scrappydappydoo]

a) - I'm a Christian. Believe that God created the world. With regards to the whole evolution thing.. There is a lot of examples of adaptation - one species adapting and changing to fit with their environment but I have yet to see firm concrete evidence of one species changing (evolving) into an entirely different one. But I will also admit that I am not a scientist and its not something I have researched deeply.

[Bride1]

I'm Catholic and believe in evolution.

[NineYearsOfNappies]

woohoo I'm a typical mumsnetter! As a relative newbie with a somewhat low post count, this makes me surprisingly happy!

OK I'll calm down now

[needmorecoffee]

I'm muslim but wanted to butt in and believe in evolution. I have no idea why God does what he does but the Qu'ran says 'you do not know my plans'
As a former scientist I'm quite happy with evolution having seen it easily on a micro scale and seene nough evidence on a macro scale to reassure me. I'm assuming gods plan is all about starting with a big lump of rock and its heading somewhere as things grow and change.

[berolina]

CofE (woolly liberal variety)
b

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[AMumInScotland]

What's typical isn't the belief, but the refusal to accept either of the alternatives given, and come up with something else

Well, we've reached

a 3
b 12

so far....

[needmorecoffee]

maybe there would be a d. Does it matter
we're here and thats it.