The archbishops of atheism and Anglicanism have a polite chat in which Dawkins does a Bertrand Russell and declares he has really been an agnostic all along and Rowan says he doesn’t believe God “intervened” when humans came to be or, by implication, in miracles.
This does not cohere with my memory of the discussion: “Rowan says he doesn’t believe God “intervened” when humans came to be or, by implication, in miracles.” I do not believe that he denied miracles in any way; he did discuss the process of evolution by which human beings came to be, a process instituted by and guided by God as the creator. Perhaps you could post the minute in the discussion where this came up to allow us to check on it? As I said, it does not fit with what I recall of the discussion.
I think you are being unfair to the Archbishop. He was asked a question about evolution and he states that humans evolve according to natural processes, but these processes are the result of God’s creation. The Archbishop speaks of humanity emerging from a relationship between proto-humans and God; this we could speak of as the soul. There are many other Christian theologians and scientists who speak of the emergence of humanity in this way. If you want to call this relationship “intervention,” I suspect you could, but Rowan Williams does not want to do so.
As to the other quotation, I do think the language of miracles is difficult, but he certainly believes in them (as I do also)and he attributes them, as per your quote above, to God “breaking through the surface to create something new.” That is God acting in human life. I recognise that as a miracle.
David,
I think we have a fundamental diagreement not about the reality of miracles, but about how to describe them, or God’s action. I think this is worthy of further discussion, so I want to respond at my website (www.biblejunkies.com). I will not be able to get to this until tomorrow at the earliest, but I will check back with you when I do. As I said, I think Rowan Williams gives a stronger view of God’s presence and activity in miracles than you do, but I would like to gather a bit more information and think about what you have said a little more. Thanks.
David,
Here’s my post, which expands on my comments more fully: http://www.biblejunkies.com/2012/02/archbishop-williams-and-miracles.html. Thanks! I hope to talk to you soon.
John