I am nearly finished with the reading of this great work of theology by Dr. Lamoureux. I do not agree with him about the historicity of Adam and Eve. I still believe that they lived and were some of the first human beings that differed from animals; however, I must say it is an inspiring piece of theological literature. I would recommend to anyone this book who may be considering different views of creation by God the Father through the Logos of the Deity. If some of you have not read this book, I would begin with the Holy Bible and the Haarma’s book on Origins. Then I would go to Dr. Lamoureux’s book. By the way, I have never been a Young Earth Creationist. I would say that I believed in Progressive Creationism. In other words, I agreed with American Baptist Church theologian Bernard Ramm of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary of Eastern University in Pennsylvania. If some of you do not know, the American Baptist Church was once called the American Baptist Convention. They are the Northern Baptists. I encourage all of you to read this book if you have not yet. However, I believe Wheaton College is still right in believing in the historicity of Adam and Eve even though the school accepts evolutionary creation. May God bless each and everyone of you with your studies.
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Charles E. Miller, BA, Old Dominion University; MAR, Liberty University School of Divinity; Abschlussurkunde in Biblische Studien, BBN Bibel Institut in Deutschland, etc. Alphabet Soup
Deacon, Southern Baptist Convention
If I were to cite a particular section, it would be on Coming To Terms on Evolution. The good Doctor was realizing that the Christian faith and Science can in fact go together. He says and I quote:
The day after my email confession was Sunday the 1st of January 1995, I went to my Baptist Church. To celebrate the occasion, the senior pastor opened the service to the congregation and asked us for items praising God that had happened during the last year. Slowly and cautiously, people began to stand and share their stories. This was a fellowship of believers who had much to be thankful for because of the Lord’s blessings.
He then states that he was thankful for the Holy Spirit guiding him to the truth of evolution done by God. That part is my own wording since my book is a bit stiff. Also he made some very good studies before that time. They make sense. I wish to thank you for your interest, Brad. I shall now go and read my other books. God’s blessings on you.
Yes, I believe he did! I wish to thank you for noticing my typographical error. I usually see them; however, I missed this one. I have made that correction so that it should look better now. You are a hoot!
Lamoureux’s statement was well written. I like the reasoning he found to dismiss standard creationism and Intelligent design. It was delicate, understanding, and insightful.
What I don’t like is his dismissal of the quest to find harmony between these ancient texts and standard science. If the texts are inspired, then a scientist should be able to read them as literal.
Yes, they are written in poetic and parable forms instead of dull history. Yes, their authors had no possible clue of modern scientific discoveries. All that must play a part in the interpretation. But form does not degrade them to myth if they are truly inspired by God. It is the traditional myths that people hold as dogma, but are not actually in the text, that do not harmonize with nature. Lamoureux has not yet removed all of these obscuring beliefs. When they are removed, Genesis 1 matches nature perfectly and chapters 2-11 almost perfectly. So much agreement becomes logical evidence for the Creator described within the texts.
My second problem with Lamoureux’s statement is the same I have with most of the discussions on this topic. The common person will never read it. It has no story. It is not something that can be read from a pulpit and keep anyone awake. It does not give any believer a view of the Bible story that allows them to accept science as God’s truth. It still contains a wide gulf between belief and reality.
Confession time: I have written that story of harmony letting nature interpret Genesis 1-11. It is in its final editing time. Anyone want to be a reader?
Nope. A tree-tiered universe or whatever else they thought was their logic based beliefs. I believe if the passages are truly inspired by God, then they ALSO describe reality as modern standard science. If they do not, then they are not inspired and we believe a lie.
This statement is based on big guesses by much later writers to explain things they did not understand. Neither is dogmatically delineated in the Genesis texts. That leaves the texts open to an interpretation that does not include monsters.
Most of the problems with our interpretations of these texts, and others, reside in our Western viewing of them though “Greek” colored glasses. That distortion started within a couple generations of the Israelite’s return from Babylon. That escalated as the centuries progressed. None of those explanations became canonized. It is the additions to the text that makes Genesis mythical. It is our cultures blind insistence on keeping those additions that make the Bible lie.
I must agree with you. I find Lamoureux to be more liberal than I like. It is possible to believe in Adam and Eve as well as Theistic Evolution. I see this process in Genesis 1. Rev. Billy Graham would agree with me also. I agree with Pope Francis and his stance on creation. As a child, I had a Maryknoll Book of Peoples that held the view of Theistic Evolution. I wish I still had it. It was put out by the Roman Catholic Church in the late 1950’s. I believe that it is unfortunately out of print. May God bless you and stick with the faith.
Deacon Charles E. Miller, BA, MAR, Abschlussurkunde in Biblische Studien
Southern Baptist Convention
I wish to thank you for noticing my typographical error. I usually see them; however, I missed this one. I have made that correction so that it should look better now. 
You are a hoot! 
I did not see that early this morning.