> In the issue of May 16 of Nature, a paper describes the identification
> of neanderthal remains in association with Chatelperronian culture dated
> 34,000 years ago. In the same part of Europe, modern Homo sapiens lived
> and formed the Aurignacian culture from as early as 40,000 years ago.
>
> This means that these two human species (apparently they did not
> interbreed) lived together for 5-7000 years and shared an advanced culture
> with manufacture of tools, ornaments and rites. The fact that a human
> species, Homo neanderthalensis, with a cultural advancement
> indistinguishable from contemporary Homo sapiens went extinct is not
> easy to accept.
>
> The implications for a Christian interpretation of the goal of evolution
> are difficult to define immediately. Right off one wonders whether
> Neanderthals might have thought about matters like a Creator,
> imperfections of nature, sin and redemption. While this may never be
> cleared up, one implication seems certain: there is no a priori reason to
> assume that we, Homo sapiens sapiens, constitute the ultimate step in the
> realisation of God's creative miracle. Previous human species have gone
> before us and perhaps new species will come after us.
In addition to paleontology and archeology (general revelation), we also
have scriptures (special revelation). Scriptures tell us that we are, if
not the "ultimate" step, then at least in some sense the "crowning" step
of creation --- on this particular planet at this particular time.
Scriptures also indicate that this world and human history will one day
come to an end. Does that preclude new species coming after us? Perhaps
not.
> While the body of the Universal Christ of St. Paul may well encompass
> both us and other human, God-knowing species, one is nevertheless left
> with a rather open ended question: if our species is not the one to
> experience the end of time, what then is the point Omega like?
I have also contemplated these questions. Will our descendents one day be
so unlike us (through evolution and/or technology) that God will establish
some sort of new revelation/covenent with them? Does God intend for us to
take part in the creation of some new sort of intelligence? What
implications does Christ's redemptive intervention into _our_ history have
for this potential future? These are very interesting questions.
In one sense, it is not our concern, it is God's concern. In another
sense, though, it could very much be our concern; our actions today affect
the future course of our descendents, and that just _might_ have
implications beyond homo sapiens sapiens.
We are part of a glorious creation!
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In theory, there is no difference between | Loren Haarsma
theory and practice, but in practice | lhaarsma@opal.tufts.edu
there is a great deal of difference. |