Creation And Evolution Session 4

CreationCreation and EvolutionEvolution #4#4

What do What do ScienceScience and the and the BibleBible say about say about Human Human

Origins?Origins?

AdamAdam and Eveand EveThere has long been a There has long been a generalgeneral consensusconsensus among Christians thatamong Christians that

1. Adam and Eve were the first human beings, 1. Adam and Eve were the first human beings, (today)(today)

2. there is something unique about them, 2. there is something unique about them, (next week)(next week)

AdamAdam and Eveand Eve

But…But…

4. all human beings have (somehow) inherited 4. all human beings have (somehow) inherited sin and death from them sin and death from them (in two weeks).(in two weeks).

3. all human beings are biological descendents 3. all human beings are biological descendents of them of them (today?),(today?), and and

Genesis and ScienceGenesis and Science• If, as Genesis 4 suggests, Adam and Eve If, as Genesis 4 suggests, Adam and Eve lived lived 10,000 years ago10,000 years ago, what do we make of , what do we make of skeletal skeletal remains of remains of more ancient hominids?more ancient hominids? • If there are great If there are great genetic similaritiesgenetic similarities between human beings and animals, what between human beings and animals, what makes human beings makes human beings unique?unique?• Given the diversity found in the human Given the diversity found in the human gene pool, is it possible that gene pool, is it possible that allall human human beings beings descendeddescended from them?from them?

Genesis and ScienceGenesis and Science

• Beside inheriting Beside inheriting physical traitsphysical traits from them, from them, how is it that we inherit how is it that we inherit moral deficienciesmoral deficiencies from them too? In that connection…from them too? In that connection… When did When did deathdeath become a reality— become a reality—

beforebefore Adam & Eve’s sin or Adam & Eve’s sin or afterafter?? And And waswas there a there a Fall--Fall--or was there a or was there a goalgoal not reached? not reached?

Questions raised by Questions raised by reading Genesis 1 – 4reading Genesis 1 – 4

Was creation completed inWas creation completed in six six days or in days or in oneone??And there was evening and there was And there was evening and there was morning—the morning—the first/sixthfirst/sixth day. day. Gen. 1:5 etc.Gen. 1:5 etc.

On theOn the dayday when the Lord God made the when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens….earth and the heavens…. Gen. 2:4 Gen. 2:4 KJV, NKJV, Am. Stand. V, NASV, RSV, NRSV, Amp. KJV, NKJV, Am. Stand. V, NASV, RSV, NRSV, Amp. Bible, Young’s Lit. Trans., Darby Trans. New Life V.Bible, Young’s Lit. Trans., Darby Trans. New Life V.

WhenWhen the Lord God made… the Lord God made… NIV, NJB, NEB, NLB, NIV, NJB, NEB, NLB, NCB, Holman Chr. St. BNCB, Holman Chr. St. B

Questions raised by reading Questions raised by reading Genesis 1 - 4Genesis 1 - 4

Ambiguity in the sequencesequence of created events?

Heavens, earth, waters (vv. 1-2) Light (v.3) Sky (vv. 6-8) Dry land (vv. 9-10) Dry land, rivers (vv. 5-6) Plants (vv. 11-12) Man (vv. 7) Sun, moon, stars (vv. 14-17) Plants (vv. 8-9)* Sea creatures & birds (20-21) Land animals, birds v19* Land animals (vv. 24-25) Woman (vv. 20-22) Human beings (vv. 26-27)

Genesis 1:1-2:3Genesis 1:1-2:3 Genesis 2:4-25Genesis 2:4-25

*Of all the translations previously mentioned, only the NIV *Of all the translations previously mentioned, only the NIV writes, writes, Now the Lord Now the Lord hadhad planted a garden… planted a garden… same w/ v19same w/ v19

Questions raised by Questions raised by reading Genesis 1 - 4reading Genesis 1 - 4

Who was Cain’s wife—Gen. 4:17?Who was Cain’s wife—Gen. 4:17?

Who were those people Cain feared would kill Who were those people Cain feared would kill him—Gen. 4:14?him—Gen. 4:14?

Why weren’t Adam and Eve surprised that a Why weren’t Adam and Eve surprised that a snake could talk?snake could talk?

Did snakes walk upright before they were Did snakes walk upright before they were cursed to “cursed to “crawl on their bellies…?crawl on their bellies…?

