Closing statement round of the Race Debate between Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller and Linnaeus.
Debate thesis: There is only one race, the race of Adam.
Rev. Wolfmueller affirms:
Opening Statement
Rebuttal
Cross Examination of Wolfmueller
Closing Statement Below
Linnaeus denies:
Opening Statement
Rebuttal
Cross Examination of Linnaeus
Linnaeus’ Closing Statement
Conclusion: Against Biological Reductionism, Again
I’ll leave it to the reader to assess the helpfulness of this debate. I think, in large part, Linnaeus and I have been talking past each other. It feels like Linnaeus has been trying to squeeze a concession out of me that I’ve been willing to give our entire debate: lineage and heritage are real and true and part of God’s ordered world.
I have parents that a few other people have, and others do not. I share grandparents with some people and not with others, and so on. I don’t think I’ve every denied the reality of lineage or heritage. My argument has been that there is always more.
There is more when it comes to family, specifically because a father and mother introduce two lineages into one child. There is more implied in every word the Bible uses to describe groups of people (people, tribe, tongue, nation, etc.). There is a fundamental legal/verbal reality to our humanity, and I cannot see how the category of race is not intentionally introduced to diminish this characteristic. Perhaps not, but it still functions, always, in a reductionistic capacity, isolating lineage, heritage, genetics, etc. from the reality of the sinner created by God and redeemed by Christ.
Marriage is more than mating. Having children is more than breeding. Nations are more than herds. A man is more than his genetics.
That the Lord was pleased to bring forth the human family from Adam and Eve, and then from Noah, highlights this foundational Biblical truth. In Adam and Eve God’s image and likeness was given to man, as well as dominion over creation. Adam and Eve are given to one another, and those to became one. Through Adam and Eve the image of God was lost, and sin, death and corruption where introduced to the entire human family. The gift of life and the corruption of sin, these defining realities of each and every human life, are given to the entire family.
Here we once more point to our Lord Jesus Christ (mostly of Shem with a little Hamite mixed in) who took the place of all humanity, standing in for all the sons of Adam and Eve, enduring God’s wrath to sin for us life and salvation.
But this has been said before, I hope with sufficient clarity to make the point clear. May the reader forgive me for what was lacking.
It is true, by lineage and heritage we are all given unique and particular circumstances, nevertheless, the Scriptures give us more. By flesh we are all sons and daughters of Adam and Noah, children of wrath. By faith we are sons of Abraham. By baptism we are the children of God. Behold that love!
Thanks to Linnaeus, who not only kept this conversation going, but was also very patient with my late responses and delays.