OT Scholar Bruce Waltke Resigns from RTS After Removing Video Defending Openness to Evolution
Original notation and explanation of controversy at BioLogos Opinion and reporting: Grace to You Rod Dreher:”But is this really the hill these Reformed folks want to die on?” J.R. Daniel Kirk of Fuller Seminary Jesus Creed
These 3 guys (Waltke, Longman, Wright) talk generally about the findings of science supporting evolution. What specific findings do they have in mind? Most scientist accept evolution because they, one, believe it, and, two, they would be persecuted if they questioned it. So it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that science as a whole interprets data to support evolution. We need to be careful about being gullible and saying things like “all scientist say this or that.” Most of us know very little about science, and we can be easily taken advantage of/intimidated by what science professes to prove.
Of course a Roman Catholic is going to jump at any chance to denigrate those of us who adhere to sola scriptura. Not saying that we can judge this man based on who is defending him, but let us not ignore the fact that Dreher is 100% Roman Catholic. If it were a scholar at a Catholic university defying his popery, Dreher would be signing a different tune.
Solo Christo, Soli Deo Gloria, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura http://healtheland.wordpress.com
Greg Linscott
Marshall, MN
The problem isn’t the direct statement by Waltke but what is contained within it:
A good example of this is Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals are an undeniable reality of earth’s history. They are not, as some scientists have been guilty of with other findings, the result of poor or deceitful interpretation of fragments or single skulls, rather they are the result of extensive finds, research and genetic sequence analysis which places them outside of the homo sapien genone, that is to say they are not a sub-species of humanity. They are a reality of our history, the preceded us at some point and no longer exist and found with Neanderthal are contexts such as graves, shelters, weapons, tools, jewelry and controlled fire.
However, in the world of many Christians this phenomenon is simply unexplainable. Someone can ask them about Neanderthal man but because of how they have been taught to interpret science, the bible and the world around them (there are 3 main faulty methods used among fundamentalist/Evangelical Christians regarding the interpretation of such) they are simply unable to come to terms with this reality hence they are forced to compensate, resulting in denial, abandonment of their faith or unnecessary acquiescence to a perceived authority on a matter that they, themselves, do not have the time or wherewithal to properly explore and evaluate.
Now I am not suggesting that Waltke is so impolite to his faith or frail in his constitution. However, I am suggesting that Waltke need not be so eager to accept the evolutionary narrative simply because he does not have another interpretation available that properly preserves the declaration of Scripture which makes clear the genealogy of our Lord Jesus is literal from himself back to Adam. And may I add, there are other narratives and interpretations for Neanderthal man and the massive body of geological and archeological findings from Bible teachers/scientists that do not deny or minimize such realities again, while preserving the continuity of the literal genealogy of our Lord Jesus which is documented in Scripture, from The Christ all the way back to Adam. However, within the fundamentalist/Evangelical community they are not widely appreciated and because they exist as a threat to the status quo for many they are, at the present, treated as eccentrics.
As for Rod Dreher, I have a bottle of Pepcid handy any time I am inconvenienced with reading his blog.
Still, Waltke was not questioning basic Christian dogmas, only asserting the importance of religion reconciling itself with science.While Waltke is quite accurate when charging Christians with the responsibility of possessing our sciences his error is in accepting acquiescing to the interpretation of archeological and geological artifacts combined with biological assumptions used to create the evolutionary narrative of humanity’s history (by stating we must recognize what they are saying while he may disagree, he gives a certain acquiscence, not to the reality of the artifacts which we must but to the interpretation of the evolutionists). Yes, there are findings that many Bible teachers choose to ignore that places them in a very embarrassing place when having to field questions regarding the place of such findings within the narrative of Scripture. But it need not be this way and it need not be by virtue of giving ascension to evolutionists simply because they possess Ph.D.’s. While they can provide us with facts, when a Ph.D. enters into the realm of theory and the interpretation of artifacts, particularly in a context that is so loaded with religious, political and personal agendas, remember where these men get their money, remember who trained them and remember they share the same egotistical struggles all of us do who put our pants on one leg at a time, cry when our children die and feel good when someone loves us.
A good example of this is Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals are an undeniable reality of earth’s history. They are not, as some scientists have been guilty of with other findings, the result of poor or deceitful interpretation of fragments or single skulls, rather they are the result of extensive finds, research and genetic sequence analysis which places them outside of the homo sapien genone, that is to say they are not a sub-species of humanity. They are a reality of our history, the preceded us at some point and no longer exist and found with Neanderthal are contexts such as graves, shelters, weapons, tools, jewelry and controlled fire.
