RE: [asa] RE: TE and apologetics

I guess Billy Graham is the most popular evangelist and he's supposed to be neutral (or agnostic) on evolution. He just starts with sin, and doesn't say where it comes from.

YEC's involved in evangelism have a story for how sin entered the world and tie it in to a gospel presentation. I was wondering how an evolutionist could tie evolution into a gospel presentation, and if any evangelists have done it, to give a alternative to the Ken Ham evangelism approach. It seems like the alternative to the Ham approach is to be agnostic- not mention where/how sin arose, just start with "we are sinners."

Ironically, the Discovery Institute seems to accept an old age for the earth, but when it comes to the gospel, they prefer a literal Adam introducing death and sin into the world, judging from Nancy Pearcy's book "Total Truth." But I know they have a diversity of opinion at the DI.

...Bernie

-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of David Campbell
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 8:33 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: [asa] RE: TE and apologetics

On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Dehler, Bernie
<bernie.dehler@intel.com> wrote:
> Did I ask for TE input for apologetics or evangelism? I think it was for evangelism, wondering if there was a TE version of Billy Graham- one who would preach a gospel based on understanding evolution and NOT Adam/Eve as real people (yes, I understand some accept evolution and a historical Adam, not looking for that kind).
>

The importance of Adam and Eve for the gospel is primarily as part of
the point that humans are sinful and need salvation. Adam and Eve are
not essential to that point, so probably most presentations of the
gospel do not specifically incorporate Adam and Eve. Conversely,
evolution doesn't especially affect the gospel, either-it gives a
physical account of how we got the way we are, but doesn't tell us
what to do about it, either.

Thus, I'm not sure what you want. Obviously a sermon on Genesis 1-10
or so, and maybe one on other genealogies or references to Adam, would
be different, but that's not a primary component of Christian
evangelism (as opposed to creationist evangelism).

-- 
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama
"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"
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