Evolution, DNA, and LDS Perspectives
Reconciling scientific understanding with scriptural accounts of the creation of life.
1. The Flawed “Tornado in a Junkyard” Analogy
A common argument against the natural formation of DNA compares it to a tornado sweeping through a junkyard and “assembling” a fully stocked library. This analogy is meant to show that assembling life by chance alone is astronomically unlikely.
What this analogy gets wrong: It presupposes that DNA sprang into being in a single, random event. Modern abiogenesis theories do not claim this; they propose a stepwise, incremental process unfolding over vast periods of time and across vast numbers of planets.
2. Latter-day Saint Scripture and the “Preparation” Paradigm
Several passages in the Book of Abraham use intriguing language about how God brought forth life:
“And the Gods said: Let us prepare the earth to bring forth grass… and it was so, even as they ordered.”
The scripture does not say God directly created grass; rather, the earth was prepared so that grass would be created. This can be read to suggest a natural, law-driven process. The Doctrine and Covenants also testifies that God’s law governs matter and sets boundaries under which all things operate (D&C 88:42–43).
3. Special Note on the Creation of Humanity
Abraham’s record describes a different approach for humanity:
“Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness… So the Gods went down to organize man in their own… male and female to form they them.”
It is only with humankind that the scripture explicitly describes a more direct and personal creation process. The Church has no official stance that dictates exactly how life arose on Earth—only that God is the Creator and that humans are His children.
4. Harmony Between Science and Faith
LDS scripture and doctrine teach that God is the architect of eternal laws (D&C 88). If evolution and natural selection operate according to such laws, it does not exclude divine influence—it showcases a God who works through consistent, orderly processes. Far from diminishing the role of God, such an approach can highlight His mastery over physical laws, His patient shepherding of creation, and His direct parental care for the human family.