BOOK REVIEW - ONE HUMAN FAMILY

Many excellent books in the past few decades have demonstrated the scientific credibility of creationism. Other books have compared the effects of evolutionary thinking with the effects of a worldview that takes the book of Genesis seriously. This lavishly produced book by Carl Wieland, Managing Director of Creation Ministries International builds on previous work to tackle the contentious issue of racism.

The thesis of the book is obvious from the beginning; both the Bible and modern science affirm conclusively that we are all one human family. Therefore racism doesn't make sense. The evidence for a recent common ancestry brings the family connection even closer.

But racism in our modern context is a complex issue. This book has seventeen chapters, all treating different facets and implications of our human tendency to define each other in terms of race. Readers will find semi-technical scientific explanations, historical reviews on matters like slavery or the impact of Social Darwinism, analysis of examples that evolutionists have put forward as evidence of man's evolution from ape-like creatures, and much more. The alleged biological differences between different races are seen to arise more from differences in culture and religious worldview assumptions. There is a substantial chapter on South Africa and the Apartheid regime. All of these matters are handled uncompromisingly (this book would never pass the PC test!) but in such a way as to promote genuine understanding, something which is often lacking in discussions about race and racism.

'One Human Family' is encyclopedic in scope, well illustrated and well-referenced, with several interesting feature pages. Christian readers will greatly appreciate this book for the way in which controversial issues are addressed. Non-Christian readers, if they are open-minded enough to consider the evidence marshalled here, will find their whole world turned upside down!

The physical weightiness of this book is definitely matched by the weightiness of it's content. A very important contribution to the literature on one of society's most divisive issues.

NOTE: I thought this was worth posting on my ‘Culture Insights’ blog because this book speaks directly to so many culture-related issues.