In the previous installment of my ongoing series on evolutionary biology questions, I shared my conversation with Mike Stell about original sin within the context of an evolutionary natural history. That topic leads naturally to a related question about who the original sinners were. Actually, both the blog commenter whose questions inspired this series and Mike Stell independently asked me very similar questions. What exactly does evolutionary biology say about the first humans? … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Which Came First, the Sinner or the Sin?
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Science Reader Question: Original Sin Goes Viral?
This series on evolutionary biology (1st post, 2nd post, 3rd post, 4th post) was prompted by some reader questions on the blog, but in parallel I was discussing some of the same issues via e-mail with theologian Mike Stell. Mike is an ESN contributor. He and I met in person at last summer's BioLogos conference, and we struck up a correspondence on some of the topics that came up at that meeting. Last week's post covered our conversation on humanity's creation in God's image. This week is our exploration of original sin. … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Original Sin Goes Viral?
Science Reader Question: Becoming Made in God’s Image
This series (1st post, 2nd post, 3rd post) was prompted by some reader questions on the blog, but in parallel I was discussing some of the same issues via e-mail with theologian Mike Stell. Mike is an ESN contributor. He and I met in person at last summer's BioLogos conference, and we struck up a correspondence on some of the topics that came up at that meeting. For a change of pace, I thought I'd address the image of God question with some excerpts from that e-mail conversation. … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Becoming Made in God’s Image
Science Reader Question: Fugue in the Key of Adenine
This month, we've been addressing some reader questions on the topic of evolution. Having looked at how God's intentions could be realized via a process that leaves degrees of freedom for creation, and how those intentions could be communicated and realized in a way that is not coercive, I want to elaborate on the source and nature of variation in evolution. This whole conversation started when I brought up research findings that indicated a retroviral sequence plays a role in human embryonic development. If evolution … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Fugue in the Key of Adenine
Science Reader Question: Seated at the Right 01101001 of God
Last week I started a series responding to reader questions about evolution. I explored the idea that God expresses his creativity by defining relationships while leaving matters of form at least partially open for creation to work out. If God does create that way, then an evolutionary process seems plausible as a method for creation. However, I can see where my description of God specifying requirements might seem at odds with my claim that God is continually creating and instead raise questions about deism. Indeed, … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Seated at the Right 01101001 of God