Re: Sin & Evolution

Graham E. Morbey wrote:
>
> Hi Samantha,
>
> A very recent and excellent book is George Murphy's "The Cosmos in the
> Light of the Cross". His book is easy to read and covers all the
> questions listed in your email.
>
> Graham E. morbey
>
> Samantha Gore wrote:
> > Hi, I'm a beginner here but I wonder if anyone can help with my
> > question. I've been reading lots of articles about how evolution doesn't
> > contradict God's agency in creation, but I can't find much about how sin
> > and salvation fits in. Can anyone point me to any books or articles
> > that address this topic? And if we are God's representatives on earth,
> > and Christ died as a human to redeem not just us but all of
> > creation, that implies to me that we are the end of the evolutionary
> > chain - is that compatible with evolutionary theory or does it
> > contradict our significance? Regards, Samantha

        Thanks to Graham for his kind words. As an immediate answer to Samantha's
question, I would say that it in not simply humanity but humanity indwelt by God - i.e.,
the Incarnation - that is the goal of creation. The first chapters of Ephesians, and
especially 1:10, are important here. But this then calls our attention to the facts
that (1) it is not just Christ as an individual human but the Body of Christ as the new
humanity which is in view and that (2) God's purpose is not simply Christ or even the
church but (as 1:10 says) the gathering of "all things" in Christ. That must mean,
among other things, that humanity is to fulfill the vocation given it in Genesis of
caring for creation, including helping other species to have their appropriate
dignities.

                                                                Shalom,
                                                                George
           

-- 
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/