It’s not unusual to hear the phrase “Evolution is fact.” This is something we hear in school, from friends, people we meet, and many other places. People seem confident that evolution is a scientific reality, but what do they mean when they say “evolution”? People use the term “evolution” to describe many universal and biological developments. Cambridge Dictionary defines the word as “a gradual process of change and development.” A definition this broad could cover various things. So how do we truly know what’s fact or fiction? We have to look at the specifics.
There are two main theories people bring up when discussing evolution: The Big Bang and human evolution from ape to man. Breaking these down is essential to understanding what’s fact and what’s not. It might come as a surprise to you that certain portions of these theories are even biblical.
The Big Bang Theory is currently the leading scientific model for how the universe came into existence. NASA describes the Big Bang Theory as “the idea that the universe began as just a single point, then expanded and stretched to grow as large as it is right now.” Believe it or not, this definition doesn’t contradict the Bible. Genesis 1:1, the very first verse of the Bible, states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse also states that the universe had a beginning point. The issue doesn’t lie in the Big Bang, but in the explanations often attached to it. Many scientists would agree that the beginning of the Universe, the Big Bang, happened on its own without an outside cause. This is where the problem occurs. To claim that the universe came into being without any external cause is illogical. God existing supernaturally outside of the Universe could be the cause, but the universe could not create itself. At its core, the Big Bang could be consistent with the Bible; what contradicts Scripture is the claim that it occurred spontaneously without a cause.
When you hear the term “evolution,” the first thing that pops into your head is probably that familiar chart where a monkey gradually turns into a man. The theory of human evolution from ape to man is often taught as fact, but it lacks sufficient evidence. However, certain aspects of evolution do have substantial proof. To bring clarity to this issue, we need to look at two terms: Microevolution and macroevolution. Microevolution is the term used to describe changes within a species, while macroevolution describes the change from one species to another.
There is overwhelming evidence to support microevolution. It is a process that has been measured, observed, and proven time and time again. A famous example of this is Darwin’s finches. In 1835, Darwin completed a study on the Galapagos Islands. Here he observed that depending on where he was on the island, the finches had variations in their beaks that were directly linked to their diet. There are countless examples of this in history and current biology. Microevolution is a well-supported scientific claim; it also aligns with the biblical account. Nothing about microevolution contradicts scripture. It actually makes sense that God would give his creation a way to adapt and survive. Scripture acknowledges that living things reproduce “according to their kinds” (Genesis 1), allowing for variation and adaptation within those kinds without changing their fundamental identity.
Macroevolution, on the other hand, is neither scientific nor biblical. Unlike microevolution, macroevolution is not observable or measurable. There are also gaps in the fossil record, meaning that there are no fossils that exist of these supposed interlinks between species. There are very few pieces of evidence, but the ones we do have, such as the famous “Lucy,” are highly speculative. Even with these few examples, the question remains: if this truly occurred, why is it not abundant in the fossil record? Macroevolution also requires the origin of brand-new genetic information, something unguided processes have not been shown to produce. This hypothesis also conflicts with Scripture. It contradicts the Genesis narrative and the idea that we were intentionally designed by God.
Why is this important? It is often stated that science and faith contradict each other when the very opposite is true. Evolution is taught as fact, so for many, it’s a stumbling block to believing in God. It’s important to be equipped with truth and to know how to look at the evidence so we can show people that science and faith not only coexist but actually support one another. When we really look at the facts, the things we have real evidence for are also supported by scripture. A true study of science actually points to an intentional creator.
For Further Study:
- “Does the Big Bang Theory Prove God?” – William Lane Craig (Reasonable Faith Video)
- “Natural Selection and Macroevolution” – Answers in Genesis (Article)
- “The Fine-Tuning of the Universe” – John Lennox (Video Lecture)
- “What was Darwin’s Doubt?” – Stephen Meyer (Interview & Summary Video)
- “10 Top Christians in Science on Science and Faith” – The Veritas Forum (Short Video)
Bibliography
Abzhanov, Arhat. “Darwin’s Galapagos Finches in Modern Biology.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 365, no. 1543 (April 12, 2010): 1001–7. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0321.
Dictionary, Cambridge. “Evolution.” definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary, 2025. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/evolution.
“Evolution at Different Scales: Micro to Macro.” Accessed September 28, 2025. https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolution-at-different-scales-micro-to-macro/.
NASA Space Place. “What Is the Big Bang?” NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids, 2025. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/big-bang/en/.
Zondervan,. NIV, Holy Bible. Zondervan, 2011.
Written by Kayleigh Isaacs