The Fool and the Heretic: How Two Scientists Moved beyond Labels to a Christian Dialogue about Creation and Evolution

by Todd Charles Wood, Darrel R. Falk, Rob Barrett (Foreword by)

Overview

The Fool and the Heretic is a deeply personal story told by two respected scientists who hold opposing views on the topic of origins, share a common faith in Jesus Christ, and began a sometimes-painful journey to explore how they can remain in Christian fellowship when each thinks the other is harming the church. To some in the church, anyone who accepts the theory of evolution has rejected biblical teaching and is therefore thought of as a heretic. To many outside the church as well as a growing number of evangelicals, anyone who accepts the view that God created the earth in six days a few thousand years ago must be poorly educated and ignorant--a fool. Todd Wood and Darrel Falk know what it's like to be thought of, respectively, as a fool and a heretic. This book shares their pain in wearing those labels, but more important, provides a model for how faithful Christians can hold opposing views on deeply divisive issues yet grow deeper in their relationship to each other and to God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310595441
Publisher:	Zondervan Academic
Publication date:	02/05/2019
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	335 KB

About the Author

Dr. Wood earned a B.S. in biology from Liberty University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Virginia.  He is the founding president of Core Academy of Science, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to helping Christian students navigate the challenges of science and faith. He lives in Dayton, TN, with his wife, Stephanie. 

Darrel Falk (PhD [genetics], the University of Alberta) is professor emeritus at Point Loma University and a senior advisor to BioLogos, an organization he helped start aimed at contributing to the discussion of the relationship between science and religion from a Christian evolutionist point of view. 

Table of Contents

1. Why Darrel Is Wrong and Why It Matters 2. Why Todd Is Wrong and Why It Matters 3. Beautiful World, Beautiful Savior 4. Too Good to Be True 5. This Will Never Work 6. Rescued by Brokenness 7. The Bible Is History 8. Stories Can Be True 9. Overwhelming Evidence 10. What about the Whales? 11. Is Darrel a Heretic? 12. Is Todd a Fool?

Editorial Reviews

12/10/2018

Wood, president of Core Academy of Science, and Falk, professor emeritus at Point Loma Nazarene University, examine evolution from a Christian perspective through meticulous and cogent conversations. Over the course of several years, the two met to hash out and record their opposing views. Wood believes strongly in a literal interpretation of the creation story in the Book of Genesis, while Falk takes a broader view, explaining biblical events as metaphorical storytelling subject to scientific examination. Most of the book consists of first-person accounts of Wood and Falk’s time together and discussions of how their experiences have influenced their views on creation and evolution. Wood considers the quirks of biological sciences and the unknowns of the physical sciences (such as quantum physics) as examples of the limits of human understanding. Though Falk doesn’t view this as proof of Biblical literalism, their opinions converge about the spiritual nature of what lies beyond known science; one must understand God, they believe, to truly understand the workings of the universe. The most thought-provoking sections cover their views on how church communities should handle the intersection of science and Christianity, with the consensus that the Bible’s narrative power should remain the focus. Any reader interested in Christian belief will enjoy this refreshing dialogue. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

I remember how often in my childhood I relished listening to a good, solid debate among my elders. The sort that looked hard into a matter, took its time to develop, and evaluated the consequences of each position. Standing at opposite ends of the current debate in evangelicalism, Todd and Darrel present us with their take on this vital and, at times, difficult debate. They do so with conviction and forcefulness coupled with humility, love, and a commitment to the Lord and his Word. The result is a serious (and very personal) dialog among respected leaders in this field. Gather round, kids. The adults are talking.

Dr. Marcus R. Ross

I came to this book with much trepidation, even suspicion, and, indeed, reading it was an unsettling experience. But I also found that the stories unfolding within its pages were compelling, fascinating, and often deeply moving. And perhaps I was able also to discern the Holy Spirit of God at work in the lives of these two men, who, despite their profound, seemingly intractable differences on origins, were willing to make themselves vulnerable to engage with one another at more than a superficial level. Reading this book certainly didn’t change my mind about origins, but perhaps that was never the point.

Paul Garner

This book is a rare gem. Nowhere else will you read a conversation like this—an honest dialogue between two Christian biologists who disagree about evolution. They have opposing views on an issue that is deeply important to them, yet they choose to keep talking—because of Christ. This book shows the hard work needed to love one’s enemy and seek the unity of believers. This is the authentic dialogue that our churches need today.

Dr. Deborah Haarsma

This book is not going to help you decide whether evolution is true. It does something far better! Jesus calls us to a cruciform life, and with vulnerability and candor, Wood and Falk model for us how to be Christlike in the face of serious differences that really matter. While contemporary society knows only polarity and conflict, this book points to a countercultural way of being together in Christ.

Dr. John W. Hilber

In The Fool and the Heretic, Rob Barrett carefully guides an informed conversation between and among Todd Charles Wood and Darrell R. Falk that results in helpful and constructive dialogue. I learned much from Barrett, Wood, and Falk, and I am sure the same will be true for other readers as well as we all seek to learn how to maintain biblical conviction while practicing genuine kindness toward those with whom we have disagreements about the important theological and ethical issues of our day.

Dr. David S. Dockery

In an increasingly polarized world, the Christian community often seems as riven with fractious debates as society at large. This wonderful book offers a refreshingly different model of respectful dialogue and a vision of what really matters in these discussions. To those struggling with issues of creation and evolution, it is a godsend.

Dr. Peter Harrison