Rabbis say that evolution strengthens belief

In the news today, out of Chicago, comes an article about Jewish rabbis who say that evolution is not detrimental to faith.  On the contrary, they say, it strengthens faith.

Several rabbis (235 since July) have even signed an open letter supporting the teaching of evolution in public schools.

Teaching creationism alongside evolution in public schools is apparently an awful idea according to many of these Jewish leaders.

Rabbi Debra Newman Kamin of the conservative Am Yisrael synagogue in Northfield, Ill., who signed the letter last month, called the movement to teach creationism in public schools alongside evolution “horrifying.”

Though there are, of course, many in the Jewish community who still hold to a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation story, those of the Jewish faith have been moving away from such a reading for the past several hundred years, seeing evolution not as atheistic or anti-God but instead as a natural process put in place by the Creator Himself. 

Click here to read the rest of the story.

 

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Genesis–a literal historical account of creation?

One of the most contentious topics between religion and science centers around the biblical story of creation as told in Genesis. Those who accept evolutionary theory as valid, whether religious or not, can clearly not accept the story of Genesis in literal terms.

So–is the creation story in Genesis even meant to be taken literally?

What do you think? Add your thoughts in the comments section. I plan on sharing some of my own thoughts in the upcoming week or so.

*Update 7-9-08: Obviously it is taking me much more than a week to share my own thoughts on this subject, but I truly do have a draft written up and saved.  Other things just keep coming up.  You know how it is.  In the meantime, I have another post with some thoughts on Genesis here.