On a new episode of ID the Future, philosopher Jay Richards offers advices on engaging with evolutionists over the issues of origins, evolution, and intelligent design. Download the podcast or listen to it here.

In his conversation with host Casey Luskin, Richards says that if someone tells you he’s a theistic evolutionist, first find out what he means by theism and evolution. The latter term, in particular, can have widely varying meanings, and the average lay persons who see themselves as theistic evolutionists likely see God as actively and creatively working in the history of life to steer evolutionary outcomes, including the origin of humanity. What they may not realize is that such a view takes them well off the reservation of what academic theistic evolutionists generally mean by the term evolution, particularly those who publicly defend evolutionary theory.

Richards says that these academics hold to an internally incoherent view in many cases, and he encourages intelligent design proponents to identify that incoherence whenever the opportunity arises. For those who are willing to consider the evidence for intelligent design, Richards lists what he sees as the most effective lines of evidence to present to people. The occasion for the conversation is Dr. Richards’s two chapters in the recently released anthology, The Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith.