RE: [asa] Saving Darwin: What theological changes are required?

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008, Jon Tandy wrote:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
> Behalf Of gordon brown
> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 9:00 PM
> To: asa@calvin.edu
> Subject: Re: [asa] Saving Darwin: What theological changes are required?
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> The Old Testament writers did not teach their cosmology since it would have
> been assumed that their readers already accepted it, but they used it in the
> process of making other points that transcended any particular cosmology.
> This is what we have been calling accommodation. I think it would be harder
> to make the same sort of conclusion about Paul's writing if his argument
> depends on something you consider to be in error.
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> Gordon Brown (ASA member)
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> By the same token, we could take your statement about the OT writers and
> apply it to Paul. "Paul did not teach his views on anthropology since it
> would have been assumed that his readers already accepted it, but he used it
> in the process of making other points that transcended any particular
> anthropology." If the OT writers' cosmology was in error (as compared with
> modern scientific standards), and if Paul's anthropology was also in error
> (compared with the same standards), then I don't see the difference. Either
> both or neither (or perhaps, one or the other) can be accepted as
> accommodations, through which the Holy Spirit is still able to teach
> transcendent truth.
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> This doesn't mean that we have to capitulate the whole theological tradition
> of Christianity, or accept modern science and materialist presuppositions
> entirely, but there doesn't seem to be a good justification for accepting
> accommodation in one case and rejecting it in the other without other
> considerations coming into to play.
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> Jon Tandy
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I see a contrast where you don't. OT writers in praising God for His
wonderful creation use ancient cosmology to describe the universe. This
doesn't weaken the point that they are making. On the other hand, Paul's
discussion in Rom. 5:12-19 loses a lot of force if sin did not enter
through one individual person.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Wed Jun 11 16:39:32 2008