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Creationism, Miracles and the Death of Expertise

Creationism, Miracles and the Death of Expertise

Last updated on: August 28, 2026 at 8:47 am by Larry Jordan

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Creationism, Miracles and the Death of Expertise 2026-08-28T08:47:58-05:00 Larry Jordan

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Are faith and science compatible? Certainly, they can be compatible. But if we accept religious claims without ANY corroborating evidence (and despite ANY evidence to the contrary, no matter how compelling or credible), how will we progress as a society?

According to the Gallup Polls, almost 40% of Americans believe in creationism. But scientists agree that evolution is settled science. Image from Gemini/AI-generated, in the public domain

According to the Gallup Polls, 40% of Americans believe in creationism. But scientists agree that evolution is settled science. Image from Gemini/AI-generated, in the public domain

I wrote about heaven here, and I asked several clarifying questions. I suggested that heaven was a doctrinal daisy chain, a “heavenly two-step” and a projection. (“As below, so above,” I wrote). Several readers responded that an afterlife is silly and that we should NOT have to spend time discussing such things.

According to Pew Research Center, almost three-quarters of Americans believe in an afterlife. Most people do NOT think the subject is silly. It might be irrational, but that is another question.

The God of Monkey Science

A few years ago, Janet Kellogg Ray, an Evangelical Christian and a science educator, wrote Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Her book explained the science of origins to its many deniers and doubters. And Ray subsequently wrote The God of Monkey Science and Fish with Feet to explore other topics at the intersection of faith and science.

Some readers thought creationism was silly and that we should NOT have spent time discussing such things. I defended Ray, explaining that (remarkably) many people hold these beliefs. According to the Gallup Polls, almost 40% of Americans believe in creationism. Most people do NOT think the subject is silly. It might be irrational, but that is another question.

Naturalist Charles Darwin established the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection when he published On the Origin of Species in 1859. Scientists have confirmed the theory using biogeography, comparative anatomy, direct observation, embryology, genetics, molecular biology and paleontology. Scientists agree that evolution is settled science.

The arguments for creationism rely on philosophical propositions, scientific critiques, and scriptural references. Wikipedia labels these arguments as pseudoscience and supernaturalism. Today, some creationists attempt to reconcile faith and science through hybrid forms of creationism, such as intelligent design or theistic evolution.

Are faith and science compatible?

How Many People Believe in the Supernatural?

According to reputable pollsters, such as Pew Research Center, many people believe in some supernatural phenomena:

Half of Americans believe that the miracles in the Bible happened as reported. Two-thirds of Americans believe that miracles are possible today.
Almost 70% of Americans believe that angels are real. And over 60% believe that the devil is real.
Over 70% of Americans believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. And over 60% of Americans believe that Jesus rose from the dead.
Over 80% of Americans believe that humans have a soul or spirit in addition to a physical body.

More people believe in miracles than in vaccines. Many people believe in a global flood, despite a lack of evidence. Some of them deny climate change, despite a preponderance of evidence. Approximately the same number of people believe the Earth is billions of years old (which can be confirmed) as believe that angels are real (which can NOT be confirmed).

In The Way, I expressed skepticism, “If we believe that God intervenes in human affairs, then we can believe all manner of supernatural events—such as virgin births and physical resurrections—that would otherwise seem unbelievable. However, if we admit that there is no solid evidence that God intervenes in human affairs, then these events can seem preposterous…

“Many Christians used to believe in a ‘God of the gaps’ who was likely responsible for any events that we could not explain otherwise. As science explains more events, there are fewer events that we cannot explain, thus fewer gaps for God to fill.” For example, Aristotle said plants and animals had souls that governed growth and sensation, but we have natural explanations for that now.

Are faith and science compatible?

The Death of Expertise

Tom Nichols, a national security expert, wrote The Death of Expertise. Nichols asserts that advances in communications, education, and information have democratized access to data. However, Nichols argues that this democratization, rather than producing an educated public, has instead created “an army of ill-informed and angry citizens who denounce intellectual achievement.”

I have always valued expertise. Once, a reporter asked me for a quote, and I replied, “I’m not an expert, so I don’t want to be quoted.” “Who should I call?” he asked. “Call so-and-so,” I replied. “Now, he’s less of an expert than I am, but he’ll want to be quoted.”

In 2023, “The Economist” found that one-in-five Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 believed that the Holocaust was a myth. Of course, the Holocaust occurred in relatively recent history. Much oral, visual, and written evidence supports its occurrence.

Almost 200,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive. Yet, many young people do not know (or do not trust) the evidence. Approximately the same number of people believe the Holocaust happened (which can be confirmed) as believe that humans have souls (which can NOT be confirmed).

If we rely solely on religious claims, without relying on our expertise, how will we ever harness 2,000 years of accumulated knowledge in art and science? How will we ever learn from history? And how will we ever overcome the limitations of a 2,000-year-old book?

Will we be able to face existential challenges such as climate change, global pandemics and nuclear war? Will we be able to steward the Earth and its resources, rather than exploit them? And will we be able to save ourselves, rather than rely on a supernatural savior?

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The Way received a 2024 Nautilus Book Award.

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About Larry Jordan

Larry Jordan is a follower of Jesus with a Zen practice. He wrote “The Way,” informed by the Eastern religions, the mystics, and the quantum physicists. "The Way" won a 2024 Nautilus Book Award. You can read more about the author here.

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