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Motivated by the question What are the theological implications/problems with theistic evolution?, consider that Jasher 4:18 seems to imply that there is something wrong with the mixing of animal species to create "chimeras". The creationists group species into "kinds" but the naturalistic evolutionary view would probably say that the whole thing is a spectrum and that nothing is special about a particular given phenotype other than its current adaptability to the current environment, i.e. everything is just in continuous flux. But if Jasher 4:18 is true, then there is something "divinely special" about certain fixed phenotypes that we see nowadays. The two philosophies are completely in opposition. The technology to create chimeras will surely exist in future. What should a Christian say about chimeras? The view of Jasher 4:18 seems incontrovertible.

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    The origins and authenticity of Jasher are particularly suspect... Just saying...
    – Marc Gravell
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 8:10
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    "in the future"? You mean "now". Gene-splicing technology is in regular and active use today. One common use is to gene-splice to make bacteria produce particular chemicals, for example medicine. Many over-the-counter meds are produced this way. See also: spider goat Obviously this isn't "evolution" - I'm just replying to your "technology ... in the future"
    – Marc Gravell
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 8:14
  • You're absolutely right, Marc. I guess I was thinking of stuff like centaurs and the like. Time to cut back on "Wrath of the Titans" type movies.
    – user1539
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 9:15
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    Ok, I'll admit my ignorance here - what is the book of Jasher? Im familiar with most of the deutercanonicals and even a fair amount of NT apocrypha, but I've never heard of Jasher.
    – Affable Geek
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 11:06
  • @Affable Geek It's mentioned at 2 Samuel 1:18 and Joshua 10:13. A google search turns up Book of Jasher, but it's not clear whether this is THE Book of Jasher mentioned in the books of 2 Samuel and Joshua. How would one verify this?
    – user1539
    Commented Apr 16, 2012 at 3:14

1 Answer 1

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  1. Theistic evolution allows that God used evolution as tool prior to the creation of Man, but that this part of his plan is now completed, and he will no longer allow one "kind" to evolve into another "kind". A new species? Sure. A new genus? Maybe, if it's really similar to a prior one. After all, the classification system is an invention of man and therefore imperfect. A new family or phylum? Probably not gonna happen, except maybe among bugs or microbes. Note that theistic evolution doesn't demand this interpretation, but it allows it.
  2. The book of Jasher isn't exactly canon to most Christians.
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    Is your "1" view representing "creationist"? "theistic evolution"? "other"?: and, any scriptural basis for this view? From a naturalistic/evolutionary basis, there is no reason (other than the passage of time) to discount more family/phylum - indeed, there is no claim that our knowledge of this planet is complete yet (we know relatively little about what exists in the deepest waters, for example)
    – Marc Gravell
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 8:09
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    The view described in this answer is not theistic evolution. Theistic evolution is simply the view that the conclusions of modern scientific inquiry are not incompatible with belief in God. Thus if natural selection is capable of producing a new family or phylum at some future time, there is no reason to insist that it will not do so.
    – Bruce Alderman
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 8:38

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