Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man [Hardcover]

Fazale Rana (Author), Hugh Ross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2005

Scientists Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross introduce a testable scientific model for humanity's origin--a Biblical model--that sheds light on the latest findings on evolution and the origins of man.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The authors of this study are distressed that many people, from scientists to judges, define creationism as a religious view rather than a legitimate scientific theory, and they attempt to redeem it as a science. (It is worth noting that both authors hold doctorates, one in chemistry and one in astronomy.) Early on, they state they define a creationist as "anyone who believes in the existence of a supernatural Creator," but it quickly becomes clear that in fact they mean something much narrower. Their model posits that God created the first people, Adam and Eve; that humanity began in a specific geographic location, the Garden of Eden; and that this creation took place between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago. They then marshal evidence from various disciplines, such as archaeology and astronomy, to support their views. They also argue that "changes in Earth's cosmic radiation environment" have dramatically decreased human lifespan-thus it is wholly plausible that people once lived the 100-plus years of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs. The authors depart from their scientific grid only to toss out a canard common in evolution-versus-creation debates: the insistence that adopting a "naturalistic process of evolutionary descent" leads to a world stripped of meaning. Rana and Ross are to be commended for purging their prose of unnecessary scientific jargon; the writing is clear enough that a lay-person can follow along. Nonetheless, this book is unlikely to persuade anyone who is not already in agreement with the authors' views.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 299 pages
• Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group; 1st edition (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576835774
• ISBN-13: 978-1576835777
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review of the current scientific literature, October 3, 2005

By 

Richard L. Deem "Rich Deem" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man (Hardcover)

Are humans just advanced apes or have they been specially created in the image of God? Publications by scientists almost never ask the question, whereas publications by theists seldom examine the scientific data that relates to the question.

However, two scientists raised in non-Christian homes, Fuz Rana (Ph.D. in chemistry) and Hugh Ross (Ph.D. in astronomy), have written a new book (Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man) that examines the question of human origins by comparing biblical and evolutionary models.

The second in a series of books designed to produce a comprehensive biblical creation model, Reasons To Believe scholars, Rana and Ross present a biblical creation model that makes 13 specific predictions on the nature and origin of mankind, then go on to examine the evidence published in the latest scientific studies. One example from the biblical creation model is the predicted discrepancy between the origin dates for male and female genetic lines. The Bible claims that there was a genetic bottleneck at the Genesis flood. Whereas all females can trace their ancestry back to Eve (through the three wives of Noah's sons), all males trace their Y-chromosomes through Noah (through his three sons). This predicted discrepancy for molecular dates of mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome data is actually seen in the scientific literature. In addition to the mtDNA and Y-chromosome data, Who Was Adam? examines molecular dates from nuclear genes, numerous varieties of non-coding genetic elements, and human parasites. All these data confirm a recent origin date for Homo sapiens sapiens. Other chapters examine the hominid fossil record as it relates to specific evolutionary models compared to the biblical creation model. Chapter 5 examines the question whether we can detect the image of God in modern humans that differentiates them from hominids in the fossil record. Specific hominid species are examined in detail, including Homo erectus, Homo neandertalensis, and chimpanzees. A chapter devoted to the development of bipedalism shows that the extensive changes required for this form of locomotion appeared in early hominids, with no apparent selective Darwinian driving force. An examination of hominid brain sizes shows no gradual increases within species, but large jumps as new species appeared on the scene. Opponents of the idea that humans are intelligently designed often point to the presence of "junk" (non-coding) DNA in the genomes of both apes and humans. Chapter 14 examines the most recent evidence that shows that non-coding DNA is certainly not junk, but provides vital regulatory functions for coding genes.

One chapter stands out as being somewhat out of place in a book on human origins. Chapter 6, "The best possible time" examines the timing of the appearance on humans in the context of the history of the universe and the history of the earth. Although peripherally-related to the question of intelligent design, it would seem to be more relevant to discussions of cosmology and the anthropic principle.

Although the book seems to be marketed to Christians (from the title), it will probably have more broad appeal within secular circles, since it does present an excellent, up-to-date review of the current scientific literature on human origins. Does a biblical creation model for human origins present a scientifically-respectable alternative to neo-Darwinian evolution? Read the book and make your own decision.

54 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Who was Adam?" Surprising, satisfying!, October 2, 2005

By 

Kathy Clapper (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man (Hardcover)

Who are these children who make their way to the nurse's office at school to see me-children whose disruptive behaviors and/or mental illness make it impossible for them to function in a regular classroom and qualify them for my school? And why should I care so deeply about them?

In their book on the origins of man, "Who was Adam?", Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross provide surprising, yet satisfying answers to my questions.

Surprising because of the breadth and wealth of cutting-edge scientific research they cite.

Surprising because the evidence from the fossil record, biochemistry, archeology, human and parasitic genetic studies, geology, and astronomy is at odds with the evolutionary model of human origins that I was taught.

Surprising because they propose a creation model for human origins that is both biblical and able to stand up under scientific scrutiny. (Mitochondrial-DNA research reveals that humanity originated from one woman, called "mitochondrial Eve", and Y-chromosomal studies reveal that humanity came from a single location!)

Their model posits that while humans share many similarities with animals, humans are qualitatively different from animals. Only humans bear the image of God. If their model is correct, then even the most difficult to manage children have inherent dignity and intrinsic worth.

"Who was Adam?" - an exciting exploration of the evidence.

66 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should become a Standard Reference for the Intelligent Design/Evolution debate, October 3, 2005

By 

Jonathan Fisher (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man (Hardcover)

The Creation-Evolution debate, or more specifically the Intelligent Design-Naturalism debate would be far more productive if level-headed presentations and discussions of the evidence, like those presented in "Who was Adam", were more common place. The typical dogmatism from the Young-Earth creationism or naturalism/neo-Darwinism has dominated the debate for far too long.

Why should you read "Who was Adam"? Dr. Fuz Rana and Dr. Hugh Ross have summarized the scientific record, discussing it from the perspective of two opposing world-views, and proposed a testable creation model for the "Origin of Man". Dr. Rana and Dr. Ross have taken an approach that systematically presents their evidences for intelligent design and shows how their model is soundly supported by both the scientific understanding of nature as well as the Holy Bible

"Who was Adam" should be used as a point of discussion where believing and non-believing scientist or layman can debate and discuss the evidences rather than simply follow the path of personal attacks taken by many in the Young-Earth Creationist-Evolution debate.

I believe that anyone who studies "Who was Adam" with an open mind followed by a "testing" of the supporting references will reach the same conclusion as did Rana and Ross; mainly that the scientific record supports the words of the Holy Bible. The next step is up to you.