Dick Fischer (
Thu, 27 Feb 1997 10:30:25 -0600

May I just add one to the list?

> YEC = Young Earth Creationist
> PC = Progressive Creationist
> EC = Evolutionary Creationist
> ID = Intelligent Design
> TE = Theistic Evolutionist
C = Creavolution

Here is the rational in case anyone is interested.


The Hebrew word bara', rendered "created," used seven times in the first
two chapters of Genesis, is connected to three definite acts: the creation
of heaven and earth, the creation of sea life, and the creation of a
specific man and a specific woman. The man God created was Adam, and the
woman was from Adam (Gen. 5:1-2; I Tim. 2:13).

Clearly, the word "created," where it pertains to man, identifies Adam
(and Eve). Notwithstanding, many Bible expositors employ an act of special
creation for generic man defined as Homo sapiens; and some would include
extinct hominids too. This is an unwarranted extrapolation that follows
from misreading the Genesis text.

The word "create" best describes God's bringing into existence the universe
(Gen. 1:1), primitive life (Gen. 1:21), and Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:27). In
other instances, God "made," which is the Hebrew word 'asah, or He "let,"
or He "let the earth bring forth." What we find is that Scripture
stipulates acts of special creation at only three junctures, and is
unspecific when another process may have been in operation, evolution, for

The term "creation" can cover all the billions of years since the inception
of the universe. The entire event from the beginning may come under the
blanket of creation. When we are speaking of a process of change through
time, however, the appropriate word is "evolution." The problem is that
the term "evolution" has been tainted by abuse. It has been sullied by
exploitation and rendered unserviceable to describe a process ordained by
God. Theistic evolution has its own agenda, and is similarly unsuitable,
in my opinion.

"Creavolution" is a term that can describe God's appointed process whereby
laws of nature are permitted to function, and organisms are allowed to adapt
to their environment with increasing complexity without direct divine
intervention. If creation is the factory, creavolution is the machinery.
Essentially, creavolution is a "hands off" process except for the three
punctuations outlined in the Genesis test, the creation of the universe,
primitive life, and Adam and Eve. Those who call for additional acts of
special creation proceed without biblical support.

Following the first punctuation, the Big Bang, natural processes adhering
to prescribed laws of physics and chemistry operated for billions of years.
After God's creation of primitive life, the second punctuation, natural life
processes, coupled with an inherent adaptive capacity, produced the earth's
abundant and varied animal life. In time, this process alone could have
yielded up Homo sapiens (even though there are many who would prefer to
believe that we have no roots to anything that swung from trees.) Adam and
Eve were specially created, and comprise the last punctuation. Their late
date of entry (around 7,000 years ago) precludes Adam of Genesis to line up
with the biological head of our species. Adam was introduced into a
populated world.

Creavolution as a process can endure "random changes" in the nucleotide
bases of DNA molecules in living creatures occurring through time, such
that no unseen hands needed to manipulate the process. "Random" is not to
be taken as synonymous with "accidental" or "unforeseen" inasmuch as the end
result is known to God. If we wish to establish that the Creator does not
preempt or force His own choices continually upon nature, a conclusion that
seems altogether valid, then the term "natural selection" suffices, and
describes an unorchestrated process. Thus "random changes" and "natural
selection" are entirely acceptable nomenclature within the creavolution

The mechanism for change preferred by biologists so far has been built on
the premise that genetic variability exists naturally in living organisms.
Changes in DNA arise from chance mutations, "chance" to include meaning
"unforeseen." This is an unsubstantiated premise endorsed and promulgated
by the scientific community. The data suggests that a mechanism not yet
understood was installed in living organisms to give them adaptability.
This grooming of the DNA, benefiting organisms with inheritable
modifications, can be inferred from nature's evidence. Further exploration
in microbiology may give us a better understanding eventually.

Only a few dissenting voices have been raised so far to contend that the
environment can impact gene mutations directly in some way, and thereby
change the structure of subsequent generations. Hopefully, more will come.
What we need to understand is that in this process the Creator is never
caught unawares by the outcome. What has been known to God "before the
foundation of the world" cannot be unforeseen.

Dick Fischer