Problem with evolution

[Guest shiloh357]

7 minutes ago, Deborah_ said:

You are a real Christian.

The interpretation of Genesis 1 is not a test of orthodoxy, and never has been.

A liberal approach to Genesis 1-3 will create an incoherent theology because the theology of salvation  is linked to the events in Genesis.   All major Christian doctrines have their point of origin, either directly or indirectly, in the first three chapters of Genesis.

[Deborah_]

3 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

A liberal approach to Genesis 1-3 will create an incoherent theology because the theology of salvation  is linked to the events in Genesis.   All major Christian doctrines have their point of origin, either directly or indirectly, in the first three chapters of Genesis.

And yet Christians have always debated the correct interpretation of Genesis 1-3 (see Augustine, for example), without needing to throw out the "theology of salvation". We owe the doctrine of original sin to Augustine, and yet he didn't interpret Genesis 1 "literally".

[Deborah_]

12 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

But do you agree with the Statement of Faith? The catch is if you do then logically you must believe Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21 which preclude Theistic Evolution.

You can accept theistic evolution and still have Adam. 

[Michael37]

2 minutes ago, Deborah_ said:

And yet Christians have always debated the correct interpretation of Genesis 1-3 (see Augustine, for example), without needing to throw out the "theology of salvation". We owe the doctrine of original sin to Augustine, and yet he didn't interpret Genesis 1 "literally".

Millions of years of random mutations and death prior to the arrival of human beings, and then suddenly death is then a punishment as the consequence of whomever's sin...and then amazingly Christ's death redeems from death which was instrumental in supposed prehuman creation...and death somehow becomes the last enemy rather than God's chosen method of creating human beings...yikes! 

[Guest shiloh357]

6 minutes ago, Deborah_ said:

And yet Christians have always debated the correct interpretation of Genesis 1-3 (see Augustine, for example), without needing to throw out the "theology of salvation". We owe the doctrine of original sin to Augustine, and yet he didn't interpret Genesis 1 "literally".

Augustine used an allegorical approach to Genesis in his earlier works such as "Against the Manichees"  but his later works took a very literal approach to Genesis 1-3 and it is only through that literal approach that he was able to formulate the doctrine of original sin.  Original sin was not arrived at through an allegorical approach.

  Evolution, as a theory is predicated on the non-existence of any kind of intelligent, personal Creator, But that is not true with Augustine's approach.  The theory is based in both philosophical and methodological naturalism that rules out an intelligent impetus for the process of Evolution.  In an evolutionary mindset, sin doesn't exist.  And if sin doesn't exist, if it can be explained away in the naturalism of the theory of Evolution, it has a devastating impact on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Guest shiloh357]

17 minutes ago, Deborah_ said:

You can accept theistic evolution and still have Adam. 

Theistic Evolution is self-contradicting.  It is like Atheistic Christianity.   Theistic Evolution requires death before Adam's fall in the Garden and many theistic evolutionists argue that Adam and Eve were not the first people; just the first people to have a relationship with God.

Theistic Evolutionists have to modify the problem of man being created from the dust of the earth.   This is a problem for them because it means that Adam was not the product of Evolution, but a direct and special creation of God.    So even then, a theistic evolution cannot be internally consistent without modifying the Bible to reconcile the problem.  Even then the reconciliation is purely imaginary. 

[SerenelyBlue]

I will go to a different website.

[Sharky and George]

If you are not sure if it is a young or old earth, or any question for that matter when you are witnessing to someone then you could say:

Quote

I do not know the answer to that question, I will research it and come back to you with answer.

Better than giving a wrong answer that might lead the person to doubt your words about the bible.

 

 

 

 

Another way for evolution, if you want:

With the evolution thing. William Lane Craig is an excellent Christian apologist (defends the faith with logic and reason) and he said (Bing.com is your friend) that evolution is the how and Genesis is the why i.e. the days of creation are symbolic for longer periods of time.

If you are not sure then you could maybe say that to the person you are witnessing to when they ask about evolution that the above is an idea to consider.

 

 

 

You get a lot of doubting Thomas' when they think about Darwin's theory of evolution thus this may be a game changer for that person you are witnessing to.

 

 

 

You could say that you evolved from Neanderthal before you had a coffee this morning - lol dont say that ?

Bless ya!

Edited August 14, 2018 by Sharky and George