Creation and Evolution Creation and Evolution #5#5

What do Science and the What do Science and the Bible say about Human Bible say about Human

Origins?Origins?

Human OriginsHuman OriginsThen God said, Then God said, Let us make human beings in Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.move along the ground.

1.1. There is a There is a resemblanceresemblance between us and between us and God—what precisely is it?God—what precisely is it?

2.2. We were given a We were given a delegated authoritydelegated authority to rule to rule over creation—stewardshipover creation—stewardship

Human OriginsHuman OriginsSo God created human beings in his own So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.male and female he created them.God blessed them and said to them, God blessed them and said to them, Be Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.and subdue it.

3.3. We were We were givengiven lifelife and the ability to and the ability to passpass that life on.that life on.

Human OriginsHuman OriginsThen the Then the LORDLORD God formed a man from the God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 became a living being. Genesis 2:7

4.4. We came from theWe came from the groundground and were given and were given thethe breath of life.breath of life. bodybody andand soulsoul distinction/combinationdistinction/combination

Human OriginsHuman Origins

And the And the LORDLORD God commanded the man, God commanded the man, You You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the but of the tree of the knowledge of good and knowledge of good and

evilevil you shall not eat…you shall not eat…

And the And the LORDLORD God planted a garden in Eden, in God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. had formed.

5.5. We have We have freedom of choice.freedom of choice. We have a We have a conscience.conscience. We are We are moral creaturesmoral creatures..

Human OriginsHuman OriginsThe The LORDLORD God said, God said, It is not good that the man It is not good that the man

should be alone; I will make a helper as his should be alone; I will make a helper as his partner.partner.

So out of the ground the So out of the ground the LORDLORD God formed God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the every animal of the field and every bird of the

air, and brought them to the man…air, and brought them to the man…

but for the man there was not found a helper but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. as his partner.

Human OriginsHuman OriginsSo the So the LORDLORD God caused a deep sleep to fall God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs…and from it he made a one of his ribs…and from it he made a woman and brought her to the man. woman and brought her to the man.

Then the man said, Then the man said, This at last is bone of my This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be

called Woman, for out of Man this one was called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.taken.

6.6. We are We are social beings;social beings; we need others like we need others like ourselves to make us fully human.ourselves to make us fully human.

Human OriginsHuman Origins1.1. There is a There is a resemblanceresemblance between us and God between us and God —what precisely is it?—what precisely is it?

2.2. We were given a We were given a delegated authoritydelegated authority to rule to rule over creation—stewardshipover creation—stewardship

3.3. We were We were given lifegiven life and the ability to and the ability to pass that pass that life on.life on.

Human OriginsHuman Origins4.4. We came from theWe came from the groundground and were given the and were given the

breath of life.breath of life. bodybody andand soulsoul distinction/combinationdistinction/combination

5.5. We have We have freedom of choice.freedom of choice. We have a We have a conscienceconscience..

We are We are moral creaturesmoral creatures..

6.6. We are We are social beings;social beings; we need others like we need others like ourselves to make us fully human.ourselves to make us fully human.

Questions evolution raises:Questions evolution raises:1.1. What What makesmakes us human beings unique? us human beings unique?

2.2. How did we How did we becomebecome unique? unique?

4.4. When did When did deathdeath become a reality? become a reality?

5.5. Was there a Was there a FallFall—or—or was there a was there a goalgoal not not reached?reached?

• What does the evidence of so much earlyWhat does the evidence of so much earlydeath say about the character of God?death say about the character of God?

3. What about What about miraclesmiracles? How does (can?) ? How does (can?) God intervene in an evolutionary process?God intervene in an evolutionary process?

What makes us unique?What makes us unique?A.A. We areWe are image bearers of Godimage bearers of God..

What does that mean? What does that mean?

1.1. We have greater We have greater mentalmental and and socialsocial abilities abilities than other creatures.than other creatures.

2.2. We alone have a We alone have a personal relationshippersonal relationship with with God.God.

3.3. We have been We have been commissionedcommissioned by God to be by God to be the stewards of his creation.the stewards of his creation.

What makes us unique?What makes us unique?B. WeB. We areare material beingsmaterial beings who who havehave a a soulsoul..

What What isis the soul? the soul?• The The centercenter of the self, the essential core of the self, the essential core of who we are.of who we are.

• That “That “placeplace” where we experience ” where we experience consciousness, emotions. =our minds? consciousness, emotions. =our minds?

• That part of us that is That part of us that is openopen to God, to to God, to other people and to the world around us.other people and to the world around us.

Love the Love the LORDLORD your God with all your your God with all your heart,heart, and and with all your with all your soulsoul and with all your and with all your strengthstrength..

What makes us unique?What makes us unique?How are the body and the soul related?How are the body and the soul related?

