1. What are the strengths of the Intelligent Design Arguments/Movement?
Douglas Groothuis wrties that ID “opens a door for Christian apologetics that would otherwise be closed” (Christian Apologetics, 268). The argument of irreducible complexity seen in the human eye, the flagellum, and DNA irrefutably show intelligent design. Of course, materialistic evolutionists reject this evidence with counterarguments. Groothuis concludes that ID should take its rightful place in the overall circle of evidence. Standing alone, it cannot provide a full apology for Christianity.
2. What are the weaknesses of the Intelligent Design Arguments/Movement?
William Dembski admits that “Intelligent Design presupposes neither a creator nor miracles. Intelligent Design is theologically minimalist. It detects intelligence without speculating about the nature of the intelligence…. It is the empirical detectability of intelligent causes that renders Intelligent Design a fully scientific theory, and distinguishes it from the design arguments of philosophers, or what has traditionally been called "natural theology." He also wrote, “Without employing the Bible as a scientific text, these scholars critiqued Darwinism on scientific and philosophical grounds” (Cosmic Pursuit).
Dr. Jason Lisle and Tim Chaffey of AiG [Answers in Genesis] on March 29, 2012, stated that ID kinds of arguments (irreducible complexity and information science as in DNA) ... can be very devastating to naturalistic particles-to-people evolution. However, they only indicate that life requires a creator. They do not necessarily require the Creator—the God of Scripture. Intelligent design arguments would work equally well for the god of Islam or any other god.
How does the ID deal with the results of the fall when it doesn’t refer to the Bible? Lisle and Chaffey note the “problem of pain.” Namely, there are certain features of living organisms that appear to be designed to cause pain. Examples of this are thorns, bee stings, parasitic organisms, and carnivorous activity. Evolutionists argue that a good God would not have designed such things. Such features make more sense in an evolutionary world “red in tooth and claw.”
How does ID provide the remedy for the fallen sinner, which is, salvation in Christ when it doesn’t refer to the Bible? John Whitcomb refers to Jesus Christ as the ultimate Intelligent Designer, who has been practically ignored by these who write so eloquently of "the intelligent design" of all things.
When Paul addressed the intellectual pagans at Athens he started with God the Creator but quickly preached the gospel to them (Acts 17:31).