Loren Haarsma - When Did Sin Begin?: Human Evolution and the Doctrine of Original Sin

2021 by Loren Haarsma

Published by Baker Academic

a division of Baker Publishing Group

PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakeracademic.com

Ebook edition created 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4934-3069-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When Did Sin Begin? explores an important issue in the current discussions about Scripture and science. The book models integration at its best, with serious and well-researched work on both the science side and the Scripture side of this discussion. Even when I disagreed with some points along the way (as one inevitably does), I could not fault the author for any failure to treat Scripture or the theological tradition with anything less than full seriousness. I recommend the book as a well-informed entry into many of the current debates among Christians about creation and human origins.

Douglas J. Moo , Wheaton College Graduate School

In this timely book, Haarsma deals with the apparent dissonance between the doctrine of original sin and the biological evolution of humanity. Throughout the text, he systematically works through a variety of scenarios related to the origin of sin within an evolutionary context, clearly delineating the subtle differences between each approach and carefully working out the theological ramifications as well. Rather than narrowing in and promoting one particular point of view, Haarsma has laid out the parameters for a multitude of options, setting the stage for the reader to consider various possibilities. This book offers much food for thought and serves as a model for how we can wrestle well with difficult questions like this in the church.

Ryan Bebej , Calvin University

This book embodies and enhances the effort to integrate faith and learning. Here a theologically-engaged scientist lays outreverently and methodically, from several anglesthe key points at which human evolution intersects with the doctrine of sin. The result is a valuable update on the contemporary discussion, helping theological traditionalists like me to encounter the various alternatives and reflect on their respective implications.

Daniel J. Treier , Wheaton College Graduate School

When Did Sin Begin? presents a broad range of scholarship and viewpoints with civility and evenhandedness. Whether one is a theological novice or expert, timid or bold concerning the science, Professor Haarsmas work offers a hospitable welcome to this important topic.

Justin Barrett , president, Blueprint 1543

The subject of evolution and human origins continues to be a hot topic for Christians wrestling with the evidence and with the implications for their faith. Of the many books on the market, most focus on the truth or falsehood of scientific claims or on the proper understanding of the biblical texts. Few have focused on the potential impact of human evolution on a particular theological doctrine. Haarsma does just that with When Did Sin Begin? , exploring an array of possible scenarios of human origins and assessing the implications for the timing and nature of sin entering the world, the historicity of Adam and Eve, and our understanding of original sin.

Gregg Davidson , University of Mississippi

Contents

Acknowledgments

I WROTE THIS BOOK for three audiences. First, it is for Christians who question scientific theories of human evolution because they appear to conflict with Christian doctrines about original sin. Second, it is for Christians who question the doctrine of original sin because they dont see how to reconcile it with the scientific evidence for human evolution. Third, it is for people of any religious view who are curious how Christians might harmonize these things.

Work on this book was supported by the BioLogos Evolution and Christian Faith program and Calvin University. I am grateful to the American Scientific Affiliation for enabling many helpful conversations on this topic over several decades. Thank you to Rachel Hekman and Amy VanZanen for research assistance. Thank you to Deborah Haarsma, John Walton, Tremper Longman, Daniel Harlow, Gregg Davidson, Lyle Bierma, Daniel Treier, John Hilber, Gerald Hiestand, Clayton Carlson, Joel White, John Cooper, Ben McFarland, Cara Wall-Scheffler, Justin Barrett, Ryan Bebej, Darrel Falk, Matthew Lundberg, Ralph Stearley, Steve Wykstra, and Steve Roels for valuable feedback on earlier drafts.

Introduction

Theology and Science in Harmony and Counterpoint

YOU SIN. I SIN. EVERYONE SINS. Individually and collectively, we do morally wrong things and cause much suffering. Calling this sin is actually the start of good news. It signals that a holy and loving God wants better for us. God has a rescue plan in operation. Christianity, from its earliest days, affirmed that Jesus Christ is at the center of that rescue.

Human Evolution and the Doctrine of Original Sin Seem Dissonant

The Western church for centuries has followed St. Augustines formulation of the doctrine of original sin. Augustine taught that God created Adam and Eve holy and righteous; they chose to sin in the garden of Eden; sin damaged them; the guilt and damage were passed by inheritance to their descendantsall of humanity. The doctrine of original sin isnt just about how the historical first sin occurred. It summarizes many things taught throughout Scripture about Gods goodness, human responsibility, the pervasiveness of sin, and the need for Christs atonement.

Theologians before and since Augustine disagreed with him on some points. But throughout church history most Christians, like Augustine, assumed that Adam and Eve were literal historical persons who were created miraculously by God a few thousand years ago in or near Mesopotamia and that all human beings are descended from just those two. So it is not surprising that many Christians perceive dissonance between the theology of original sin and modern scientific theories of human evolution. Scientific evidence indicates that disease, predation, and death were in the world long before humans existed. Genetic similarities between humans and animals indicate common ancestry. Human genetic diversity points to humanity descending not from just a single pair but from a larger ancestral population probably never less than thousands of individuals.

One line of thinking is that if Augustines interpretation of Genesis 23 is not true, then there was no original sin, no fall, and no need for Christs redemption. From this perspective, it seems like the entire gospel of Christianity is at stake.

The central premise of this book is that there are several possible ways to harmonize the doctrine of original sin and the science of human evolution , taking seriously both what Scripture teaches and what we learn from science. The first half of this book describes a range of scenarios; the latter half discusses theological strengths and challenges of each.

Is the Doctrine of Original Sin Really Such a Big Deal?

Sin is a big deal. All of Scripture agrees on this. Sin breaks our proper relationship with God. Sin would separate us from God eternally without Gods rescue.