October 2000
volume 12 (2)

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Articles

Editorial: The Human Genome Project

Denis Alexander
Pages: 98-98

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Is Communication From God Really Possible? A Conceptual Problem

James Danaher
Pages: 99-114

Abstract

The medievals believed that we had been equipped with a God-given ability to conceptualize the world as God had ordered it. Since the beginning of the modern era, we have become ever more aware that many, if not most, of our concepts are the product of culture and of our own creation rather than being God-given. If God’s concepts are different from our own, how could He communicate His concepts to us, since whatever words He would use would signify human concepts rather than His own. In light of this, is communication from God through human language possible, or if possible is it limited to God expressing Himself through our concepts rather than His own? This paper examines this question and offers an explanation of how God could communicate His conceptual understanding to us in spite of the fact that His concepts are nothing like those concepts which are given us by our language community and for the most part make up our understanding.

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A Typology for the Theological Reception of Scientific Innovation

Michael Fuller
Pages: 115-125

Abstract

The responses of members of the theological community to innovations from the sciences is generally richly varied rather than univocal. This article attempts to justify the idea that scientific ideas can feed constructively into the theological endeavour, and presents a five-fold typology for the responses theologians can make to a scientific novelty. This typology is illustrated with reference to the responses of some nineteenth century Anglican Clergymen to Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’; and, as a ‘thought experiment’, it is used to suggest ways in which theologians might respond to possible future developments in Artificial Intelligence.

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Jewish Understandings of Genesis 1 to 3

Justin Marston
Pages: 127-150

Abstract

This article examines the understandings of the creation accounts in Genesis 1–3 found in various early Jewish writings including rabbinical, philosophical and mystical/apocalyptic works. In general, Jewish writers distinguished various levels of meaning, including an allegorical as well as a literal or historical level. At the historical level of interpretation, however, certain aspects of the narrative were taken as symbolic or metaphorical, and a purely ‘literalistic’ understanding was not deemed natural to the language. The relevance of this historical material is discussed in the context of contemporary conservative approaches to interpreting the creation passages.

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Paul and the Person

Brian G. Edgar
Pages: 151-164

Abstract

Discussions of Biblical anthropology inevitably lead to the question as to whether it is fundamentally monist or dualist in form. In his recent article ‘Scripture and the Human Person: Further Reflections’ Joel Green put forward the modest proposal that anthropological monism is at least consistent with several New Testament passages which have often been interpreted in dualist fashion. This article takes this discussion a step further and interprets the Pauline data in the light of Paul’s soteriological purposes. The conclusion is that Paul deliberately varies his anthropological ontology in order to defend more central anthropological themes. It is argued that following Paul’s anthropology means more than accepting his ontological conclusions, it means adopting a method. This is shown to have implications for the contemporary use of biblical ontologies of the person.

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Correspondence

H. Russman

H. Russman
Pages: 165-166

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P.G. Nelson

P.G. Nelson
Pages: 166-167

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R. Knight

R. Knight
Pages: 167-168

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Response from R.J. Berry

R.J. Berry
Pages: 168-171

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Book reviews

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The Case for God

Peter S. Williams (Robert Ellis)
Pages: 173-174


Can Reindeer Fly?

Roger Highfield (Bennet McInnes)
Pages: 174-174


The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi

Michael R Molnar (Colin Humphreys)
Pages: 175-177


The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer’s View

Mark Kidger (Colin Humphreys)
Pages: 175-177


Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life

Steven Jay Gould (Andrew Briggs)
Pages: 177-180


The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance Through Small Probabilities

William A. Dembski (Rodney Holder)
Pages: 180-181


Lo grande, lo pequeño y la mente humana

Roger Penrose, with Abner Shimony, Nancy Cartwright and Stephen Hawking (Enrique Mota)
Pages: 181-182


The Pattern on the Stone

W. Daniel Hillis (Hazel Lucas)
Pages: 182-183


Cultural Boundaries of Science: Credibility on the Line

Thomas F. Gieryn (Steve Bishop)
Pages: 183-184


Religion & Magic: Approaches & Theories

Graham Cunningham (David Burnett)
Pages: 184-185


On Giants’ Shoulders – Studies in Christian Apologetics

Edgar Powell (Andrew Halestrap)
Pages: 185-187


Wider Horizons: Explorations in Science and Human Experience

David Lorimer et al. (J.N. Hawthorne)
Pages: 187-188


Earthshaping Earthkeeping: A Doctrine of Creation

John Weaver (Ron Elsdon)
Pages: 188-189


The Meme Machine

Susan Blackmore (Rosamund Bourke)
Pages: 189-190


Isaac Newton’s Observation on the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John. A Critical Edition: Prophecy as History

S.J. Barnett (ed.) (Ernest Lucas)
Pages: 190-191