Abstract:
ABSTRACT
The question of the origin of humans has been fiercely contested for a long
period. One perspective is the creation model, which asserts that the Universe
and all its components emerged through the deliberate actions of God, driven by
design and purpose. Conversely, the evolution model posits that the Universe's
formation occurred solely through mechanistic processes, devoid of any
supernatural intervention. Narrowing the scope to humanity, the evolution
model contends for the gradual evolution of the human species through a process
of descent with modification from an ancestor shared with apes, while the
creation model proposes the direct creation of humankind by God in his image.
Certainly, the implications either model has on human dignity are very important
for human existence. Whether God created humankind directly or through
evolution from an ape-like ancestor has a bearing on human dignity. It raises,
for example, the question as to whose image humanity bears: God’s or apes’?
The way one answers this question will definitely affect his or her human-divine
and human-human relationships. A literary research approach was used to gather
data from books, articles, and dissertations. The data were critically examined
to consider the arguments for either side of the debate. It was found out that both
biblical and scientific data may allow for variations within a particular species
(microevolution) but not the production of one species from another
(macroevolution). The findings suggest that the creation model must be accepted
with its attendant implications for human dignity.
Keywords: Evolution, Creation, Human Dignity, Origin
