Denis wrote on 29 November
> On Wed, 29 Nov 1995, Russ Maatman wrote:
>
> > Russ Maatman wrote:
> >
> > >> the nonnegotiable position I take re evolution is that
> > human beings were created de novo.<<
> >
>
> Russ, I have always been puzzled by your category of "nonnegotiability."
> Can you briefly outline what epistemological/hermeneutic justification
> you have in making this distinction? For example, why to you consider
> the de novo creation of Adam and Eve nonnegotiable (Genesis 2), but
> you do not employ this category for the de novo creation as
> described in Gen 1? (I am assuming that you still maintain either an
> overlapping day-age or framework exegesis of the first chapter of God's
> Word. The Impact of Evolutionary Theory, p. 185)
>
> Many thanx.
>
> Blessings,
> Denis
First, you will certainly admit that all Christians consider certain
matters nonnegotiable. God is sovereign. God is one. God is the Creator.
Christ, the second person of the Trinity, became man. Christ died and
rose again so that he could be the redeemer of his people and, since
Creation had been polluted with sin, of Creation.
You have seen my book and so you have read why I insist that a human
being is not a body-plus-soul, but rather a body/soul, and that therefore
the creation of Adam and Eve was not the addition of a soul to a body. By
the way, I don't have any difficulty with holding that Genesis 1 describes
the creation of everything, including the human race, and that Genesis 2
gets down to particulars, especially with respect to human beings.
As I see it, the body/soul matter is (forgive the use of this word!)
nonnegotiable. From this (again, see my book) it follows that Adam and
Eve were created de novo.
Most of what I am saying is the historic, orthodox position of the
Christian church. Those who want to accept another idea ought, therefore,
to accept the burden of proof. (Example: those of us who think that the
earth is very old have had to present cogent biblical reasons why this
view is tenable.)
Well, Denis, we have been through some of this before! Good to talk to you.
In Christ,
Russ
--e-mail: rmaatman@dordt.edu Home address:Russell Maatman 401 Fifth Ave. SE Dordt College Sioux Center, Iowa 51250Sioux Center, Iowa 51250 Home phone: (712) 722-0421