Intelligent Chaos? Messy Origins, Categorical Ambiguity, and a Hopeful Multiplicity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Origin stories, whether these are scientific or mythological, serve multiple purposes in the communities in which they are told. Darwinian evolution stands as a classic case in point, and the latest scientific research on the origins of Homo sapiens as a species makes our own origins much more complex than once thought. This complexity suggests a fruitful way to critique notions of “racial purity” (often used to advance white supremacy). The emergent character of our development as a species can also provide further reasons for considering biological diversity a felicitous component for theological anthropology.