Dear Nick,
If you look at what we know about evolution and genetics, there is a subtle story being told. The modern human developed very slowly, along the evolutionary path over 4 million years. But at some point, there was a transition from animal to a man of reason. About 100,000 years ago, the animal because a spiritual being. Since there are no genetic markers for reason or spirit, we have to reason to understand how the story of Adam and Eve fits together. This is the most logical explanation I have read:
Hominid research - the development to humans
We have dealt with the creation of inanimate matter using the example of the universe and would like to discuss the topic of living matter in a more central way, namely, with the origin of man. It is well known how this is explained in the present version of Genesis: One took a rib out of Adam, and thus another man, Eve, was formed (Gen. 2, 21 f.). , From today’s point of view, one may say that this formulation is awkward - the process in this way could have been impossible. It seems that at the time the text was being edited, the scribes became active. It probably had its reason why it was formulated at that time. The society, especially certain priesthoods, gave the woman a lower rank, and it was sufficient that it was created only from Adam’s rib.
With the help of the findings of the sciences, especially the hominid research, today there is the possibility to fathom the true facts and thus to correct important errors existing in the Genesis, which originated especially under the guidance of priests and scribes. Hominid research - in the traditional sense, hominids understand primates that are upright - is the subject of paleoanthropology (see Issues 2 and 4/04). The expertise available today clearly demonstrates that hominid evolution lasted over a very long period of more than 4 million years, and that innumerable small steps on the development ladder were needed until about 100,000 years ago, or just before, a very extraordinary development spurt in the direction of modern humans began. The cautious formulation is due to the fact that according to the current state of research after the Homo erectus and other archaic representatives initially an anatomically modern Sapiens appeared, which was relatively simple thinking, and finally only a little later with the culturally active sapiens the breakthrough to today’s rational man happened. Symbolically speaking, the hominid family underwent many transformations - both inside and out, as early hominids were even more animals than humans.
The creative aspect
In this context, the question arises as to whether a process of creation by a higher power is involved in each of these changes. This intervention seems to be happening largely in secret and expresses itself especially in the transition to the reasoned human well in such a form that you can hardly speak of a so-called missing link (missing link). This is also reflected in the way the well-known Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History defines man. In addition to a few physical characteristics, mental characteristics such as the ability to greatly expand planning and problem-solving abilities, the ability to speak, art and other forms of symbolic expression for humanity are all enumerated as distinguishing features of other primates.
Extreme evolution theorists, who see pure coincidence behind everything, fall into an explanatory emergency when looking at these facts. In the book Wonderful Life, the well-known paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould (1941 to 2002) confesses that his work is “a statement about the natural history and the terrifying improbability of human evolution.” He recognizes that the development to man with the assumption of susceptibility is so to speak impossible but remains despite this knowledge on the position that this path to the Incarnation was made purely by chance. It must be remembered that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) still believed in the existence of a higher power in the formulation of evolutionary theory. In his book “The Origin of Species”, published in 1859, the naturalist assumed that a creator was at work.
“It is truly sublime to think that the Creator has breathed the germ of all life that surrounds us into little or even a single form, and that as our earth moves in circles according to the laws of gravity, it becomes one so simple in the beginning an infinite number of the most beautiful and wonderful forms arose and developed even further.”
Outlook: The Responsibility of the Young Generation
In contrast to the modern evolutionary theorists, Darwin still believed in a creator - this circumstance is mostly concealed today. If science were to consider this fundamental idea, it would be possible, with the possibilities and insights available today, to disentangle the confusion in the Bible and thus to contribute its contribution to a new enlightenment on creation. The example of Genesis was used to approach this approach. But with today’s science, it is just such a thing: Although it moves forward in principle, but with the fly in the ointment that there are times of mental standstill, in the sense that creative aspects in the formulation of hypotheses and theories too little or not at all. Therefore, in the future, it will take researchers who carry a reasonable faith in themselves, so that science itself receives powerful impulses. How can this be accomplished? One can contribute to this by bringing to the family knowledge and belief of one’s own children in such a way that the whole makes sense and merges into a logical whole. Many children of our latitudes have the great privilege of being allowed to study. Once parents are able to cement their belief in creation, they will once stop at the topic of “coincidence” and bring their thinking, because the younger generation is used to saying what they think. Anyone who wants to get to the bottom of creation needs a sense for the individual and the little one, as well as a spirit of exploration and respect for nature, for every tiny life has a purpose, a task, and behind all of this there must be tremendous coordination.
The original article in in the German Journal - Museion2000 Issue 1/2006 and I apologize in advance for the Google English translation.