New Book on the Gospel and Evolution Published by BYU

 

Some of you may be aware that about three years ago BYU Studies was all set to publish a special issue on evolution and the gospel when the university administration got cold feet and pulled the project. I won’t go into the politics of the matter, but let me just say that I was sorely disappointed. I spent close to 18 years as editorial director at BYU Studies, and I can say without equivocation that this special issue would have been the best issue of the BYU Studies that I had worked on, hands down, largely because it was so desperately needed. It had been requested specifically by the College of Life Sciences because their students needed it, and it was guest edited by two of the college’s faculty members, Jamie Jensen and Steve Peck, geneticist Ugo A. Perego, and Claremont PhD student (at the time) Ben Spackman, whose dissertation was on the history of  Latter-day Saints, evolution, and creationism. (Ben has an article in today’s Salt Lake Tribune about the Church’s new essay in the Topics and Questions series on religion and science.)

When I retired almost a year ago, the evolution issue was still in limbo, but within a few months, I was told that, after much lobbying, the College of Life Sciences had received permission to publish this special issue as an e-book and a printed book, both to be used primarily as textbooks. I am pleased to say that this wonderful publication is now available for free download on the college’s web page and will soon be for sale as a printed book.

I can’t say enough good about this book. It is thorough and fair and informative throughout. It combines sound science with religious sensibility and historical perspective. If you have ever had questions about evolution and the gospel or just want to read a very intelligent series of essays about a topic that is more important than you probably know, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

Here is a list of the contents (with page numbers in parentheses):

 

Editors’ Introduction (xi)

Jamie L. Jensen, Steven L. Peck, Ugo A. Perego, and T. Benjamin Spackman

Accepting Evolution: Why Does It Matter? (1)

Jamie L. Jensen

From Biology Major to Religion Professor: Personal Reflections on Evolution (23)

Joshua M. Sears

What Do We Know from a Religious Epistemology?

When Worlds Collide: Scripture and Cosmology in Historical Perspective (49)

Kyle R. Greenwood

The Genesis Creation Account in Its Ancient Context (61)

Avram R. Shannon

The Seven Seals, the Age of the Earth, and Continuing Revelation (77)

Nicholas J. Frederick

(No) Death before the Fall?: The Basis and Twentieth-Century History of Interpretation 81

T. Benjamin Spackman

What Do We Know from a Scientific Epistemology?

Why the Latter-day Saint Community Can Trust Science (in the Same Way Scientists Do) (119)

Steven L. Peck

Accepting Evolution with Joy Is Possible (143)

T. Heath Ogden

Wonderful Forms of Life Have Been and Are Being Evolved: A Brief Explanation of What Evolution Is and Is Not (161)

Tyler A Kummer and Jamie L. Jensen

The Scientific Evidence for Human Evolution (187)

Seth M. Bybee

Thoughts on Reconciliation

Should Evolution Be Taught at BYU?: A Certain “Yes” from an Uncertain Defender (213)

James P. Porter

Evolutionary Biology as a Discipline at Brigham Young University: An Academic Success Story (219)

Michael F. Whiting

From Seminary Teacher to Scientist to Institute Director: Learning by Study and Also by Faith (239)

Ugo A. Perego

Living with Uncertainty Helps Us Reconcile Evolution and Faith (251)

Jared Lee

Using a Reconciliation Approach to Teach Evolution May Help Religious Students Remain Faithful (263)

Danny Ferguson, Ethan Tolman, Spencer Shumway, and Cassidy Shively

To the Latter-day Saint Audience . . . from Scientists Who Care (281)

Jamie L. Jensen, with Constance M. Bertka and Lee Meadows

On the Official Position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints on Evolution

The 1909 and 1925 First Presidency Statements in Historical and Scientific Contexts (299)

T. Benjamin Spackman

Appendix A: Organic Evolution (331)

Appendix B: The Origin of Man (337)

The First Presidency of the Church

Appendix C: “Mormon” View of Evolution (345)

The First Presidency of the Church

Appendix D: What Does the Church Believe about Evolution? (347)

Appendix E: What Does the Church Believe about Dinosaurs? (349)

Appendix F: Science and Our Search for Truth (351)

Alicia K. Stanton

 

This 360-page volume is the most complete publication, by far, that has ever come from the Church on the topic of evolution. We know, from disapproving emails we received after word of this project spread, that there are some in the Church who view evolution as a doctrine of the devil. These people prefer to quote Joseph Fielding Smith rather than James Talmage or John Widtsoe. These are scriptural literalists, who defend positions that the Church as an institution never has. And I would challenge any of these individuals to read this book with an open mind. They may learn a great deal that will change their perspective on many topics.

I might add also that even though the various essays in the volume were requested and edited for content by the three editors, the source checking and copy editing were handled by our excellent staff at BYU Studies, so I can attest to the quality of the final product.

Again, this is a landmark publication that has been desperately needed by both BYU and the Church for decades. It will help countless students who love science or who have perhaps had mistaken ideas about certain doctrines. But it is not just for college students. It should be read by every member of the Church. I’m just grateful that the university administration and the General Authorities finally authorized this publication and made it available for everyone free of charge.