Questions regarding the Questions regarding the sequences of Creationsequences of Creation

Gen. 1:1-2:3Gen. 1:1-2:3 Gen. 2:4-25 Gen. 2:4-25 Modern ScienceModern Science

Heavens, earth, waterHeavens, earth, water Matter, energy, space, time 13.7b LightLight Stars 13.5b

Sky Sun 4.6 b

Dry land Dry land, rivers Moon, earth, dry land

Seed-bearing plants Oceans 4-4.5b

Trees bearing fruit Man Single-celled life 3.8b

Sun, moon, stars Multi-celled life 1-2b

Sea creatures Plants Various sea creatures including early fish

520m

Questions regarding the Questions regarding the sequences of Creationsequences of Creation

Gen. 1:1-2:3Gen. 1:1-2:3 Gen. 2:4-25 Gen. 2:4-25 Modern Science Modern Science

Non-seed bearing plants on dry land 450

Land animals Land animals 380m

Seed-bearing plants 370m

Insects 350m Dinosaurs 230m

Mammals 200m Birds Birds Birds 150m

Land animals Fruit-bearing plants 130m

Men & women Woman Men & women

Terms to keep straight!Terms to keep straight!

From: From: wikipediawikipedia

SapiensSapiens

HomoHomo

HominidaeHominidae

PrimatesPrimates

MammalliaMammallia

ChordataChordata

AnimaliaAnimalia

HominidsHominids vs vs pongidspongids (apes) (apes)• Bipedal locomotionBipedal locomotion• Reduced canine teethReduced canine teeth• Larger brainsLarger brains• Smaller arm/leg ratiosSmaller arm/leg ratios

Australopithecus Australopithecus africanus 3.5myaafricanus 3.5mya

Homo habilis 2.4 myaHomo habilis 2.4 mya

Homo sapiensHomo sapiens

Homo erectus Homo erectus 1.8 mya 1.8 mya

Australopithecus afarensis Australopithecus afarensis 3.8 mya 3.8 mya

Hominid Hominid genera and genera and speciesspecies

Adam and Eve were the Adam and Eve were the first human beingsfirst human beings

According to According to Genesis 4Genesis 4, Cain “, Cain “worked the worked the soilsoil”” and “ and “brought some of the fruit of the brought some of the fruit of the

soil as an offering to the Lord.soil as an offering to the Lord.””

That suggests that Cain was a That suggests that Cain was a farmerfarmer..

The next 5 slides contain words and ideas from “The Antiquity and The next 5 slides contain words and ideas from “The Antiquity and the Unity of the Human Race Revisited,” Davis A. Young. the Unity of the Human Race Revisited,” Davis A. Young. Christian Christian Scholar’s ReviewScholar’s Review XXIV:4 XXIV:4


Abel “Abel “kept flockskept flocks”” and “ and “brought fat brought fat portions portions from some of the firstborn of his from some of the firstborn of his flock.flock.”” That suggests that Abel was a That suggests that Abel was a shepherdshepherd..


After Cain killed Abel, he fathered a son, After Cain killed Abel, he fathered a son, Enoch, who built a Enoch, who built a citycity. .

Within a few generations, people were Within a few generations, people were playing playing musical instrumentsmusical instruments and forging and forging toolstools out of bronze and iron. —Gen. 4:21-22 out of bronze and iron. —Gen. 4:21-22


According to studies in paleoanthropology, According to studies in paleoanthropology, the the domestication of animalsdomestication of animals and the and the

cultivation of cropscultivation of crops first occurred during first occurred during the Neolithic Age, around the Neolithic Age, around 7500 B.C.7500 B.C.If, as Gen. 4 suggests, Cain was a If, as Gen. 4 suggests, Cain was a farmerfarmer and and

Abel a Abel a shepherdshepherd, , their parents, Adam and their parents, Adam and Eve, must have lived no earlier than Eve, must have lived no earlier than 8000 8000 B.C.,B.C., or some or some 10,00010,000 years ago. years ago.


Scientists have found fossils of hominidshominids going back 3,800,000 years3,800,000 years and of modern- looking humans going back at least 40,000 years40,000 years.

If again, as Genesis 1-4 suggests, Adam and If again, as Genesis 1-4 suggests, Adam and Eve lived some Eve lived some 10,00010,000 years ago, in what years ago, in what sense are they the sense are they the firstfirst human beings? human beings?

Homo sapienHomo sapien fossils dated to be fossils dated to be 12,000 years 12,000 years old old have been found in the Americas.have been found in the Americas.

Where didWhere did Adam & Eve come Adam & Eve come from?from?

