20 Questions for the Theistic Evolutionist

Theistic evolution is the belief that God used a macro-evolutionary process to create mankind. Charles Darwin held to this view, as he said, "probably all the organic beings which have ever lived on this earth have descended from some one primordial form, into which life was first breathed by the Creator."

Most theistic evolutionists attempt to reconcile the God of the Bible with the theory of evolution (as Darwin did, paraphrasing Genesis 2 above). This leads to many, many issues that are difficult to make compatible. Some of the issues are scientific in nature and others are spiritual. 


Since I'm not particularly qualified to ask questions about science (but would argue that I'm qualified to ask spiritual questions -- as are you), I like to ask theistic evolutionists questions about Scripture.

Below is a list of a few of these questions that I've started to ask my evolutionary creationist friends in recent days. 


If evolution and the Bible are both true...

• What are the possible purposes for God creating humans through a millions-of-years long evolutionary process and then masquerading that truth behind a seemingly contradictory narrative?
 
• How do you know what parts of the Bible to take literally? If Genesis 1-2 is an allegory, is the flood, Jonah being swallowed by the great fish, or the resurrection of Christ also an allegory?
 
• Who determines the meaning of Scripture? Are you allowing scientists to interpret Genesis 1-2 for you? 

• Which biblical characters knew about the true origins (i.e., evolutionary) of mankind? If the answer is "none," does that concern you?  

• What is the allegorical interpretation of living beings created "according to their kinds" (mentioned six times in Genesis 1)?

• Even though Scripture deals with complex scientific issues (life being in the blood in Leviticus 17:11, shape of the earth in Isaiah 40:22, etc.), it never hints at human beings evolving from animals. Why do you think this is?
 
• Did God's chosen people, Israel, misunderstand Genesis 1-2? Was their original interpretation (one that has been used for millennia; a literal interpretation of creation) incorrect?
 
• When did God breathe life into man, as stated in Genesis 2?
 
• When did man become a living creature as described in Genesis 2?
 
• Is there any truth found in Genesis 2:22? If so, what is it?
 
• What current living beings possess the image of God? How do you make that determination?
 
• What did Jesus mean when He cited Genesis 1 saying, "From the beginning God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6)?
 
• How could Jesus say that humans are of more value than many sparrows (Luke 12:7)?
 
• What did Jesus mean when He talked about believing the writings of Moses (John 5:45-47)?
 
• What did Abraham mean when he said that men should "hear Moses" (Luke 16:27-31)?
 
• Did Jesus die for beings other than homo sapiens? How can you determine what species Jesus died for?
 
• How could sin and death enter the world through just one man (Romans 5:12)? Doesn't macro-evolution necessitate that there would have been multiple sinners on earth at the time of Adam? 
 
• How could Adam be called the "first man" in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47?
 
• What did Paul mean when he used the design and order from Genesis 1-3 to define male-female relationships (1 Timothy 2:11-15)?
 
• Is it not safe to assume Peter would expect believers to embrace a literal view of Genesis 1-2 since he expected them to embrace a literal view of Genesis 6-9 (1 Peter 3, 2 Peter 3)?