"Let the earth bring forth. Imagine that by a small saying and by such a brief command, the cold and barren earth suddenly approaches the time of birth, is moved to fertility, and, as if throwing off its sad and sorrowful garments, it is clothed in a bright robe, rejoices in its adornment, and brings into the world thousands of kinds of plants" [18].

"A command has gone out; and immediately the rivers produce and the lakes give birth to their own natural rocks; and the sea is full of all kinds of swimming animals. Wherever there is water, in swamps and shady places, it does not remain inactive and does not participate in the reproduction of creatures. For there is no doubt that toads, midges and mosquitoes have boiled out of the water" [19].

In a similar way, other Holy Fathers spoke about the instantaneousness of creation. The first representatives of all species of flora and fauna had no ancestors, and appeared immediately as adults and adults. The hen appeared before the egg.

It is completely meaningless to determine the age of the first created creatures at the day of their creation, since yesterday they did not exist, and today they already look like they are of full age. In principle, it is impossible to evaluate the first representatives of the plant and animal world as their descendants, according to the characteristics known to science (trees by annual rings, animals by processes on their horns or by the features of their teeth, etc.). This fully applies to the first representative of the species Homo sapiens, Adam. He, like Eve, who was born of him, was created of full age. St. Ephraim the Syrian wrote: "The commandment given to the forefathers testifies to their mature age." Not a boy, but a husband is able to name animals. Adam did not survive infancy. It was not the infant who was entrusted in the Garden of Eden to "make him and keep him" (Gen. 2:15).

Evolutionism cannot allow this. It presupposes a certain, sufficiently long, time for the formation of each type, which is necessary for the emergence and consolidation of new qualitative characteristics. It was not instantly that the fish lost its gills, coming ashore and "turning" into a land animal!

4.3. Attitude to death

For the theory of evolution, the driving mechanism is the so-called natural selection, as a result of which the strongest individuals and species defeat the less adapted and protected. At the same time, it is considered a priori accepted that all individuals, both animals and humans, are mortal. This state of mortality is considered an integral part of our nature, since such observations are confirmed by everyday experience. In other words, death is proclaimed to be original and primary.

But the Orthodox worldview is completely different. "God did not create death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living, for He created all things to come into being" (Wisdom 1:13-14). Adam was created immortal. He was given a warning: "From the tree, if you understand good and evil, you will not be taken away from it, but in the same day you take away from it, you will die" (Gen. 2:17). This is confirmed by the holy Apostle Paul: "By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, and so death entered into all men" (Romans 5:12). In the Holy Fathers, these thoughts are defined just as clearly. Here is what St. Gregory of Sinai writes: "Man was created incorruptible, as he will be resurrected, but not imperishable, nor perverted again, but having the power to be transformed by the desired disposition or not." [20]. "Corruption is the offspring of the flesh." [21].

The Fathers of the Church developed the idea of the incorruptibility of all creation before the fall of the first man. The same St. Gregory of Sinai wrote: "The creature that is now flowing was not created at first perishable, but afterwards fell into corruption, obeying vanity, according to the Scriptures, not willingly, but unwillingly, for obeying it, in the hope of the renewal of Adam, who was subjected to corruption (Romans 8:20). He who renewed Adam and sanctified also renewed creation, but he has not yet delivered them from corruption." [22]. St. John Chrysostom. "What does it mean, "Thou wilt obey the creature? It has become perishable. For what purpose and for what reason? It's your fault, man. Since you have received a mortal and suffering body, the earth has also been cursed, and has brought forth thorns and thistles" [23]. And further: "As the creature was made corruptible when thy body became corruptible, so also when thy body is incorruptible, and the creature shall follow it and become according to it" [24].

An attentive reader will find in the Bible itself a strict indication not that God did not create predators in the first place, but that carnivorous eating appeared only after the fall of Adam: