On Sat, 26 Aug 1995 23:25:54 -0400 Glenn wrote:
[...]
Thanks to Glenn for the hominid information.
GM>I am sorry, but if all the above sounds like the work of
non-humans to
>you, then we must simply disagree.
Glenn is putting words into my mouth. I do not disagree that this is
the
work of humans. But whether they are *fully* human is another matter.
Is there any evidence of them speaking a complex language, farming and
building cities, which is a mark of post Gn 2 man.
On my Gn 1 and Gn 2 Adams hypothesis, pre Homo-sapiens hominids
such as Homo erectus and H. neanderthalis would have the image of God,
but not yet put to the test in Eden.
GM>We can tell everyone that there is no evidence of human religion
prior
>to the advent of Homo Sapiens, but this is strictly speaking not true.
I have never actually seen anyone deny this. I learned many years ago
from
Christian books that pre-Homo sapiens man buried his dead and appeared
to have religious sensibilities. For example in 1955 Ramm wrote:
"...evidence that fossil man had religious beliefs, are facts which
prove that fossil man is genuinely human....there is evidence of
religious life among the Neanderthals at 100,000 BC."
(Ramm B. "The Christian View of Science and Scripture", 1955,
Paternoster, London, p227).
GM>The views I have been advocating are the only
>way currently to actually explain these facts (as well as their great age)
>within a Biblical framework. Other views with which I am familiar either do
>not mention these things or assume that they must be due to non-humans. But
>do animals build dry-walls and bury their dead? I know of none. It is time
>for Christianity to consider a different approach to harmonizing Science with
>Scripture.
I do not agree that Glenn's interpretation is "the only way". I have
in fact
suggested another way of "harmonizing Science with Scripture", ie. by
interpreting Gn 1 Adam (Heb. "man") as different in time from Gn 2
Adam and Eve. This preserves the recency and uniqueness of modern
Homo sapiens, while recognises the emerging image of God in those
Homo fossil ancestors that evidence a religious and artistic life.
God bless.
Stephen
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