BYU-Hawaii biology professor Dr. Robert Winget borrowed a thought from President David O. McKay, who founded the Church College of Hawaii 49 years ago and demonstrated a lifelong love of learning, to shape the annual lecture named in the prophet's honor.
Winget told of a school friend who "had a hard time understanding the contention people displayed when discussing what he was learning in geology and paleontology. Why did people get so defensive when he mentioned evidences supporting the age of the earth being in the billions of years and of extinct species of plants and animals that had lived millions of years before the time Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden?"
He recalled some Church members thought the notion of such long-term geologic time was erroneous, and reminded us "evolution was not as strongly grounded in scientific research in the early 1960s as it is now. Criticism of the scientific explanation of the creation of the earth, including the creation of life, were common, making it difficult for those of us trying to come to grips with being scientists and still maintaining our relationship with the Church."
People frequently asked "to prevent or ease contention between scientists and Church leaders, and between Church leaders themselves, as they argued such topics as the age of the earth, death before Adam, organic evolution, and other related topics," Winget continued, noting the prophet responded:
"Until the Lord speaks directly upon the matter, or until the scientists are able to say that they have the ultimate truth concerning these matters, it would only be confusing for the First Presidency to make any statement regarding such things."
To illustrate President McKay's tolerance "of those with differing feelings and beliefs" and the "peaceful discussion of differences," Winget recalled the prophet wrote the preface to a 1965 article in The Instructor magazine's "I Believe" series on the theory of organic evolution: "Like other articles in this series, it is presented not as Church doctrine but as a statement worthy of serious study, written by a faithful Latter-day Saint who is competent to speak as a scholar in his field."
Winget emphasized that he would not argue "the truthfulness of any specific doctrine or scientific principle," but would rather discuss "the process of seeking knowledge with the final goal of knowing the truth."
"At present, science is involved in several areas of study and practice, such as cloning, stem cell research and genetic engineering. Each has avid champions and opponents basing their hypotheses on philosophical debates? and research results," he said. "Determination of whether the benefits or drawbacks are greater will require further evaluations, but as important as the outcomes are, each are certainly worthy of serious study."
For example, he cited the advice of Elder Henry B. Eyring's father gave his college-bound son, that "in this Church, you don't have to believe anything that isn't true." The younger Elder Eyring went on to say, "If a thing is wrong, nothing can save it; and if it is right, it cannot help succeeding."
"Dismissing scientific concepts built upon honest evaluations of observed facts should be done with care, especially if we do not know what the ramifications of dismissal may be," Winget said, noting that the "disagreement between science and religion began before the birth of Christ.
"The story of the creation, including the workings of the universe, were among the issues in dispute," he continued, noting that Copernicus and Galileo helped overturn approximately 2,000 years of geocentric thinking. Yet, he added, "following thousands of years of observations, experimentation and debates," theories on the creation of the universe are "still under development and changes may never end."
"Physical evidence supports the Scientific Story of creation, but where does a supreme power, a deity, enter into the picture," Winget asked. "Are there exceptions to natural laws or has science yet to either discover new laws or fully understand existing laws?"
"What kind of choice is it to have to choose between science and religion? Even the principal of evolution is full of facts and theories, the facts being as well established as most scientific principles, and the theories are continuously undergoing rigorous challenges and debates by qualified scientists," Winget continued. "But there are enough facts of evolution, that to have gospel truths depend upon the fallacy of evolution, is a losing proposition and a needless one."
"In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all we have to believe is what is true. God has revealed those things essential for our salvation, and regarding the rest, He expects us to continue studying, learning line upon line, precept upon precept.
"We often won't know what is true and what is wrong with an idea or hypothesis without putting them to the test," Winget concluded. "Let's follow President McKay's advice and be open to putting worthy subjects to 'serious study' before accepting or rejecting them.