Who Was Adam? A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Humanity

335 Pages·2015·3.8 MB·English

by  Fazale Rana with Hugh Ross

Contents
Endorsements
Copyright Page
Dedication
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Part I: What Is Man?
1. The Differences between David and Darwin
2. Fossil Record Facts
3. A Scientific Creation Model
Part II: The Song of Science
4. It's All in the Genes
5. Bones and Stones
6. The Best Possible Time
7. How the Fountain of Youth Ran Dry
8. People on the Move
9. Is Human Evolution a Fact?
10. Bipedalism and Brain Size
11. Who Was Turkana Boy?
12. Who Were the Neanderthals?
13. What about Chimpanzees?
14. What about "Junk" DNA?
15. Humanity's Identity Materializes
Part III: The Ten-Year Update
16. Why This Update?
17. Better Dates for Humanity's Genesis
18. When Did Modern Human Behavior Begin?
19. New Hominid Fossils Provide Model Tests
20. Are Neanderthals Similar to Humans?
21.The Messy Interbreeding Problem
22. Did Neanderthals Have the Smarts?
23. Comparing Chimp and Hominid Behaviors
24. Trying on the Genes
25. Is It Time to Scrap Junk DNA?
26. Criticisms of RTB's Human Origins Model
27. Three New Questions to Address
28. Where Does the RTB Model Stand?
About the Authors
About Reasons to Believe
Notes
“Though lacking widespread agreement, evangelicals currently abound with origins books from young- and old-earth creationists, theistic
evolutionists/evolutionary creationists, and intelligent design proponents. No origins question dominates this scene more than ‘who was
Adam?’ The updated edition, then, of Who Was Adam? by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross arrives just in time to continue setting the bar in
scholarship and amicable tone. A decade after the important first edition, the revision maintains its stance on biblical inerrancy and a
specially created historical Adam as the first human. But now Rana and Ross test their original scientific model against a further decade
of discoveries, refreshingly admitting they were wrong about some details. With added treatments of difficult subjects such as the origin
of races and diseases, and human-Neanderthal interbreeding, the new edition is a must-read for those who take the Bible and science
seriously.”
—Ted Cabal, professor of philosophy and apologetics,
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, editor, The Apologetics Study Bible
“In the ten years since Who Was Adam? was first published, an exciting explosion of scientific discoveries has occurred in the fields of
paleoanthropology and genetics. In this updated edition, Rana shows where the RTB model has been supported by these new
discoveries. He also explains where the RTB model of Adam’s special creation by God has had to be refined, fine-tuned, and, where
necessary, adjusted. Not only is the amount of research exhibited in this book truly remarkable, Rana presents the material clearly in a
way that is accessible to the non-specialist. Bottom line, the RTB model continues to serve as a testable hypothesis of how God acted to
create the original couple.”
—Ken Keathley, professor of theology, director of the L. Russ Bush Center
for Faith and Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“This is a scholarly, in-depth scientific treatment of the origin of human beings from an old-earth creationist point of view that is based on
a belief in the historicity and reliability of the Genesis record.”
—Norman Geisler, PhD, dean, Southern Evangelical Seminary
“This is the most careful analysis of human origins I have seen. Rana and Ross have treated the scientific evidence fairly without
imposing upon that evidence an atheistic worldview.”
—Henry F. Schaefer III, fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
“Every thinking Christian must read this book. Evangelicals have dismissed or avoided the scientific findings relating to human origins for
too long; this book opens that door and shows that there is nothing to fear: God’s Word is still true, and His world still reveals His
handiwork.”
—John A. Bloom, PhD, professor of physics, director of the master’s degree program
in science and religion, Biola University
“As a nonscientist who is deeply interested in science, I have learned from and been challenged by this book, which is the reaction I have
expected from RTB’s books since The Creator and the Cosmos. Who Was Adam? is one of the most fascinating books that I have read
in a long time.”
—Craig Keener, professor of New Testament, Palmer Seminary; author of
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
“Who Was Adam? addresses a generation with the gospel of creation, which will open many thoughtful minds and needy hearts to the
gospel of salvation.”
—Jack W. Hayford, PhD, founder and chancellor, The Kings College and Seminary
“Rana and Ross have taken us carefully and thoughtfully through the biology and the fossils and have shown how to read them properly.
Their willingness to put their biblical model to the test of science is invigorating.”
—C. John “Jack” Collins, PhD, professor, chairman of the Department of
Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary
“If you want evidence from genetics, biology, archeology, paleontology, and astronomy that points to the conclusion that the human race
came into existence a relatively short time ago, read this book.”
—John F. Ankerberg, MA, DMin, apologist; host of The John Ankerberg Show

