Re: [asa] ORIGINS/BIBLE: Evolution, Adam, and Romans

n j wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm starting to lean heavily towards evolution, but it has some
> theological implications that I'm looking into. For example, many hold
> that Adam was not a literal person and that the account of the fall is
> symbolic of when humans began to have free choice, self-conciousness
> and became aware of morality. Understanding that they should act
> morally, however, they chose to behave otherwise. For those who hold
> this view, how do you account for Paul writing as if Adam was a
> historical person through whom sin entered the world -- Rom 5:12; 1
> Cor 15:22; 15:45?
>
> Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
>
I had just read & pondered that verse (Rom 5:12) myself, this
morning! Humility is an important ingredient also, in any of these
discussions -- which (for me) means acknowledging the probable
transience of my own currently settled position. --well summarized with
the glib bumper sticker: 'Never put a period where God has put a
comma.' As a Christian, though, I also cling to the faith that my
transient apprehension has as its subject a body of universal and
intransigent Truth.

On Romans 5:12, one of the problems with the traditional creationist
understanding of this verse is the insistence that it refer to physical
death. This would make a literal untruth of Gen. 2:17 (... in /that
day/ you shall surely die ...) In order to preserve the physical
interpretation of death here, the young-earth creationist would have to
budge away from the literal 24 hour meaning of 'day' which, it seems to
me, would be an inconsistency. Paul & his contemporaries would have
been aware of the fact that the Adam, in their literal understanding of
him, obviously did not physically die that same day. So either Paul
didn't take 'day' in a modern literal 24-hour sense in that passage, or
he must have thought of this death as being a different (& more serious)
kind -- i.e. perhaps what we call spiritual death.

This understanding may not answer all objections that could be raised
from scripture, so welcome to the wrestling match! I've found this
site & its participants to be helpful (it helps to have a thick
skin). It is a great place to lurk and learn.

--merv

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Received on Tue Jan 2 10:15:11 2007