Approaching Genesis and science: Hermeneutical principles and a case study

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper/article is to discuss the hermeneutic principles used in reading ‘God’s two books,’ creation and Scripture, together. The first part of the paper outlines and recommends the hermeneutical principles and procedures used by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) in the Copernican controversy conflict between the Church and (Christian) scientists on the right to interpret scripture and how to do this informed by science. In the second part of the paper these principles and procedures are applied to a case study on the apparent conflict between the doctrine on common descent in evolutionary biology and the traditional understanding of Adam and Eve as the sole progenitors of humankind. A recent attempt by Joshua Swamidass to synthesize mainstream evolutionary theory with a high-view interpretation of Scripture is commended for allowing the scientific consensus to prompt a reconsideration of the traditional ‘spinal cord reflex’ against evolutionary understandings of humankind’s descent among Evangelical scholars. For the same reason it is recommended that sandboxes for interpretative and hypothesizing experimentation are created in both the academy and the church in order for various syntheses between interpretations of Scripture and scientific theories to be discussed without inquisitorial strategies hindering a healthy and constructive debate.