A large number of scholars and leaders in the Church of the Nazarene are exploring how evolution may be compatible with Christian faith. This may represent a turning point in a long history of wrestling with important issues in science and theology.

The Bible is not only compatible with the idea God creates through evolution. I also think some themes in evolution actually reinforce and correspond with themes in Scripture.

My friends, Darrel Falk and Kathryn Applegate, are joining me to edit a book of essays on evolution. What makes this book especially interesting is that Evangelical leaders, theologians, and scientists write these essays, and they are largely in favor of the idea that God creates through evolution!

The final piece in my brief argument for God’s causal role in the world builds upon my previous proposals. It emphasizes that God is personal and acts in various ways in the world.

The question of God’s intervention in the world persists in the science-and-religion conversation. An adequate theology of the Spirit active in creation must handle this issue with care.

I’ve been thinking about how God, as spirit, acts in the world. One often overlooked or underemphasized notion derives from God’s omnipresence. And thinking carefully about omnipresence helps resolve facets of the God of the gaps problem.

Identifying the Spirit’s causal activity is difficult for many reasons. I want to note two and then show that these problems may actually be opportunities for Christians.

Research in science and theology is chock full of philosophical presuppositions. We need to look at a few as we think about how best to talk about the Spirit’s activity in the world.

I’ve recently concluded that an important place to begin thinking about how God acts in our world is to think carefully about what it means to say with Jesus, “God is spirit.”

For some Christians, the science-and-theology dialogue is peripheral to their faith. The heat from disagreement, conflict, and unresolved questions repels them. By contrast, I think Christians should care deeply about science. And they should intentionally engage the theology-and-science dialogue.