Robin, you (thoughtfully) stated:
One can believe in natural selection and believe in God at the same time. One can believe that God created the first life form and at the same time one can also believe in the Biological Theory of Evolution. One can believe that life came from non-life and still believe in God. One can believe in Big Bang and "inflationary theory" (whatever that is) and still believe in God. And Christ for that matter.
Actually, I have no right to refute the above statement since faith in any gospel seems to transcend all naturalistic logic (I think) and might even allow for *miraculous additions of new genetic information via beneficial mutations* (which I view the macro-bio-ToE subtly camouflages under a guise of NS).
But, if quarks, sub-quarkian matter (if there be such a thing), and/or *first-life-form(s)* *empirically* evolved into Christ, I perceive that as enormous mockery by the devil.
Finally you stated: There's only one belief you would have to drop: a literal belief in the Biblical Genesis. I’d ask you, Robin:
Would I be able to keep a literal belief in:
1) Exodus’s cosmic plagues?
2) Jonah’s fish story: being buried 3 days and 3 nights in a fish?
3) Christ being buried 3 days and 3 nights, risen, ascended (etc.) ?
4) Christ’s (and NT) apocalyptic and gospel references to Genesis, Adam, the Flood, Jonah, etc.?
So my stumbling-block remains thus:
1) The macro-biological ToE subtly but effectively debunks Christ’s sayings concerning Genesis.
2) The ToE seems diametrically opposed to faith in Christ as the cornerstone of *life*.
3) Faith in the Resurrection and the Life makes it all too *easy* to believe in a literal Genesis vs. the ToE (i.e., As per Heb 11:3 KJV, which plainly declares: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear).
(Note: I spent way too much time on this. You don’t have to respond your time is precious. Anyone who has time is welcome to provide feedback)