Genesis :: The Tentative Apologist

Post tagged with Genesis

How fundamentalists undermine the authority of scripture

July 25th, 201110:53 AM ET

By Randal Rauser

Christian fundamentalists like to trumpet the authority of scripture over all things. Unfortunately the way that fundamentalists read scripture tends to undermine that authority. The key problem is that fundamentalists widely subscribe to a hermeneutical (that is interpretive) principle that the text should be interpreted literally when possible. T...
Ms. B and the First Cave Man Sinner

March 24th, 201004:08 PM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B from "Ms. B hammers the fall of Adam": Mr. A: Ms. B, your questions disturb me. It seems like whatever the fall is, it must be reconciled with the presence of a whole lot of prior suffering in the world. It seems like creation was groaning long before there was any Adam and Eve. Ms....
Ms. B hammers the fall of Adam

March 18th, 201001:59 PM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B from "Ms. B points out that physical death came before Adam's fall" Ms. B: So Mr. A, how do you explain the fact that Genesis 1 claims that God created a world of vegetarians? Mr. A: Well Ms. B, I have this friend, MGT2... Ms. B: That's a strange name. Mr. A: Yes, well he suggest...
Ms. B points out that physical death came before Adam's fall

March 16th, 201011:24 AM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B from Why Ms. B doesn't think we need a historical Adam (Part 1) Mr. A: So Ms. B, let me get this straight. You are suggesting that in Genesis 1-3 God may have accommodated to Ancient Near Eastern cosmology which assumed a first human person - an "Adam" - in the same way that God acco...
Why Ms. B doesn’t think we need a historical Adam (Part 1)

March 08th, 201001:48 PM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B from "Why Mr. A believes we need a historical Adam" Ms. B: Here's your rooibos tea Mr. A. Mr. A: Thank you, Ms. B. You're very kind. Now, you were going to explain why you think the Christian doesn't need a historical Adam. Ms. B: Yes, down to business. Are you familiar with the co...
Why do people get dumb when they read the Bible?

March 02nd, 201009:27 AM ET

By Randal Rauser

We all know how to read a newspaper. We critically digest the editorial, laugh at the comics, and take note of the movie times. Nor is such interpretive sophistication limited to adults. When it comes to putting the kiddies to bed, we pull a copy of McGillicuddy's Omnibus of Facts and Fun off the shelf. First we read a silly limerick, and little Jo...
Genesis Creation as Myth and a Scientific Worldview

February 22nd, 201004:13 PM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B from "Is the Genesis story of creation and fall a myth?" Mr. A: I guess I see how myths can be true, but how is the narrative of creation and fall true if it is understood as a myth? Ms. B: Perhaps you're familiar with the quote of Cardinal Baronius, made famous by Galileo: "The Bib...
Is the Genesis story of creation and fall a myth?

February 19th, 201012:00 PM ET

By Randal Rauser

Here, dear reader, continues the conversation of Mr. A and Ms. B first begun at "Do Christians need a historical Adam and Eve? (Part 1)": Mr. A: So to sum up our conversation thus far, you're saying that Genesis 1-3 could be a myth that God appropriated as part of his divine revelation. Ms. B: Emphasis on could be, so long as you recognize that "...

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An exploration of faith, knowledge, reason and doubt (with the occasional trite pop culture reference thrown in for good measure).