Janie Boschma

Since Charles Darwin first put forth his theory of evolution, a fierce debate has emerged between supporters of Darwinism and creationism. A biology professor at Brown University, however, claims that science and religion can coexist.

Brown University professor Kenneth Miller speaks all over the country to convince his audiences that evolution has never been the enemy of God.

On Tuesday evening Miller gave a presentation in Schofield Auditorium entitled, “God, Darwin, and Design: At the Crossroads of Science and Religion.”

“To my fellow Christians,” Miller said, “I ask that you don’t hang your faith on the belief that scientists will never figure out the origin of life.”

Miller is the author of the most widely used high school biology textbooks in the country.

“Whenever I see . a lot of young people like this,” he said, “I’m afraid they already know me. And they don’t like me.”

Miller wrote a book supporting his views entitled “Finding Darwin’s God,” and appeared as the lead witness in “Kitzmiller vs. Dover” in 2005. In the case, the court found it unconstitutional for the city of Dover, Penn. to force its students to learn from a textbook supporting intelligent design rather than evolution.

Miller’s lecture, sponsored by Chippewa Valley Dialogue on Science and Religion, delivered evidence in favor of evolution. He explained how humans came to possess only 46 chromosomes and demonstrated the 23 intermediate species that have been discovered as evolutionary stepping stones between land mammals and swimming mammals. One example is the whales, which are “the poster children for macroevolution,” Miller said.

After Miller’s presentation, some audience members walked away convinced, while others still had doubts.

“(His points) were extremely valid,” sophomore Lucy DeMalignon, CVDSR member, said, “but my personal views can conflict with what he said.”

Senior John Rohde, a member of CVDSR, said he attended the lecture because he spent the last month and a half reading Miller’s book, “Finding Darwin’s God.”

“I agree that evolution is more than a theory,” Rohde said. “It works as a fact. Intelligent design is not science.”

“(The Bible presents) a creator to creation point of view,” Miller said, “Not scientific fact.”

He quoted the judge in “Kitzmiller vs. Dover” in saying creationism is “a view that exists despite the evidence.”

“We have the fossils,” Miller said. “We win.”