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Featured An attempt to let Science interpret Scripture

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Revmitchell, Nov 14, 2013.

  1. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    BioLogos Models for Reconciling Adam with Evolution



    Posted by Rachel Miller in Review

    ≈ 7 Comments

    Tags

    BioLogos, Historical Adam, Theistic Evolution

    In their attempts to find common ground between evolutionary science and Genesis, the scholars at BioLogos have written various articles on how to reconcile Adam with their belief in the common descent of men. In an article, “Were Adam and Eve historical figures,” they preface the discussion this way:

    Genetic evidence shows that humans descended from a group of several thousand individuals who lived about 150,000 years ago. This conflicts with the traditional view that all humans descended from a single pair who lived about 100,000 years ago. While Genesis 2-3 speaks of the pair Adam and Eve, Genesis 4 refers to a larger population of humans interacting with Cain. One option is to view Adam and Eve as a historical pair living among many 10,000 years ago, chosen to represent the rest of humanity before God. Another option is to view Genesis 2-4 as an allegory in which Adam and Eve symbolize the large group of ancestors who lived 150,000 years ago. Yet another option is to view Genesis 2-4 as an “everyman” story, a parable of each person’s individual rejection of God. BioLogos does not take a particular view and encourages scholarly work on these questions.

    At the second “Theology of Celebration” workshop, Denis Alexander, Director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion at St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge, presented a paper which outlines two of those models for reconciling Adam and Eve with the findings of contemporary anthropology. Here are some highlights from his paper.

    First, Dr. Alexander describes the role of such models:

    The models that we propose are not the same as the ‘data’. On one hand we have the theological data provided by Genesis and the rest of Scripture, true for all people throughout time. Uncertainty here arises only from doubt as to whether our interpretations of the text are as solid as they can be. On the other hand we have the current scientific data that are always open to revision, expansion or to better interpretation. Nevertheless the data are overwhelmingly supportive of certain scientific truths, for example that we share a common genetic inheritance with the apes. The role of models is to treat both theological and scientific truths seriously and see how they might ‘speak’ to each other, but we should never defend a particular model as if we were referring to the data itself. The whole point of any model is that it represents a human construct that seeks to relate different types of truth; models are not found within the text of Scripture – the most that we can expect from them is that they are ‘consistent with’ the relevant Biblical texts. Let us never confuse the model with the truths that it seeks to connect to each other.

    http://adaughterofthereformation.wo...s-models-for-reconciling-adam-with-evolution/
     
  2. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    The article fails to mention mitochondrial DNA, which is very important in understanding this subject.
     
  3. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    What is "theological data"?
     
  4. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Testimony.
     
  5. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    Yes, I do read works by reformed writers. Currently reading John Collins book, after having read Peter Enns book. Personally, finding myself more in line with Collins, than Enns on the issue.

    http://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=7796
     
  6. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    No, the testimony of the Spirit.
     
  7. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    Scripture says it best:

    Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
     
  8. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    Completely over the top OR, assuming my understanding of your implication is correct.
     
  9. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Basically, it all boils down to who do you trust with the truth of mankind origins?

    the revealed truth from god to us in Bible, or else what scientists states is the truth, who have bought evolutionary Myth and try to filter Bible thru it!
     
  10. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    The only person who can testify correctly about creation is the only One who was there, God. And if God wasn't there we are not here!
     
  11. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
  12. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    According to scripture, what God created IS a testimony of creation.
    Science is a systematic observation and study of the natural phenomena God created.

    BioLogos is simply attempting to reconcile the scriptures with scientific observations.
    This has been done from the earliest of times with varing results - and never accepted by all.

    Rob
     
  13. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    God's testimony is perfect science is not. Biologos is a huge problem. It is interpreting scripture by use of science. In other words science comes first then the understanding of scripture comes in light of science. That is a problem.
     
  14. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    this all boils down to how one views the Bible for interpreting!

    Do we take the plain and literal meaning as what God intended for us to have, or do we try to see it in myth, metaphor, symbolical, typeology ways primarily?
     
  15. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    Just as natural phenomena needs to be interpreted and sometime is interpreted incorrectly...
    so too scripture needs to be interpreted... and sometime is interpreted incorrectly.

    The weakness doesn't lie in the Creator but in the humans who interpret them.

    "...two truths can never contradict each other, it is the task of wise expositors to try to find the true meaning of sacred passages in accordance with natural conclusions that have been previously rendered certain and secure by sense experience or necessary demonstration." Galileo Galilei

    In other words, when what we observe in nature doesn't jive with what how we interpret scripture we should examine our conclusions in both science and theology.
    AND when what we observe in scripture doesn't jive with how we interpret nature, we should once again examine our conclusions.

    Copernicus and Galileo both proposed a Sun-centered solar system but were denounced because it was anti-scriptural.
    They based their findings on their observations of nature and it demanded a change in the way scripture was interpreted.

    BioLogos perceives a contradiction between observations in nature and our interpretation of scripture.
    They provide an explanation of how these discrepancies can be resolved.

    I personally have less problems with BioLogos' attempts at resolving the discrepancies than I do with proponents of "creation science".

    Rob
     
    #15 Deacon, Nov 20, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 20, 2013
  16. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    The porblem is science and its interpretive measures are always changing. God's word never does. If what we observe is in contradiction to scripture then we need to reconsider what we "think" we observe.

    Eternal truths can never be obtained by "observing" anything through science. It can only be obtained through God's eternal words.

    And any view other than a literal understanding of Genesis is heresy.
     
  17. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    Hog wash Rev... even Paul uses allegory to interpret Genesis at times.

    Rob
     
  18. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    That's my and your thoughts. Well maybe yours, I don't know about mine.:)
     
  19. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    #19 quantumfaith, Nov 20, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 20, 2013
  20. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
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