It can — if certain assumptions are already in place.
It doesn’t — if different assumptions are in place.
Most disagreements about this question aren’t really about evolution. They’re about the assumptions quietly attached to one’s answer.
Evolution undermines Christianity if…
- Christianity is expected to function as a scientific explanation of biological origins
- God is assumed to act primarily through direct, observable interventions
- Scripture is expected to provide chronological or mechanistic accounts of creation
- Randomness is assumed to exclude purpose or intention
- Revising a traditional interpretation is seen as a failure of truth, not reinterpretation
Under these assumptions, evolution looks like a replacement for God’s action and intention — and therefore a threat.
Evolution does not undermine Christianity if…
- Christianity is understood as offering a theological or metaphysical explanation rather than a scientific one
- God is trusted to act through sustained processes and natural order, not only interruption
- Scripture is read as making theological and narrative claims about creation rather than scientific ones
- Randomness is understood as unpredictability within constraints, not absence of purpose
- Faithfulness is compatible with revising interpretations in light of new knowledge
Under these assumptions, evolution describes how life develops, not why it exists — and does not compete with belief in God.
Evolution feels irrelevant to Christianity if…
- God is understood as the ground of existence itself, not a cause alongside other causes
- Science and theology are seen as answering different kinds of questions
- Christianity’s core claims are located in meaning, value, and destiny, not mechanism
Under these assumptions, evolution neither threatens nor supports Christianity. It simply operates at a different level of explanation.
Evolution can even deepen Christianity if…
- Creation is understood as dynamic and unfolding, not static
- God is trusted as patiently guiding rather than instantaneously fixing outcomes
- Complexity, contingency, and time are seen as compatible with divine wisdom
Under these assumptions, evolution doesn’t shrink God’s role — it reframes it.
Exploring the assumptions themselves
At this point, the most important work isn’t choosing a side.
It’s noticing which assumptions feel obvious, necessary, or non-negotiable to you.
- What kind of explanation do I expect Christianity to give?
- What kind of action do I trust God to take?
- What would actually count as Christianity being undermined?
- What do I assume Scripture must be doing when it speaks about the world?
These assumptions don’t settle the question — but they decide how it gets answered.
Making them visible is often the moment when disagreement becomes intelligible,
and when conversations slow down enough to become honest.