1.1. GeneticistsGeneticists have found that human genes have found that human genes are are very similar to very similar to chimpanzeechimpanzee genes, a genes, a

little little less similar to other less similar to other apesapes, less , less similar similar to to dogsdogs and other and other mammalsmammals and still and still less less similar to similar to reptilesreptiles and and birdsbirds. .

This pattern of This pattern of nested similaritynested similarity matches the matches the prediction that humans share a prediction that humans share a common common

ancestryancestry with other animals. with other animals.


2. Genomic organization:2. Genomic organization: Humans and chimps Humans and chimps each have about each have about 30,000 genes30,000 genes. These genes . These genes are arranged on chromosomes. Humans have are arranged on chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs23 pairs while chimps and other apes have while chimps and other apes have 2424 pairspairs of chromosomes. of chromosomes.

Human chromosome Human chromosome #2#2 is the oddball. It is the oddball. It matches up extremely well, however, with matches up extremely well, however, with chimp chromosomes chimp chromosomes #2a#2a and and #2b#2b when when those two are fused end-to-end. those two are fused end-to-end.

(cf. F. Collins (cf. F. Collins 137)137)


It is suggested that a It is suggested that a common ancestorcommon ancestor had had 24 pairs24 pairs of chromosomes and that, at some of chromosomes and that, at some point toward the evolution of humans, point toward the evolution of humans, two two pairspairs fused together. fused together.


3. Introns3. Introns are sections of DNA that do not code are sections of DNA that do not code for protein manufacture. Mutations in for protein manufacture. Mutations in

introns almost never have an effect on the introns almost never have an effect on the organism’s survival or function. organism’s survival or function. If genes in different species were similar to If genes in different species were similar to each other only because they share a each other only because they share a common functioncommon function, rather than share a , rather than share a common ancestrycommon ancestry, there would be no , there would be no particular reason why the particular reason why the intronsintrons are similar. are similar.


4. Pseudogenes 4. Pseudogenes are genes made are genes made non-functionalnon-functional by mutation.by mutation. • Vitamin CVitamin C genegene in chimps & apes in chimps & apes• Sweet receptorSweet receptor genegene in lions, tigers, in lions, tigers, house cats, etc. house cats, etc.

““The study of genomes leads inexorably to the The study of genomes leads inexorably to the conclusion that we humans share a common conclusion that we humans share a common ancestor with other living things.” ancestor with other living things.”

Francis S. Collins, Francis S. Collins, The The Language of God,Language of God, 133-4 133-4

Adam and Eve and Adam and Eve and the the Christian Reformed Christian Reformed

ChurchChurchIn 1991 a In 1991 a Committee on Creation and ScienceCommittee on Creation and Science

presented its report and its recommendation presented its report and its recommendation to the Synod of the CRC.to the Synod of the CRC.

Synod adopted 5 declarations “as affirmations Synod adopted 5 declarations “as affirmations that add nothing new to the church’s confes-that add nothing new to the church’s confes-sions but simply articulate in the context of sions but simply articulate in the context of the present debate what is central to the the present debate what is central to the

church’s confessions on these matters. church’s confessions on these matters.


ChurchChurchThe The majoritymajority of the study committee also of the study committee also recommended that synod say recommended that synod say nothingnothing about about human evolution,human evolution, arguing that much arguing that much research still remained to be done here and research still remained to be done here and that the church should not bind the that the church should not bind the consciences of its members beyond what is consciences of its members beyond what is the the clearclear and and indubitableindubitable teaching of teaching of Scripture and the creeds.Scripture and the creeds.


ChurchChurch

F. The church declares, moreover, that the F. The church declares, moreover, that the clearclear teaching of Scripture and of our teaching of Scripture and of our confessions on the uniqueness of human confessions on the uniqueness of human beings as image bearers of God beings as image bearers of God rules outrules out the the espousal of all theorizing that posits the espousal of all theorizing that posits the reality of evolutionary forebears of the reality of evolutionary forebears of the human race.human race.

A A minorityminority of the study committee, however, of the study committee, however, proposed a proposed a sixthsixth declaration: declaration:


ChurchChurch

This declaration was adopted.This declaration was adopted.

A note was added to it stating, “A note was added to it stating, “of courseof course, , private research, theorizing, and discussion private research, theorizing, and discussion are not addressed by this declaration.”are not addressed by this declaration.”

The next morning, Synod added a further The next morning, Synod added a further note: note: “Declaration F is “Declaration F is not intendednot intended and and may may not be not be used to limitused to limit further investigation and further investigation and

discussion on the origin of humanity.”discussion on the origin of humanity.”

