Re: [asa] Question for all the theistic evolutionists

No, I think it's right but it needs to be set out more fully. I was assuming that we were talking about entities (Neanderthals or whatever) who are able to understand & respond to the question "Do you wish to be baptized?" (or a corresponding question for parents of an infant). I.e., I was indeed assuming that the entity in question be able "to respond to evangelism." (Which of course includes the possibility of responding negatively. What's at issue here isn't whether he/she would in fact be baptized, as if that determined his/her humanity.)

Shalom
George
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Jack
  To: Bill Hamilton ; George Murphy ; David Opderbeck ; John Burgeson (Burgy)
  Cc: asa@calvin.edu
  Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 8:54 AM
  Subject: Re: [asa] Question for all the theistic evolutionists

  So that must not be the correct test then.
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Bill Hamilton
    To: George Murphy ; David Opderbeck ; John Burgeson (Burgy)
    Cc: asa@calvin.edu
    Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:22 AM
    Subject: Re: [asa] Question for all the theistic evolutionists

    George wrote

>I would suggest that the best operational way for Christians to pose the question about the status of such >entities [i.e. a Neanderthal somehow found extant today] is "Is it appropriate to baptize them?"

    Interesting. What criteria would we use to decide whether it's appropriate to baptize them? One possible test would be if they respond to evangelism. But of course that would rule out infant baptism, which both George's and my denomination (EPC) practice.

    Bill Hamilton
    William E. Hamilton, Jr., Ph.D.
    248.652.4148 (home) 248.821.8156 (mobile)
    "...If God is for us, who is against us?" Rom 8:31

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Received on Sun Mar 25 15:25:12 2007