However, in the world of many Christians this phenomenon is simply unexplainable. Someone can ask them about Neanderthal man but because of how they have been taught to interpret science, the bible and the world around them (there are 3 main faulty methods used among fundamentalist/Evangelical Christians regarding the interpretation of such) they are simply unable to come to terms with this reality hence they are forced to compensate, resulting in denial, abandonment of their faith or unnecessary acquiescence to a perceived authority on a matter that they, themselves, do not have the time or wherewithal to properly explore and evaluate.
Now I am not suggesting that Waltke is so impolite to his faith or frail in his constitution. However, I am suggesting that Waltke need not be so eager to accept the evolutionary narrative simply because he does not have another interpretation available that properly preserves the declaration of Scripture which makes clear the genealogy of our Lord Jesus is literal from himself back to Adam. And may I add, there are other narratives and interpretations for Neanderthal man and the massive body of geological and archeological findings from Bible teachers/scientists that do not deny or minimize such realities again, while preserving the continuity of the literal genealogy of our Lord Jesus which is documented in Scripture, from The Christ all the way back to Adam. However, within the fundamentalist/Evangelical community they are not widely appreciated and because they exist as a threat to the status quo for many they are, at the present, treated as eccentrics.
As for Rod Dreher, I have a bottle of Pepcid handy any time I am inconvenienced with reading his blog.
[Alex Guggenheim] A good example of this is Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals are an undeniable reality of earth’s history. They are not, as some scientists have been guilty of with other findings, the result of poor or deceitful interpretation of fragments or single skulls, rather they are the result of extensive finds, research and genetic sequence analysis which places them outside of the homo sapien genone, that is to say they are not a sub-species of humanity. They are a reality of our history, the preceded us at some point and no longer exist and found with Neanderthal are contexts such as graves, shelters, weapons, tools, jewelry and controlled fire.Huh?? I think I just stepped through the looking-glass…:Sp
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
[Paul J. Scharf]You’re right Paul, I did not bother to do much editing due to concurrent demands elsewhere but let me do so now.[Alex Guggenheim] A good example of this is Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals are an undeniable reality of earth’s history. They are not, as some scientists have been guilty of with other findings, the result of poor or deceitful interpretation of fragments or single skulls, rather they are the result of extensive finds, research and genetic sequence analysis which places them outside of the homo sapien genone, that is to say they are not a sub-species of humanity. They are a reality of our history, the preceded us at some point and no longer exist and found with Neanderthal are contexts such as graves, shelters, weapons, tools, jewelry and controlled fire.Huh?? I think I just stepped through the looking-glass…:Sp
A good example of this is Neanderthal man or Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals are an undeniable reality of earth’s history. They are not the result of poor or deceitful interpretation of fragments or single skulls (as some scientists have been guilty of with other findings) rather they are the result of extensive finds, research and genetic sequence analysis which places them outside of the homo sapien genome. That is to say they are not a sub-species of humanity. They are a reality of our (earth’s) history, they preceded us at some point and no longer exist. Additionally, found with Neanderthal are contexts such as graves, shelters, weapons, tools, jewelry and controlled fire.
Huh??? Eh??? Huh???
You are quoting this for the sake of illustration, not actually proposing this, right??
You are quoting this for the sake of illustration, not actually proposing this, right??
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
[Paul J. Scharf] Huh??? Eh??? Huh???For you Paul, of course not, so you can relieve yourself of any worries. Now, for the rest of the audience, if there are any direct questions regarding my response, I will happily field them.
You are quoting this for the sake of illustration, not actually proposing this, right??
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
Walke was featured on a website with lots of other scholars - www.biologos.org
Overall they are giving different (wrong?) answers to the questions fundamentalist answer about evolution/origins - but I think their thrusts is that we not be afraid of asking big questions, and we MUST have answers to science because - all truth is God’s truth - and people will ask hard questions. - I’m not happy with some of the ways they answer those questions - but I read a lot of the info, and there are things I’ve never heard discussed in a orthodox settings, but things that we need to be able to answer for a watching world.
Overall they are giving different (wrong?) answers to the questions fundamentalist answer about evolution/origins - but I think their thrusts is that we not be afraid of asking big questions, and we MUST have answers to science because - all truth is God’s truth - and people will ask hard questions. - I’m not happy with some of the ways they answer those questions - but I read a lot of the info, and there are things I’ve never heard discussed in a orthodox settings, but things that we need to be able to answer for a watching world.
_______________ www.SutterSaga.com
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