One way to rectify the conflict has been to say that humans did descend from more primitive forms, but it was at one particular point in the process when two specific individuals (Adam and Eve) made the important leap to the homo sapien species, from whom we all descended.
Recent genetic evidence, however, seems to point to a pool of several thousand primates who made this evolutionary progress together. This makes it difficult to see Adam and Eve as two literal human beings as described in Genesis.
Understandably, this has caused a stir in evangelicalism. If Adam and Eve were not literal, is it possible to salvage basic Biblical theology, especially Pauline, which posits that because of the one man's sin (Adam) all died, and because of one man's obedience (Jesus) all can live? Can you have a redemption if there wasn't a Fall?
Christianity Today did an article on this dilemma which you can read here: The Search for the Historical Adam.
So, what do you think? Were Adam and Eve two literal beings from whom all homo sapiens descended? Does it matter?
Please share and comment as you are led.
One of the things that makes us uniquely human is the way that we view and express life as story. It is the way life comes to us and it is the way we share it with others. We get to know each other by telling and hearing each other's stories. Our culture, our heritage, our history, every facet of life is expressed in the form of story.
ReplyDeleteOne of the beautiful things about stories is the way that they can impart truth using elements that can be either real or imagined. The Bible tells a story and the truth that it imparts depends more on what one believes about the storyteller than on what one believes about the elements of the story. The story rings true if I have faith in the storyteller.
The same is true about the stories told by science. Those stories also contain elements that can be real or imagined. Any truth that I may find in the stories told by science is accepted based on the faith I have in the storytellers rather than on the elements of the stories, themselves.
It has become fashionable, today, to place our faith in scientists rather than God as the tellers of our stories. Both tell stories that may contain elements that are real and imagined. The truth that we find in either story, however, is not accepted on the basis of the elements of the story but on the basis of the faith that we place in the storyteller.
Christians believe that the storyteller of the Bible is the creator God, himself. Whether the elements of his story are factual or metaphorical, the truth imparted by the story is accepted on the basis my faith in the storyteller.
It has been said that the devil is in the details. Many Christians mistakenly believe that they have to defend every challenge to every statement in the Bible. When we do this, not only do we look ridiculous, we trivialize the storyteller.
I've been pondering your comment to see if you answered my questions. If you did, here's what I think your answer were.
ReplyDelete1. You're not sure if Adam and Eve are literal or not.
2. It doesn't matter whether they are literal or not because you trust the story teller, and therefor accept the truth the story teller is trying to impart.
Did I get it?