Latter-day Saints and Evolution: A Belief Compatible with Modern Science

Evolution is a topic that often intersects with religious belief, particularly within Christianity. For Latter-day Saints, better known as Mormons, the belief in evolution is not as black and white as it might be for some other denominations. This article explores how Latter-day Saints view the concept of evolution, balancing their religious convictions with modern scientific understanding.

Religious Perspectives and Scientific Understanding

It is important to acknowledge that my personal thoughts on evolution are not in the forefront of my daily life. Evolution is a natural law, and Latter-day Saints generally understand that God operates under the same natural laws that He created.

God's time is not measured in the same way as human time. Everything is relative, and what we describe as a day (one Earth rotation of 24 hours) is different on other planets or even in different contexts. This fact lends a kind of factual subjectivity to our measurements and interpretations.

At the same time, evolution is seen as a natural process that God used to create the inhabitants of Earth. Humans have also used aspects of evolution to create disease-resistant crops and different breeds of dogs. The exact methods God used in creation are not fully known, but the belief is that He did use natural and scientific processes.

Science, particularly the theory of evolution, is taught at Brigham Young University, an LDS-owned institution. This does not imply an endorsement of evolution by the church but rather an acceptance of it as a scientific theory that should be taught, explored, and tested.

Biblical Interpretation and Geological View

Lessons from the Bible are not intended to be read as scientific or historical texts. Rather, they often contain symbolism, allegory, and simplicity. Genesis states that God created the heavens and the earth, which is sufficient for Latter-day Saints. The specifics of how He did it are not crucial.

The church teaches that God works within natural laws, and if one accepts the broad geologic view, it explains the formation of the earth from unorganized matter, the coalescing due to gravity, and the subsequent formation of the atmosphere, plant life, and animals eventually leading to mankind. This is consistent with the idea of creative periods described in religious texts.

Latter-day Saints do not get hung up on the “six days” concept as literalists might. Their reading of Genesis indicates that God said, "do A, B, and C then call that a day,” not all in one day. Each creative period could have been billions of years. Therefore, the phrase "six days" refers more to a creative period rather than a literal 24-hour period.

Thus, for many Latter-day Saints, there is a compatibility between their faith and the scientific theory of evolution. The belief in God operating through natural laws aligns with the findings of scientific research, allowing room for both religious and scientific interpretations of the world.

Lastly, the understanding and interpretation of these beliefs are continually evolving, much like science itself. The idea that one's mind will be able to handle such information in heaven further emphasizes the belief that there is room for growth and understanding in both religious and scientific realms.