Confronting Our Fears

Mike Beidler’s essay is a candid, personal reflection on the fears he faced as an evangelical Christian exploring evolution. Looking back at his own journey, as well as his ongoing conversations with fellow Evangelicals, Mike identifies four key issues that generated tremendous anxiety as he sought to integrate his long-held faith in Christ with a new understanding of the physical world.

First was his fear of losing the Bible as his spiritual anchor and source of authority. In particular, Mike describes how he had to wrestle with his assumptions about how to best interpret Genesis. Second, he worried that accepting evolution might weaken the reasons we accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and our Savior. Third, he was afraid to admit that his previous views about science might have been wrong and even grounds for embarrassment. And fourth, he knew that exploring the idea of evolutionary creation would likely destabilize his peace of mind and his relationships with fellow church members.

In this five-part series, Mike explains how he dealt with these anxieties and not only survived with his faith intact, but also emerged with a deeper love of Jesus and an increased sense of awe for the universe that God created.