© 2015 by Reasons to Believe
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from Reasons to Believe, 818
S. Oak Park Rd., Covina, CA 91724. www.reasons.org
ISBN 978-1-886653-11-5
Cover design by 789 Inc.
Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are based on information available in the public domain. All other
illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental.
All epigraphs are taken from The Riverside Shakespeare, ed. G. Blakemore Evans (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974). Unless otherwise
identified, all Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Rana, Fazale, 1963-
Who was Adam? : a creation model approach to the
origin of man / Fazale Rana ; with Hugh Ross. -- Second
expanded edition. -- 10-year update.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-886653-11-5
1. Human evolution--Religious aspects--Christianity.
2. Human evolution. 3. Religion and science.
I. Ross, Hugh (Hugh Norman), 1945- II. Title.
BT712.R36 2015 233›.11
QBI15-600090
For Amy Rana and Kathy Ross
List of Figures
Figures
1 An Image of Earth Taken from the Edge of the Solar System
2.1 The Biogeographical Distribution of Hominid Species Found in the African Fossil Record
2.2 Different Modes of Technology Found in the Archeological Record
2.3 Presumed Evolutionary Relationships among the Australopithecines and Other Related Genera
2.4 The Multiregional Model
2.5 The Out-of-Africa Model
4 DNA Structure
10.1 Anatomical Differences between Knuckle-Walkers and Bipeds
10.2 Hominid Encephalization Quotients
13.1 Protein Structure
13.2 Chromosome Structure
13.3 Human and Chimpanzee Chromosomal Comparison
14.1 Pseudogenes
14.2 SINEs and LINEs
14.3A Virus
14.3B Virus Life Cycle
14.4 The Retrovirus Infectious Cycle
Acknowledgments
Many people worked hard and made sacrifices to get both the first and second
editions of this book into print. First and foremost we appreciate the love and
encouragement of our wives, Amy Rana and Kathy Ross.
The Reasons to Believe team (staff and volunteers) dedicated themselves to this
book as if it was their own. We are grateful to Kathy Ross, Patti Townley-Covert, and
Tani Trost who gave expert editorial guidance for the first edition. Joe Aguirre, Sandra
Dimas, and Maureen Moser served as editors for the second edition. We are grateful
for their help. Our thanks go to Jonathon Price and Phillip Chien for designing the
tables and many figures that enhanced the first edition’s clarity. Marj Harman and
Colleen Wingenbach deserve special thanks for preparing the manuscript of the first
edition and taking care of the multitude of details that go into each book project. We
also want to express gratitude to Diana Carrée, who has the thankless task of
managing our schedules so that we would have the time to write.
Valuable interactions took place with scholars Kenneth Samples, David Rogstad,
Krista Bontrager, C. John Collins, Robert Bowman, Virgil Robertson, Richard Deem,
Sue Dykes, Kevin Birdwell, Jeff Schloss, Darrel Falk, and AJ Roberts. These
conversations improved the quality of both the first and second editions. We
appreciate the expertise displayed in their manuscript reviews. Of course, we assume
responsibility for any errors found herein.
Warm thanks to our friends at NavPress for their contributions to the first edition,
particularly Rachelle Gardner.