Re: questions about the descent of man

Travis -- I've had many of the same questions as you, and one book I've
found very helpful is "Perspectives on an Evolving Creation," edited by a
frequent participant on this list, Keith Miller. Another book I've found
interesting, though I think many on this list would point out some problems
with it, is Hugh Ross and Fuzz Rana's "Who Was Adam". Miller's book
presents a number of essay's from a theistic evolution perspective, and
Ross/Rana's book is an effort at a concordist harmonization. You can also
find interesting articles from various perspectives on the ASA website,
http://www.asa3.org.

On 6/1/06, Travis Marler <tmarler@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I guess first I should introduce myself. I'm Travis. Hi. :) Okay, I'm an
> aspiring theologian and Biblical scholar first, but I have a drive for
> understanding the world around me and integrating Christian faith with
> other
> fields of study because "all things were created by him, and apart from
> him
> not one thing was created that has been created." (John 1:3) I believe
> that
> the author John understood completely what he was committing to when he
> wrote this: the Truth, but at times a confounding mystery full of apparent
> confutations and contradictions for humanity. I'm not a YEC, or an OEC, or
> a
> progressive creationist, or necessarily a theistic evolutionist. I just
> try
> to understand the world around me beneath some overarching theological
> principles- 1. God is Alpha and Omega, first and last, beginning and end;
> 2.
> God is both Creator and Redeemer, and I tend to believe the two are
> probably
> not completely distinct concepts, but are organically united in some way;
> 3.
> God likes to call light from darkness, bring order from chaos, and bring
> good from what was meant for evil; 4. God likes to work in process, just
> as
> His Word has come down to us in progressive revelation culminating in
> Christ.
>
> Okay...so that is basically where I'm coming from. :)
>
> I have a lot of honest questions about the descent of man, but don't know
> where to turn for answers. First of all, by what criteria do evolutionary
> scientists differentiate between human-like species? ie- what
> characteristics separate H. sapiens from H. erectus from Neanderthals,
> etc... How were those criteria decided upon? Is the criteria valid for
> separating human-like fossil remains into entirely different species? How
> many fossil remains do we have of the accepted different species? How do
> we
> date them? Among others...
>
> I know that these are questions that aren't going to be easily answered in
> an email. ;) Each subject could probably have a multitude of books written
> on it. But if anyone could provide some basic answers and then maybe
> direct
> me to some good books on the subject, I'd really appreciate it. :)
>
> Thanks!
> Travis Marler
>
>
>
Received on Thu Jun 1 11:38:15 2006