Homo Lapsus

I have written Homo Lapsus for all who are interested in the controversies between religion and science, especially in relation to human origins. My main aim is to show that contrary to the polemics of high profile neo-Darwinists such as Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett, evolutionary biology provides empirical evidence for Christian teachings on the related issues of human origins, the origin of evil, and the existence of a beneficent Deity. I have also written it to place the arguments of the many books of popular science that have been published on these topics in direct relationship with the corresponding theological arguments. Whereas difficult scientific theories have been skilfully simplified for the general public, the same is not true for the relevant theological and philosophical arguments.

As a result, Christians as well as atheists and agnostics are largely unaware that the challenges posed to Christianity by theories of evolution are easily countered when confronted from a theological perspective that respects the autonomy of science and tackles the scientific arguments on their own terms. Interestingly the first person to claim that evolution provides evidence for a transcendent dimension to human existence was Darwin’s great friend and co-discoverer of natural selection, the former atheist Alfred Russel Wallace. His writings on the subject were ignored however due to the bitter controversies that developed between the religious and scientific establishments after the publication of Darwin’s Origin.

Homo Lapsus has a narrative theme that traces the evolution of human morality from pre-historic hominid species to the emergence of modern Homo sapiens. If you enjoy books of popular science such as Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens and Homo Deus, this is the book for you.