Cornerstone Magazine: Fall 2014 Volume III Issue II | Page 12

An ichneumon
wasp, the species
to which Darwin
refers, drilling into
a caterpillar fern
shelter to parasitize it

Fallen but Floating
Matthew Im

photos by
Mitch Akutsu

that shape is, evolutionary biologists have been able to
reveal why race correlates with disease susceptibility,
milk digestion problems, and specific muscle growth.
Evolutionary biology is simply a tool of discovery.
With the axiom that God is the “designer,” zoologists and
naturalists would look at two species of animals and view
them as two distinct entities specifically designed for some
God-given purpose. Now, evolutionists look at two species
and, using the tools and theories behind evolutionary
biology, can infer the phylogenetic relationship of the
species. Evolutionists have a more palpable perception of
the beauty of connectivity seen in the world. In testing drugs
and medicine and discovering basic principles of mammalian
physiology, understanding our relationship to other mammals
(especially mice) has been essential. Darwin’s discovery has
helped us to understand the world better. The very fact that
A’s, T’s, G’s, and C’s randomly mutate, in accordance with
physical laws, has given us a chance to understand our own
10

genetics. Otherwise, God’s “black box magic” would have
to be the answer to important questions such as: Why is
lower back pain so common in humans? Or, why do we have
an appendix, an organ more detrimental than beneficial?
I don’t believe God wants to keep secrets from us. He has
given us “dominion over all living things.” Long before The
Origin of Species, humans had been utilizing evolutionary
forces, we simply weren’t calling them evolution yet.

CORNERSTONE Magazine

Consider wild, undomesticated wheat. Wheat seeds are
grouped together at the tip of their stalk. Eventually, the
packet of seeds will burst, spreading the seeds so that
they can propagate the next generation. However, an
occasional mutation prevents this packet from bursting,
which would prevent that individual plant from successfully
reproducing. Long ago, humans found these mutants, with
their seeds bunched together, convenient for harvesting.
Humans would intentionally plant these seeds, completely

changing the direction of selection, propagating the
wheat that had no chance of surviving in the wild.

541 miles in the snow to save sick children,
rescuing the lost, and even detecting bombs.

The processes leading to the existence of birds,
wasps, and even toxoplasma aren’t meant to be
secrets. God wants to be understood, he doesn’t
want to simply be an explanation.

Using the same metaphor Darwin does in his
conclusion of The Origin of Species, we do not
want to be like “savages who look upon a ship
as something totally incomprehensible.” The
processes leading to the presence of birds,
wasps, and even toxoplasma aren’t meant to
be secrets. God wants to be understood, he
doesn’t want to simply be an explanation. This is
well exemplified in the Gospel, as Jesus directly
shows us the way, guiding us to wash the feet
of others, listen to the woman at the well, and
feed the hungry. The process of evolution is
a blueprint for how life has come to exist in
this world—and God is sharing it with us.

This wasn’t just the case for plants, though. Dogs also
came to exist through human-influenced evolution.
Dogs and wolves share an ancient common ancestor
unlike the cute pomeranians or shih tzus of today.
Well, slowly but surely, the tamer members of that
ancient dog species were noticed. They would be
mated together by humans, and after repeating that
process over thousands of years, we are blessed with
man’s best friend, responsible for helping humans fight
depression, walking the blind, transporting medicine

Mitch Akitsu is a senior concentrating in biology.

Fall 2014

11