Random Designer: Created from Chaos to Connect with the Creator

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What Colling is doing is simply cherry-picking aspects of evolutionary theory and ascribing those points to the good intentions of his God.
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Random Designer: Created from Chaos to Connect with the Creator is a controversial theistic evolution book written in 2004 by Richard G. Colling, an American Christian microbiologist.

Overview[edit]

The book presents a new idea of using the concept of randomness to unite both evolution with a designer. Colling has written that the universe and all naturalistic processes were designed to look random by a designer who he identifies as the Christian God. The main thesis of the book is that the random designer uses randomness in nature to accomplish his purposes. Colling does not believe the Bible should be read as a scientific book and opposes those who read the Bible literally. His model accepts common descent and evolution and opposes creationism.[2][3] Colling proclaims he has presented a new vision of God’s design a model which is fully compatible with modern science and evolution.[4][5] Unlike some other theistic evolution writers Colling does not dispute anything at all in science.

Reception[edit]

Colling and his book were banned from Olivet Nazarene University, the Christian university where he had taught for twenty-seven years, because of writing the book. His book has also been banned from other Christian schools in America, which only demonstrates just how terrifying science is to fundamentalists. Joseph H. Lechnera, a professor of Chemistry, gave the book a positive review and said that Colling does not dispute any science, but just adds that a random designer is doing it.[6]

Criticism[edit]

How does one differentiate between a random designer and no designer? Colling admits he cannot prove that God exists.[7] Colling is also accused of cherry picking what suits his concept of a loving creator.

See also[edit]

References[edit]