The Common Origin of Mankind

(This is a copy of my letter to the editor in the Winston-Salem Journal.)

I read with interest the article by Faye Flam (Winston-Salem Journal October 6, 2016) entitled: “Why biologists don’t put much stock in race.” The main thrust of the article seems to be that scientists, beginning in the 18th century, were responsible for officially dividing human beings into Europeans, Africans, Asians and Native Americans and that this division lends scientific credibility to racial prejudice. But now, they say, with modern DNA testing we know better. Now we know of the common ancestry of us all.

I thought it should be pointed out that the Bible from the very start asserts the common origin of all mankind. This is clearly seen in the creation story. (Genesis 1-3) Note particularly the statement that Eve is “the mother of all living.” (Genesis 3:20) The Table of Nations (Genesis 10) also demonstrates the unity of the human race. Furthermore, the apostle Paul emphatically proclaims that God “hath made of one all the nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26)

Claude