The Search for Harmony: Essays on Science and Mormonism (Essays on Mormonism Series)

Rating:
Summary: Should be titled: Mormonism and evolution
Review: The first thing I would change about this book is its title. It should have been "Essays on Evolution and Mormonism." I wouldn't change the subtitle, though. This book has everything to do with apologetics, and very little to do with the search for truth. There is nothing in the book, for example, about the scientific problems with the Book of Mormon or the Book of Abraham. Neither is there any discussion about such things as the scientific problems associated with Mormonism's belief in a literal, worldwide flood or the literal tower of Babel.

Since there are so many contributors, it's difficult to assign an overall score to the book. Some of the essays are particularly insightful, don't draw unwarranted conclusions, and provide useful references and historical data. On the other hand, It's pretty hard to take some of the essays seriously. I found the editor's introduction to be among the most interesting parts of the book, with some quotations from Mormon leaders, and statistics I've not seen before. For the most part I found the editors fairly honest in their portrayals, with a notable exception. In the introduction they portray Ezra Taft Benson as being open minded and embracing of science. I find this hard to believe of a man who once said:

"Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book [of Mormon] to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism, and so forth." (Ezra Taft Benson, "A Witness and a Warning, page 6.]

Another problem I found with the editors, and with almost all the essays in the book, is a pervasive tendency for Mormon apologists to define evolution as something it is not. Instead of using the scientific definition of evolution, they tend to redefine the subject as something they can believe, and then claim (with no explanation) that evolution and Mormonism are compatible. For example, apostle Widtsoe said:

The law of evolution .... Does not require that all things, all life, shall have a common origin. It merely declares that everything in the universe is moving onward." [page xi].

I'm sure this statement will come as a complete surprise to any evolutionary biologist.

Other Mormon apologists define a type of "divine" evolution, in which they allow the evolution of one species into another, but only through the guidance of deity. Both these definitions are without any basis in the scientific theory of evolution, however. Consequently, the "definition thing" becomes a real stumbling block when trying to have a meaningful conversation with Mormon apologists who insist they believe in evolution, only to find that what they really believe is a smattering of real scientific principles that are hopelessly mixed in a morass of mythology.

Not all the essays deal with semantics, double meanings, and denial, however. A number of them are quite informative. Chapter 3, for example, outlines the evolution controversy at Brigham Young University, and the firing of three professors who taught evolution on campus and refused to stop. The chapter is very detailed, with lots of interesting historical highlights, and is well referenced.

Essay 5 raises some interesting ideas I've not seen in the apologetic literature before, but unfortunately the author (Richard Sherlock) did not see fit to carry the discussion through on any of the really interesting concepts. For example, on page 71 he says:

"Furthermore Mormon anthropomorphism made God the prototype of man; Adam was literally his offspring. To think of a being made in the literal image of God as the result of decent from other forms of life was a difficult move indeed."

In fact, the problem goes much deeper than this. According to the theory of evolution, people share a common ancestor with apes. That means Jesus (through is mother, Mary) also has a common evolutionary ancestor with the apes. It seems the vast majority of Mormons, and certainly all Mormon leaders, would reject such a conclusion, yet the author simply drops the discussion at this point, and never picks it back up. Mormonism is quite specific on the origin of humans and their literal image of God. The persistent problem with virtually all Mormon apologetics on the subject of evolution is that it tends to deal with the opinions of the shrinking pool of intellectuals within the Mormon community, while ignoring the opinions and beliefs of common Mormons. Though the book points out that 75% of Salt Lake City Mormons reject evolution, the authors never delve more into that issue, or why Mormons, more than almost any other religion, are so likely to believe in creationism.

Another problem is the persistent reliance upon assertion and opinion. Many of the essayists assert that Mormonism is compatible with evolution, but none of them explain how or why - especially in light of the very strong statements against evolution made by Mormon ecclesiastical leaders when interpreting Mormon scripture. I don't recall a single specific reference to any Mormon scriptures in all the essays I read.

So, this is basically a book written by Mormon apologists, for Mormon apologists who want to remain in the Mormon Church, and need some way out of the conundrum created by the anti-evolutionary rhetoric of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders. If that's you, the book will probably be worth while.

One last thing. The book lacks an index, so make sure to have your yellow marker, red pen, and sticky highlighter ready.

