Re: BIBLE:first humans

Robert L. Miller (rlmiller@garlic.com)
Thu, 19 Sep 1996 05:14:19 GMT

Loren Haarsma wrote, in part:
>
>1) Evolutionary creation of plants, animals, some hominids; then special
>creation of Adam & Eve, the parents of all modern humans, in a literal
>Garden several tens of thousands of years ago.
>
>2) Evolutionary creation up through modern homo sapiens, with special
>creation of Adam & Eve, as _representatives_ of all existing and future
>humanity, in a literal Garden.
>
>3) Evolutionary creation up through modern homo sapiens, with special
>_selection_ of Adam & Eve, as representatives of all existing and future
>humanity, in a literal Garden.
>
>4-6) As 1-3 above, with the Garden story as an allegorical re-telling of
>another actual historical event.
>
>7) As #1 above, but occurring 5.5 million years ago with the flood
>corresponding to the filling of the Mediterranean basin; Abraham as a
>modern person.
>
>8) Evolutionary creation of homo sapiens. The story of Adam, Eve and
>the Garden as allegory of some actual historical event, in the distant
>past, of revelation to a group of humans (perhaps more than two) and
>their rebellion. Sin was not inevitable, but a choice. Original sin
>"spreading" from this group outward to eventually include all humans.
>
>9) As #8, but the Garden story is a telescoping of multiple events in
>human pre-history.
>
>10) As #9, taking into account the slow development of hominid
>intelligence and self-awareness. (Analogous to ordinary infant self-
>centeredness gradually developing into sinful toddler selfishness.)
>
>11) As #10, but the eventual sinful state of humanity was evolutionarily
>"inevitable."
>
>
>That seems a fairly exhaustive list, though I've probably missed a few.

My candidate for #12 I call dynamic tension: Recognizing the evidence for
evolution on one hand, and the evidence for God's creating the first couple
on the other, more evidence is needed.

Bob
Miller