Re: [asa] Homeschool science curricula

Hi, Jack,

I don't know if the following thoughts might be a helpful way of looking at
the problem of death before the fall that clearly would pose a problem for
your friends.

I was reading the other day the old-fashioned commentary on the Bible by
Matthew Henry (dating I think from sometime in the 18th Century). You can
easily find it by Googling. Henry writes strictly from a young earth
perspective - the commentary on Genesis 2 has the date written at the top as
4004 BC. However, Henry has some interesting observations on the creation
of Adam; that his body is made out of the most base material possible, ie
"dust", but to complete His Creation, God fills him with something much
higher - His own breath, breathing the Breath of Life into Adam's nostrils.
This seems to imply that something extra is given here, not present in
ordinary animals, because God breathed on Adam. Then (it occurred to me)
that following the Fall, God says to Adam "For dust you are and to dust you
shall return", implying that the special nature - the spiritual nature
imparted by God breathing into Adam, had been lost, and he now was no more
than a pile of animated dust - his immortal soul was lost, and his
(inevitable) physical death would really be the end. Therefore, it would
seem to me that these early accounts point to a spiritual death coming about
because of the Fall.

Just a thought, anyway.

Iain

On 11/10/06, jack syme <drsyme@cablespeed.com> wrote:
>
> I received this email from a friend of mine, who has organized a tutorial
> in
> science, math and other subjects, for homeschooled children in grades 9 -
> 12.
>
> Can anyone help me help him? Does anyone know of any good web sites that
> have mp3's that concisely explain non literal creation views? He is more
> interested in hermaneutics than scientific evidence.
>
>
> > Jack
> > I hope you are doing well. We got the below email from one of the
> > parent's in our tutorial. I immediately thought of you. The family that
> > sent
> > it are an excellent family and easy to work with. They are well educated
> > and
> > always a delight to talk to. I am curious to hear how you would respond
> to
> > the points made below about the poetic view of the creation account. I
> > know
> > you disagree, but how would you respond to the theological arguments ?
> > Is there a website that has mp3 files that can explain your view from a
> > hermeneutic perspective (not scientific perspective - I only have time
> > right
> > now to analyze the hermeneutic issues). I have an ipod and would like to
> > listen to one or two in the car.
>
>
> This is the email that he is referring to:
> >
> > There is one more item I wanted to bring up. I am coming to you and
> not
> > the teacher because what was taught was taught to the whole class and as
> > part of the curriculum. In other words, if the matter was a private
> > issue,
> > simply a disagreement with teaching style or classroom dynamics, I would
> > go
> > directly to the teacher. Rather, this is a issue of curriculum content
> > and
> > therefore, to my understanding, under your auspices. My children have
> > told
> > me that the teacher taught them today that she does not hold to a six
> day
> > creation viewpoint. From what I gather from them, she believes a form of
> > the
> > framework hypothesis. She told them that she believed that Genesis is a
> > "poetic" book and that the Genesis account was not necessarily literal.
> > She
> > said that each day could be viewed as being eons - defined as an
> > unspecified
> > amount of time. I am coming to you because this may be something of
> which
> > you are aware and you may be at ease with. I apologize that I did not
> > specifically address this in our interviews. I assumed a six day
> literal
> > creation viewpoint since we were using Wile's book and that, to my
> > understanding, is his view.
> >
> > In the opinion of my husband and me, the ramifications of this
> > point of view are myriad. I am especially concerned that it undermines
> > the
> > authority of God and His Word and the very Gospel. If man was created
> over
> > eons of time, was there death before the Fall? If so, then death was not
> > as
> > a result of the sin of the federal head, Adam, and therefore, we are not
> > under its curse. If we do not die because we are under the curse, we
> have
> > no need of a Savior. See what I mean? The Genesis account is a
> > paradigm
> > for marriage, dominion of the earth, and other foundational issues
> > including our view of the nature of man and our need for redemption.
> > Carey
> > questioned her in class about the effect this view has on our being
> > specially created in God's image and our being given souls, if as she
> > believes, these matters are simply poetic.
> >
> > I am grateful that my children have discussed this with Mike and me
> (it
> > was the first thing out their mouths when we got in the car) and we are
> > aware now that we will need to counter these views in our instruction.
> In
> > many ways it will be good for my kids to have to deal with the opposing
> > views of creation. I did want to bring this up, however, in case this
> was
> > not what you understood to be the perspective in the science class and
> > were
> > concerned for the rest of the students.
> >
> > I know many godly Christian brothers and sisters who hold to similar
> > views as the teacher. I do not want you to think I am in any way
> > questioning
> > her character or her faith. I am sure you would not have hired her if
> you
> > did not believe she was a godly woman. On your testimony, I have every
> > confidence that she is. I simply believe she holds to a serious error
> and
> > sadly, she has influence to spread that error to vulnerable students who
> > are
> > trusting that they are hearing the truth. It is my opinion that this
> error
> > is insidious. If we allow Satan to undermine the authority of God in
> the
> > Genesis account by relegating it to being "poetic" why stop with
> Genesis?
> >
> > My husband and I are happy to meet with y'all to discuss this
> further.
> > My children are very concerned that they not be seen as the source of
> this
> > information. They want to have a good relationship with their teacher.
> > We
> > have every intention of keeping them in the class; we will simply
> > instruct
> > them counter to that teaching at home. Like I said, I am not sure
> whether
> > this is the view of the school or not, therefore, you may not feel the
> > need
> > to do anything. If that is the case, like I said, we will keep the kids
> in
> > the class and handle this at home. In case it was not the view of the
> > school, we wanted to let you know.
> >
> > Thank you both so much for all you do to make this school available
> to
> > my children. We are very happy here and hope that we are an asset to
> the
> > school. Please take this concern as just that. As Christian brothers
> and
> > sisters, there is no issue that should not be able to be discussed
> gently
> > and kindly in light of the authority of God's Word and in love. I hope
> I
> > have succeeded in communicating in that spirit.
> >
> >
>
>
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