Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Sunday, September 06, 2009 6:04:14 AM
“Man by the Fall fell at the same time from his state of innocence and from his dominion over creation. Both of these losses, however, can even in this life be in some part repaired; the former by religion and faith, the latter by the arts and sciences.” [Francis Bacon, 1620]
Re: http://townhall.com/columnists/KenConnor/2009/09/06/blinded_by_the_light_of_discovery
Bacon speaks of the redemptive nature of the gospel and the right use of the arts and sciences that exalts the image of God in man and discovers the works of God in creation.
Man as the image bearer of his creator was given dominion over the earth. Pursuing the arts and sciences is fulfilling his purpose.
Religion and faith can be abused by man to pursue a righteousness that exalts the works of man rather than the grace of God. So also, autonomous reason can corrupt the sciences into a denial of the Giver and Sustainer of life for the irrational discovery of a world void of purposeful design. Even so, the arts are corrupted by pursuing the things of the flesh rather than the things that edify.
Fallen man in his depravity will always pursue corruption, and in his pride he will always pursue autonomy because that is his nature. What greater autonomy is there than to reduce the flaws of man to DNA errors and then manipulate human genetics to fix his faults? Will man reverse the physical effects of sin in the world by use of neo-science?
There were no genetic errors in the garden, yet sin entered what was created 'very good'. It is written that the whole creation is in slavery to corruption and groans, as we who have the first fruits of the Spirit groan, waiting eagerly for the redemption of the body [Romans 8]. If sin is the result of genetic errors, then Christ died needlessly.