1.1. The body and the soul are The body and the soul are two different two different substancessubstances, one material and one immaterial, , one material and one immaterial, conjoined by God to make one person.conjoined by God to make one person.

2.2. The body is material and the soul is The body is material and the soul is immaterial but they should immaterial but they should notnot be thought of be thought of as two different substances. The soul as two different substances. The soul organizesorganizes and and empowersempowers the body, endowing the body, endowing it with it with essential human characteristics. essential human characteristics.

What makes us unique?What makes us unique?3.3. Our Our bodiesbodies, in particular the functioning of , in particular the functioning of

our brains, our brains, give risegive rise toto allall of our mental of our mental abilities, including our capacity to have abilities, including our capacity to have personal personal relationship with other humans relationship with other humans and and with God.with God.

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?1.1. Souls are Souls are addedadded to our bodies at ________. to our bodies at ________.• Souls are Souls are pre-existentpre-existent [Origen, Mormons (?)] [Origen, Mormons (?)]• Souls are Souls are individually createdindividually created for each for each person.person.• Souls are Souls are sexually passedsexually passed. .

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?2.2. Souls Souls emergeemerge from our bodies from our bodies

a.a. This could mean that our souls are This could mean that our souls are merely merely by-productsby-products of organic chemistry of organic chemistry

‘‘You,’ your joys and your sorrows, your You,’ your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your memories and your ambitions, your sense sense of identity and free will, are in of identity and free will, are in fact no fact no more than the behavior of a vast more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules.associated molecules. -Francis Crick -Francis Crick

The soul? “Good riddance!” –Richard DawkinsThe soul? “Good riddance!” –Richard Dawkins

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?2.2. Souls Souls emergeemerge from our bodies from our bodies

b.b. This could mean that a This could mean that a new entitynew entity called called soulsoul comes into being. comes into being.

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?

b. b. Property emergence:Property emergence: When aggregates of When aggregates of material particles attain an appropriate material particles attain an appropriate level level of organizational complexity, of organizational complexity, genuinely novel genuinely novel propertiesproperties emerge in these emerge in these complex complex systems.systems.

a.a. Ontological physicalism Ontological physicalism:: All that exists in All that exists in the space-time world are the basic particles the space-time world are the basic particles recognized by physics.recognized by physics.

The theory of The theory of emergent complexities:emergent complexities:

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?c. c. The irreducibility of the emergence:The irreducibility of the emergence: Emergent properties are Emergent properties are irreducible to,irreducible to, and and unpredictable from,unpredictable from, the lower-level the lower-level phenomena from which they emerge. (The phenomena from which they emerge. (The whole is always irreducibly complex.)whole is always irreducibly complex.)d. d. Downward causation:Downward causation: Higher-level entities Higher-level entities causally affect their lower-level constituents. causally affect their lower-level constituents.

from from The Re-Emergence of EmergenceThe Re-Emergence of Emergence, , eds. Philip Clayton and Paul Davieseds. Philip Clayton and Paul Davies

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?

What is it like to be a bat?What is it like to be a bat? How would we know?How would we know? A bat might be aware, but is it A bat might be aware, but is it selfself--aware?aware?I know what it’s like to be I know what it’s like to be meme. .

I can sense what it must be like to be I can sense what it must be like to be youyou..

I can imagine myself being someone I can imagine myself being someone otherother than who I am (a great football player).than who I am (a great football player).

God is God is omniscientomniscient. Does God . Does God havehave a mind? a mind?

brainbrain mindmind

mindmind self-consciousnessself-consciousness

A brain?A brain?

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?Whether our souls were Whether our souls were addedadded toto our bodies our bodies or or emergedemerged fromfrom our bodies, we are our bodies, we are creatures creatures openopen to that and those (including to that and those (including God) outside of us.God) outside of us.

You have made us for yourself, and our heart You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. is restless until it rests in you. AugustineAugustine

Attachment and detachment issues.Attachment and detachment issues.

How did we become unique?How did we become unique?Do Do animalsanimals also have souls? also have souls?• Do they have an Do they have an “identity center”“identity center” where where they feel joy, distress, fear, sorrow? they feel joy, distress, fear, sorrow?

• Are they Are they openopen to other animals, us, and God? to other animals, us, and God? In what way?In what way?• Are there degrees of Are there degrees of soulness?soulness?• Can our Can our soulness soulness diminish?diminish?

What about miracles?What about miracles?NatureNature appears to be a appears to be a closed systemclosed system of of natural causes and effects. natural causes and effects. Is it?Is it?• If If naturenature is a is a closed systemclosed system, can/does God , can/does God intervene in it in any way? intervene in it in any way?