????????

Are we all descendents of Are we all descendents of Adam and Eve?Adam and Eve?

An An alleleallele is one of several different codes a is one of several different codes a gene might have. An organism has two copies gene might have. An organism has two copies

of most genes, one from its father, one from of most genes, one from its father, one from its mother.its mother.

If the two copies are If the two copies are identicalidentical (two genes for (two genes for brown-colored eyes), the organism is said to brown-colored eyes), the organism is said to have a have a single allelesingle allele for that gene. for that gene.

If the two copies are If the two copies are differentdifferent, it is said to , it is said to have have two allelestwo alleles for that gene. for that gene.


If an If an entire speciesentire species had descended from a had descended from a single pairsingle pair of animals in the recent past, the of animals in the recent past, the

genetic diversity within the species should genetic diversity within the species should be be limited (4? 5-6 because of mutations?). limited (4? 5-6 because of mutations?). In the human population, some genes are In the human population, some genes are highly diverse, having more than highly diverse, having more than 150 alleles.150 alleles.


Assuming that natural mutation rates in the Assuming that natural mutation rates in the past are similar to those in the present, this past are similar to those in the present, this number is number is far greaterfar greater than expected if all than expected if all humans descended from a humans descended from a single pairsingle pair that that lived only lived only 10,000 years ago.10,000 years ago.

Population geneticists suggest that the Population geneticists suggest that the ancestors of humans were at a minimum ancestors of humans were at a minimum number about number about 150,000 years ago.150,000 years ago.


This minimum number was This minimum number was 10,000—100,00010,000—100,000 individuals. They lived in Africa.individuals. They lived in Africa.

It is suggested further that the human It is suggested further that the human population spread into Europe and Asia, then population spread into Europe and Asia, then to Australia and the Pacific islands, and finally to Australia and the Pacific islands, and finally to the Americas around to the Americas around 12,000 years ago.12,000 years ago.

Adam and Eve:Adam and Eve: So, who are they?So, who are they?

RecentRecent ancestorsancestors

Recent Recent representativesrepresentativesA pair of ancient ancestorsA pair of ancient ancestors

A group of ancient representativesA group of ancient representatives

SymbolsSymbols

Adam and Eve: Adam and Eve: So, who are they?So, who are they?

RecentRecent ancestors: ancestors: Adam & Eve were specially Adam & Eve were specially created about created about 10,00010,000 years ago and were years ago and were

the first humans. All humans today have the first humans. All humans today have descended from them, inheriting their sinful descended from them, inheriting their sinful

status.status.


Recent representatives: Recent representatives: God created humans God created humans about about 150,000 150,000 years ago using progressive years ago using progressive or evolutionary creation, and God specially or evolutionary creation, and God specially

selected a pair of humans about selected a pair of humans about 10,000 10,000 years ago to act as humanity’s years ago to act as humanity’s representativerepresentative. They chose to sin and their . They chose to sin and their sinful status was applied to all humans. sinful status was applied to all humans.


A pair of ancient ancestors: A pair of ancient ancestors: God used natural God used natural mechanisms to create pre-human mechanisms to create pre-human hominidshominids; ; then about then about 150,000 150,000 years ago God years ago God miraculously modified a pair of them into the miraculously modified a pair of them into the first humans, Adam and Eve. They became a first humans, Adam and Eve. They became a separate species and are separate species and are notnot descended from descended from other other hominidshominids. All humans . All humans today have today have descended from this pair. descended from this pair.

Variation: Variation: A A groupgroup of ancient ancestors of ancient ancestors


A group of ancient representatives: A group of ancient representatives: God God created humans about created humans about 150,000 150,000 years ago years ago using evolutionary creation, and God using evolutionary creation, and God specially selected a specially selected a particular groupparticular group and and revealed himselfrevealed himself to them. They chose to sin to them. They chose to sin and their sinful status was applied to all and their sinful status was applied to all humans. humans.

Adam and Eve: Adam and Eve: So,So, who are they?who are they?

SymbolsSymbols: : God created humans about God created humans about 150,000 150,000 years ago using evolutionary creation. No years ago using evolutionary creation. No particular particular single eventsingle event occurred where all occurred where all humans fell into sin at the same time, but humans fell into sin at the same time, but many eventsmany events happened where various happened where various individuals and groups rebelled against God.individuals and groups rebelled against God.

Creation And Evolution Session 4

Spiritual

Transcript of Creation And Evolution Session 4