Understanding the Beginning, in Light of the End: Eschatological Reflections on Making Theological Sense of Evolution
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Issue Date
2014
Authors
Franklin, Patrick S.
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Type
Article
Keywords
Evolution
Creation
Eschatology
Trinity
Theological anthropology
Creation
Eschatology
Trinity
Theological anthropology
Citation
Franklin, Patrick S. “Understanding the Beginning, in Light of the End: Eschatological Reflections on Making Theological Sense of Evolution.” Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith: Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 66, no. 3 (September 2014): 154-170.
Abstract
This article proposes that a trinitarian eschatological hermeneutic, applied to the doctrine of creation, helps us to make sense of evolution theologically. From this perspective, the Holy Spirit incessantly draws creation to the Father’s intended destination for it (new creation) through the cosmic, creative-redemptive work of the Son. This article fi rst develops the proposed hermeneutic in dialogue with scripture and trinitarian theology. It then commends the hermeneutic as a way forward in resolving theologically three important issues in the science-faith dialogue concerning evolution: (1) it avoids both a deistic naturalism/materialism and a crude supernaturalist interventionism with respect to God’s interaction with creation; (2) it provides a rich theology of nature while avoiding the pitfalls of pantheism; and (3) it helps us to account theologically for the existence of death as a naturally occurring phenomenon intrinsic to creation.
Table of Contents
Publisher
American Scientific Affiliation
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Copyright, American Scientific Affiliation. All rights reserved.
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
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https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/