Re: A reaction to ID

Michael Roberts wrote:
> I have long reckoned that the most important issue was the vast age of the
> earth and universe and that evolution is a secondary issue.

George Murphy commented:
\..........................
I can't see that at all. The age of the earth & universe is a minor
theological issue, at least once you get past the notion that early Genesis
is a notebook of scientific observations. Evolution, & especially human
evolution, raises very important questions about theological anthropology.

Ted replies:
I understand George's point, and the third sentence is surely true. However
I also agree with Michael's point, even more than I agree w/George's. In my
essay in Keith Miller's volume, "Perspectives on an Evolving Creation," I do
a few times point out that death before the fall is *the crucial*
theological issue for YECs, it is that issue that accounts for the YE part
of their position. It is absolutely not "a minor theological issue" for
them. It isn't driven by their commitment to seeing science in Genesis as
much as it is by their commitment to a certain view of the character of God,
the view that utterly rejects George's view about the theology of the cross.

One can (like Harry Rimmer) be a biblical literalist and accept death before
the fall; Rimmer was a gap theory advocate. One can (like Hugh Ross)
*claim* to be a biblical literalist (in the sense that an "eon" is one of
the meanings of the Hebrew word "yom") and accept long creation days and
death before the fall. But one can't be a YEC and accept death before the
fall--that's like being an atheist and believing in God.

ted
Received on Tue Mar 1 03:01:25 2005