The Narrow Path Ministries

Anthropologists mostly agree that there were 3 Primary Races: Caucasian, Negroid, and Mongoloid.


What does Modern Christianity believe as to how the 3 distinct Races came to be?

If Adam and Eve were "White"...........as an example, how do you then get Negroid and Mongoloid peoples on the planet?

Well, 'Modern Christianity' is a very broad term. I'm sure there are a variety of answers some Christians would give.

It's definitely an area outside my expertise (I'm not even sure I have an area of expertise!), but it seems to me that Adam & Eve would have had the genetic potential for large spectrum of skin color (just like they would have had the genetic potential for various hair colors, heights, body shape, etc.).

All that is required for distinctions to appear in a population is the isolation of a certain inherited trait followed by multiplication. If, for instance, Japheth's family (generally) went toward Europe and Japheth (and/or his wife) was slightly lighter skinned then Shem and Ham, then his descendants would have been lighter skinned. Shem's might have been more mild skinned. Ham's might have been darker skinned.

Another element is that certain genetic traits have a better hope of surviving in certain climates. Dark skinned people have a much better chance of survival in and around the equator than light skinned people. Thus, the fittest (dark skinned members of a society) would be more likely to survive (avoid skin cancer and whatnot). Over time, this would intensify, perhaps, the distinction of a given society.

mattrose wrote:Another element is that certain genetic traits have a better hope of surviving in certain climates.

A micro evolutionary theory.

I wonder if we will ever see White South Africans turn black.

How about Cain's wife? Where did she come from. Or "who" did she come from?

RoyHobs wrote:

How about Cain's wife? Where did she come from. Or "who" did she come from?

If the genre of Genesis 1-11 is historical narrative, then common sense would say he married his previously unmentioned sister

In Winnipeg, I once I worked with a fellow who had previously been a member of a street gang. But he had now become a "two-by-two" or Cooneyite. One day he told me that he had talked to one of his old street-gang friends. The man had asked him, "So Bill A....." you got religion, did you? Well tell me one thing—where did Cain, get his wife?"

Then Bill said to me, "Now Don, how was I supposed to answer a question like that? Anyway, I said to him, 'How do I know where Cain got his wife? Maybe she fell out of the clear, blue sky, for all I know. Anyway, I'm not concerned about where Cain got his wife. I'm concerned about where I'm going to get my wife!"

then common sense would say he married his previously unmentioned sister


A common held belief.....so you are in popular company.

RoyHobs wrote:
If Adam and Eve were "White"

Assuming this premise, it tells us very, very little of the voluminous information packed in their DNA.