Rating:
Summary: Should be titled: Mormonism and evolution
Review: The first thing I would change about this book is its title. It should have been "Essays on Evolution and Mormonism." I wouldn't change the subtitle, though. This book has everything to do with apologetics, and very little to do with the search for truth. There is nothing in the book, for example, about the scientific problems with the Book of Mormon or the Book of Abraham. Neither is there any discussion about such things as the scientific problems associated with Mormonism's belief in a literal, worldwide flood or the literal tower of Babel.

Since there are so many contributors, it's difficult to assign an overall score to the book. Some of the essays are particularly insightful, don't draw unwarranted conclusions, and provide useful references and historical data. On the other hand, It's pretty hard to take some of the essays seriously. I found the editor's introduction to be among the most interesting parts of the book, with some quotations from Mormon leaders, and statistics I've not seen before. For the most part I found the editors fairly honest in their portrayals, with a notable exception. In the introduction they portray Ezra Taft Benson as being open minded and embracing of science. I find this hard to believe of a man who once said:

"Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book [of Mormon] to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism, and so forth." (Ezra Taft Benson, "A Witness and a Warning, page 6.]

Another problem I found with the editors, and with almost all the essays in the book, is a pervasive tendency for Mormon apologists to define evolution as something it is not. Instead of using the scientific definition of evolution, they tend to redefine the subject as something they can believe, and then claim (with no explanation) that evolution and Mormonism are compatible. For example, apostle Widtsoe said:

The law of evolution .... Does not require that all things, all life, shall have a common origin. It merely declares that everything in the universe is moving onward." [page xi].

I'm sure this statement will come as a complete surprise to any evolutionary biologist.

Other Mormon apologists define a type of "divine" evolution, in which they allow the evolution of one species into another, but only through the guidance of deity. Both these definitions are without any basis in the scientific theory of evolution, however. Consequently, the "definition thing" becomes a real stumbling block when trying to have a meaningful conversation with Mormon apologists who insist they believe in evolution, only to find that what they really believe is a smattering of real scientific principles that are hopelessly mixed in a morass of mythology.

Not all the essays deal with semantics, double meanings, and denial, however. A number of them are quite informative. Chapter 3, for example, outlines the evolution controversy at Brigham Young University, and the firing of three professors who taught evolution on campus and refused to stop. The chapter is very detailed, with lots of interesting historical highlights, and is well referenced.

Essay 5 raises some interesting ideas I've not seen in the apologetic literature before, but unfortunately the author (Richard Sherlock) did not see fit to carry the discussion through on any of the really interesting concepts. For example, on page 71 he says:

"Furthermore Mormon anthropomorphism made God the prototype of man; Adam was literally his offspring. To think of a being made in the literal image of God as the result of decent from other forms of life was a difficult move indeed."

In fact, the problem goes much deeper than this. According to the theory of evolution, people share a common ancestor with apes. That means Jesus (through is mother, Mary) also has a common evolutionary ancestor with the apes. It seems the vast majority of Mormons, and certainly all Mormon leaders, would reject such a conclusion, yet the author simply drops the discussion at this point, and never picks it back up. Mormonism is quite specific on the origin of humans and their literal image of God. The persistent problem with virtually all Mormon apologetics on the subject of evolution is that it tends to deal with the opinions of the shrinking pool of intellectuals within the Mormon community, while ignoring the opinions and beliefs of common Mormons. Though the book points out that 75% of Salt Lake City Mormons reject evolution, the authors never delve more into that issue, or why Mormons, more than almost any other religion, are so likely to believe in creationism.

Another problem is the persistent reliance upon assertion and opinion. Many of the essayists assert that Mormonism is compatible with evolution, but none of them explain how or why - especially in light of the very strong statements against evolution made by Mormon ecclesiastical leaders when interpreting Mormon scripture. I don't recall a single specific reference to any Mormon scriptures in all the essays I read.

So, this is basically a book written by Mormon apologists, for Mormon apologists who want to remain in the Mormon Church, and need some way out of the conundrum created by the anti-evolutionary rhetoric of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders. If that's you, the book will probably be worth while.

One last thing. The book lacks an index, so make sure to have your yellow marker, red pen, and sticky highlighter ready.