Polygenism is a scientific theory regarding the origin of mankind. It proposes that the human species arose out of a sort of co-evolving group of hominids. That group eventually split up and developed separately into the different ethnicities we have today. As it says on the website:
“All the data clearly show that all modern humans, African and non-African alike, descend from one ‘homogeneous ancestral population in the last 100,000 years, with subsequent minor admixture out of Africa from Neanderthals.’ This goes against earlier theories that there is a much older divide separating West African from non-African populations.”
[Note: I hate it when people use the word “data” as a plural word and not a group singular.]
Thus, the author claims to disprove the Biblical description of a distinct two-person origin of humanity presented in the first three chapters of Genesis. He goes on to note with some delight how “disproved” Biblical doctrines must to retreat into the realm of metaphor.
Today I wanted to take a look at two questions:
- First, what are Christians bound to believe in regard to Adam and Eve?
- Second, how would we reconcile this with modern science?