1.1. YesYes, , naturenature is a closed system and, is a closed system and, NoNo, God , God cannot/does not intervene in it in any way, cannot/does not intervene in it in any way,

either because he does not exist or either because he does not exist or because because he withdrew after he created it.he withdrew after he created it.

What about miracles?What about miracles?2.2. YesYes, , naturenature is a “closed” system, but God is a “closed” system, but God can/doescan/does intervene at the intervene at the quantum levelquantum level, , where where (new) information produces DNA (new) information produces DNA mutations which effect change. mutations which effect change. 3.3. Normally, Normally, yesyes, , naturenature is a closed system, is a closed system, but God can intervene whenever he wishes but God can intervene whenever he wishes to subtly to subtly alteralter or dramatically or dramatically counter-actcounter-act the the cause and effect nexus.cause and effect nexus.

What about miracles?What about miracles?4.4. NoNo, whether through an evolutionary , whether through an evolutionary process or by special creation, process or by special creation, naturenature was was designed to be an designed to be an openopen system.system. We We are are beings meant to be open to beings meant to be open to God,God, to one to one another,another, and to the and to the worldworld..

5.5. No,No, naturenature is a fully is a fully open systemopen system with with planets and spirits and forces of all kinds planets and spirits and forces of all kinds intervening everywhere and in all manner intervening everywhere and in all manner of of ways.ways.

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?According to evolutionary theory, According to evolutionary theory, animalsanimals have died, have died, speciesspecies have become extinct, long have become extinct, long

before before homo sapienshomo sapiens appeared on the earth. appeared on the earth. If Adam and Eve lived 10,000 years ago, earlier If Adam and Eve lived 10,000 years ago, earlier

forms of the forms of the human specieshuman species also died. also died.

We Christians have always assumed that We Christians have always assumed that death is a death is a consequenceconsequence of Adam & Eve’s of Adam & Eve’s sinsin..

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?Animal death:Animal death:

Scripture passages that discuss death as a Scripture passages that discuss death as a consequence of sin consequence of sin (Gen. 2:16-17; Gen. 3:19, 22; (Gen. 2:16-17; Gen. 3:19, 22;

1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5:12-21)1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5:12-21) clearly refer to clearly refer to humanshumans;; it is unclear if they refer to it is unclear if they refer to animalsanimals..

For many, this For many, this uncertainty,uncertainty, plus the plus the scientific scientific evidenceevidence for an old earth, indicates that for an old earth, indicates that

“death had existed in the vegetable and “death had existed in the vegetable and animal kingdoms from the beginning.” animal kingdoms from the beginning.”

-John -John StottStott

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?Human death:Human death: two viewstwo views

1.1. Those Scripture passages refer only to Those Scripture passages refer only to spiritualspiritual death. Adam and Eve did not death. Adam and Eve did not

die die immediately, but as sinners were immediately, but as sinners were separated from God. separated from God. Human deathHuman death

was was always part of our original created always part of our original created nature.nature.

GenesisGenesis: very goodvery good badbad

EvolutionEvolution: bad (?)bad (?) betterbetter

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?2.2. Both Both physicalphysical and and spiritualspiritual death are the death are the

consequences of Adam & Eve’s sin.consequences of Adam & Eve’s sin.Just as sin entered the world through one Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin... man, and death through sin... Rom. 5:12Rom. 5:12 As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…. The last enemy to be made alive…. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 261 Corinthians 15:22, 26

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?a.a. Were Adam and Eve created Were Adam and Eve created immortal? immortal? • If so, they would have had bodies that did If so, they would have had bodies that did not age, resisted diseases, repaired not age, resisted diseases, repaired

themselves when injured, etc. themselves when injured, etc. • The The perishableperishable must clothe itself with the must clothe itself with the

imperishableimperishable, the , the mortalmortal with with immortalityimmortality. . Did the opposite occur at the beginning?Did the opposite occur at the beginning?

When did death become a reality?When did death become a reality?b.b. Were Adam and Eve created Were Adam and Eve created mortalmortal but but with the potential to become with the potential to become immortalimmortal??• They would then have had bodies similar They would then have had bodies similar

to ours that, if they had obeyed God, to ours that, if they had obeyed God, would have become would have become immortalimmortal..

• The presence of the The presence of the tree of lifetree of life makes sense makes sense if Adam and Eve were mortal and needed if Adam and Eve were mortal and needed something to make them immortal. (Did something to make them immortal. (Did

they regularly eat of that tree, or were they regularly eat of that tree, or were they they going to be given an opportunity to eat going to be given an opportunity to eat of it of it once—to determine the length of their once—to determine the length of their

lives? lives?

What makes us unique?What makes us unique?So, was there a So, was there a Fall Fall —or—or was there a was there a goalgoal not reached? not reached?