Episode 184: Western Theological Tradition (Continued)

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Do curso por University of Alberta

Science & Religion 101

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University of Alberta

Science & Religion 101

25 ratings

This course examines the nature of both science and religion and attempts to explore the possible relationships between them. The primary purpose is to dispel the popular myth that science and religion are entrenched in a never-ending conflict. As a result, this course argues that if the limits of both science and religion are respected, then their relationship can be complementary. Topics include: Science and Religion Categories and Foundational Principles, Definitions of Science and Religion, Science-Religion Models and Relationships, Intelligent Design and Natural Revelation, the Galileo Affair, Geology and Noah’s Flood, Evolution and Darwin’s Religious Beliefs, the Modern “Evolution” vs. “Creation” Debate, the Problem of Evil, and Interpretations of the Biblical Accounts of Origins in Genesis 1-11. The course employs a Constructive Teaching Style in order that students can develop their personal views on the relationship between science and religion and on each of the topics listed above. St. Joseph's College is a Catholic, undergraduate, liberal arts college on the University of Alberta campus. It is an independent institution that is affiliated with the University of Alberta.

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Modern Origins Debate

Every course on Science & Religion deals with the fascinating topic of the modern origins debate. The 5 most important views of the origin of the universe and life are presented in detail— Young Earth Creation, Progressive Creation, Evolutionary Creation, Deistic Evolution, and Dysteleological Evolution. The importance of scientific and historical concordism for each position is explained. We also explore the challenging topic of whether or not Adam was a real person in history by presenting the 4 best-known positions on human origins—De Novo Creation of Adam, Evolutionary Monogenism, Punctiliar Polygenism, and Gradual Polygenism. These different approaches to Adam are viewed in the light of the Apostle Paul’s letters in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 and St. Augustine’s Doctrine of Original Sin.

Episode 178: Key Thoughts. Categories on the Origin of the Universe & Life7:40

Episode 179: Young Earth Creation & Progressive Creation11:25

Episode 180: Evolutionary Creation & Deistic Evolution9:20

Episode 181: Dysteleological Evolution7:33

Episode 182: Human Origins: The Final Frontier. Biblical Texts on Human Origins3:53

Episode 183: Western (Catholic & Protestant) Theological Tradition on Human Origins6:12

Episode 184: Western Theological Tradition (Continued)4:31

Episode 185: Evolutionary Creation: Toward a Christian Hypothesis on Human Origins. (1) Human Origins & Metaphysics-Physics Principle. (2) Human Origins & Manifestation of Spiritual Realities5:40

Episode 186: Evolutionary Creation: Human Origins (Continued)7:42

Episode 187: Evolutionary Creation: Human Origins (Continued). (3) Human Origins & Message-Incident Principle4:38

Episode 188: Evolutionary Creation: Human Origins (Continued). (4) Human Origins & the Apostle Paul4:04

Episode 189: Conclusion. Evolutionary Creation & Human Origins4:59

Hermeneutics 16: Science & Scripture: "Conservative" or "Liberal" Interpretations4:27

Hermeneutics 17: Biblical Inerrancy: Toward an Incarnational Hermeneutic6:43

Conheça os instrutores

Denis Lamoureux
Associate Professor
St. Joseph's College

Episode 184.

I find this passage on polygenism by

Pope Pius XII in Quote eight to be quite fascinating.

It invites me to ask the question,

is a door being left open regarding the hermeneutics of Genesis two and three?

As this pope admits,

"It is in no way apparent how such an opinion that is polygenism can be reconciled with

the Bible and the tradition introduced by St. Augustine on original sin."

Here's my approach to how this reconciliation can be done.

First, we need to recognize the Bible has an ancient biology,

in particular, the De Novo Creation of Adam.

Second, we need to recognize that St. Augustine had an ancient biology,

the De Novo Creation of Adam.

As we've seen previously in this course,

we have to remember that St. Augustine was

a scientific and historical concordist in Genesis 1-11.

He accepted geocentricity, the firmament and waters above,

the worldwide flood of Noah,

spontaneous generation, and the origin of life through seed principles.

Now to be more specific,

in answering Pope Pius XII's how question,

we need first to let the ancient biology, that is,

De Novo creation of Adam and the one-seed theory,

to be incidental and not the message of faith.

Second, we can also apply

the message-incident principle to the Western Christian tradition.

In this way, we need to separate Augustine's ancient biology from his theology.

There is one last important document in the Christian tradition that we need to consider,

Pope John Paul II, in his 1996 paper on evolution,

affirms the scientific theory of evolution.

In Quote 9 he states, "Today,

nearly half a century after the publication of the encyclical,

that is by Pope Pius the 12th,

new knowledge leads to the recognition of the theory of

evolution as more than a hypothesis."

This pope then affirms the spiritual uniqueness of humans,

from our pre-human evolutionary ancestors.

In Quote 10, he writes,

"With men and women then,

we find ourselves in the presence of an ontological difference,

an ontological leap, an ontological discontinuity."

In other words, at the deepest level of our being,

we are radically different from our evolutionary ancestors,

in that humans have the image of God and that humans are sinful.

I find it quite notable that, in this document,

Pope John Paul II makes no mention of Adam.

And I can't help but wonder,

is the silence speaking volumes and

reflecting pastoral sensitivity to the people in the pews?

In other words, could it be that it's too early for the Church

to question the historicity of Adam and all its implications?

Conclusion. To the Western,

that is Catholic and Protestant theological tradition on human origins,

this Christian tradition is firmly based on the Bible.

It accepts monogenism.

Adam is historical, and all humans descend from him.

With this being the case,

it's obvious that the Western tradition accepts

scientific and historical concordism in Genesis 1-11.

But, do you see a hermeneutical problem?

Conclusion number two.

The Western theological tradition is deeply impacted by St. Augustine.

In particular, it accepts the doctrine of original sin,

and this doctrine depends on Adam being historical.

Let's close this episode with a question I'd like you to think about.

Does Christianity depend on a historical Adam?

In the next episodes,

I'll try to answer this important question.

End of episode.

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