One thing I have discovered on my life's journey is that my path has not been walked alone. I find more people every day who have had very similar backgrounds, with very similar struggles along the way. And it hasn't always been from very fundamental environments. Sometimes I find folks who have come from what I always considered more intellectual spiritual communities. As I have researched for my own benefit I have found some very common threads among most Christian groups.
One thing that seems to tie the leadership of most denominations and non denominational groups is a strong desire to hold the Bible text as infallible as each group interprets what it is saying. I have recently been viewing a series of short lectures by Gordon Glover in which he describes in detail and in very lucid language how Young Earth theories and literal interpretation of Genesis is hurting the Christian faith. He makes a statement which I'll paraphrase here "the problem is not in the Bible, but in our interpretation of the Bible." Basically, we have to get away from using the Bible for anything it was not intended to be.
The Bible is a guide to a relationship with our creator. Nothing more. It is not history. It is not science. And when we finally come to the full understanding that science isn't a threat to our relationship with God we will find a peace that we haven't had in the Christian community.
Science and higher learning is not an enemy of Christianity. Many scientists ARE Christians. Pushing the young earth and literal interpretation of the Bible is your enemy. We are fighting God when we fight science. God is the author of science. His creation IS science.
And it has come as great comfort to me when I encounter others who have walked this path I have. Thanks.
