The Bible teaches that all humans are descended from Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26-2:25; 5:1ff). Paul tells the members of the Athenian Areopagus, “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth” (Acts 17:26).
There is some possible, though far from conclusive scientific corroboration of the idea that all humans are indeed related. In 1987 research was conducted into the genetic material of women from around the world by biologists Rebecca Cann, Mark Stoneking and Allan C. Wilson. They concluded that every human being alive today shares genetic material that originated with a woman who lived 150,00-250,000 years ago in sub-Saharan Africa, whom they dubbed “Eve.” She is sometimes referred to as MRCA, that is, “most recent common ancestor”, though, more correctly, she is thought of as the most recent common matrilineal ancestor. She may also be called African or Mitochondrial Eve, because for those who accept this research – and there are many scientists who strenuously reject it - the mitochondrial DNA of all living persons is derived from her.
As indicated before, this is by no means an endorsement of the Genesis creation account. For example, biologists believe other women were living at the same time as Mitochondrial Eve, whose mitochondrial DNA has since gone, but whose nuclear genes are still present in humans living today.
In addition to this, Eve’s counterpart, the so-called Y-chromosomal Adam or patrilineal MRCA is believed, by those who accept this research, to have lived at a different time to “Eve.”
All of this cannot be used to prove the accuracy of the creation account and, indeed, even represents an alternate explanation of human origins. But at least the “Out of Africa” theory is in synch with the Bible’s insistence that we are all related, the point Paul was making in the famous speech mentioned before.
www.facetofaceintercultural.com.au
Posted October 27, 2009
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