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Human Origins
“In the beginning,” reads the very first verse of the Bible, “God created the heavens and the earth.” Few Christians had any reason to doubt the truth of this statement before the mid-19th century, when Charles Darwin’s research led him to posit a naturalistic explanation for the diversity of species—including human beings—that populate the planet. Divergent reactions to Darwin’s theory of evolution helped to splinter many Protestant denominations, with modernists accommodating the creation story to modern scientific findings and fundamentalists insisting upon the original meaning. In recent decades, however, some evangelicals have shown greater willingness move beyond a literalist reading of Genesis, many embracing theories of theistic evolution or questioning the historicity of Adam and Eve.
All Articles
Human Beings Are Stewards, Not Slaves to God
The biblical concept of imago Dei sets the Judeo-Christian narrative apart from other ancient origin stories.
William Lane Craig Explores the Headwaters of the Human Race
The philosopher and theologian ventures a new hypothesis on Genesis, human origins, and the historical Adam.
Review
The Debate Beneath Our Debates on the Pandemic and the Protests
Our divided responses to national challenges reflect deep divisions on what it means to be human.
What If We Don’t Have to Choose Between Evolution and Adam and Eve?
How insights from genealogy can help change the terms of a contentious debate.
News
Origins Opinion Surveys Evolve from ‘How’ to ‘Who’
Many Christians affirm evolution once researchers leave room for God’s role in it.
The Lost World of Adam and Eve
Old Testament scholar John Walton affirms a historical Adam—but says there are far more important dimensions to Genesis.
News
Do Celebrity Debates Help Christian Persuasion?
Ken Ham and Bill Nye will debate creationism. Experts discuss whether such debates are helpful.
Rethinking the Origins Debate
Most Americans—and most Christians—do not fall neatly into creationist or evolutionist camps.
Where Did We Come From?
How Milton, Paley, and Darwin help us answer the question.
