It is even much more than a population event. What can be used to define human? Language, death rituals, jewelry making, etc. There are many matrices, and I think they would have all overlapped in many groups/generations. For example, there is no first group that suddenly starting talking, teaching about what happens after death, started cooking classes and holding fashion shows, etc.
It is all easy to understand once one grasps the idea of ‘emergence.’ The barrier to understanding is holding on to the ancient (and wrong) ideas of special creation, I think.
This is where Lamoureux is ahead of the crowd trying to beat it into the brain “there is no Adam.” There are too many theologians, the majority, ignoring the issue or saying “maybe there is or maybe there isn’t,” and worst of all, those who say “it doesn’t matter.”
…Bernie
________________________________
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis Venema
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 2:52 PM
To: Gregory Arago; George Murphy; Dick Fischer
Cc: muzhogg@netspace.net.au; asa@lists.calvin.edu
Subject: Re: [asa] Re: Reading Genesis theologically NOT historically
Gregory,
The point (biologically) is that there is a first population, not a first individual. Your logic, if I understand it correctly, doesn’t hold. Speciation for humans was a population event, not via a single individual or pair, as far as we can tell.
Dennis
On 05/10/09 2:26 PM, "Gregory Arago" <gregoryarago@yahoo.ca> wrote:
George Murphy wrote: "Adam IS mankind."
If that is the case, George, and if you accept the logic *there must have been a first,* then do you accept that the 'first human' was ADAM, i.e. the first of 'mankind' or 'humanity'? If not, then why not? Are you a *degree, not kind* guy?
________________________________
From: George Murphy <GMURPHY10@neo.rr.com>
To: Dick Fischer <dickfischer@verizon.net>
Cc: dickfischer@verizon.net; muzhogg@netspace.net.au; asa@lists.calvin.edu
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 12:47:31 AM
Subject: Re: [asa] Re: Reading Genesis theologically NOT historically
When humankind (not just a single individual) is said to be created in the image & likeness of God in Gen.1:2, it's quite legitimate (IMO) to interpret the following words, "and let them [N.B.] have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thin that creeps upon the earth" (NRSV). I.e., humans are to be God's representatives in ruling the other creatures of the world. The word "emissary" is really too weak for this. But more importantly, there is no suggestion that oen human being is commissioned to be an emissary to other human beings. So the point remains, there is no canonical texts that says - ot implies - "that Adam was God’s emissary to mankind." Adam IS mankind.
Shalom
George
http://home.roadrunner.com/~scitheologyglm
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Received on Mon Oct 5 18:14:48 2009
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