Darwin, Creation and the Fall: Introduction

Darwin, Creation and the Fall: Theological Challenges
Edited by R. J. Berry and T. A. Noble
Leicester: Apollos, 2009
ISBN 978-1-84474-381-0
£9.99 208pp pbk

Not surprising - being the of the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species - 2009 has seen the publication of many books on Darwin. This one is an attempt to address the theological issues and challenges raised by Darwin's theory. Four theologians and four scientists address many of the key issues. The book had its origins in a Tyndale Fellowsip and a Christians in Science conferences. All the authors are evangelicals and 'accept the contemporary scientific picture of the world' (p. 12).

Evolution raises a number of important theological and biblical issues. Not least the following:

• What are the implications for a fall and original sin?
• How are we to understand good and evil and evil and suffering?
• Is suffering intrinsic to the world?
• Is it possible for humans to be fallen without a Fall?
• How are we to understand humans as being created in the image of God?
• How are humans different to other animals?
  
• Is it credible in the light of science to believe in a historic Adam and Eve?
• Should science shape the Bible or Bible science?
  

The Fall has been a problem for theistic evolutionists and until recently little has been written on this important aspect. Hence, this book is a welcome addition to the literature. I hope in subsequent posts to look at some of the key issues raised in this book. In the meantime here is a table on contents:

Foreword - R. J. Berry and T. A.Noble

1. Worshipping the Creator God: the doctrine of creation David Wilkinson

2. Did Darwin dethrone humankind? R. J. Berry

3. Theological challenges faced by Darwin Darrel R. Falk

4. God and origins: interpreting the early chapters of Genesis Richard S. Hess

5. Original sin and the Fall: definitions and a proposal T. A. Noble

6. Irenaeus on the Fall and original sin A. N. S. Lane

7. Theology of the Fall and the origins of evil Henri Blocher

8. Blocher, original sin and evolution Richard Mortimer

Epilogue: the sea of faith – Darwin didn’t drain it R. J. Berry and T. A. Noble