CREATIONISM, a term recently applied to that theory of the origin of man which is thought to be opposed to evolutionism (see ANTHROPOLOGY, EVOLUTION). C., how ever, has for centuries been used to indicate a theory as to the origin of the soul. The question in theology has been, whether the soul of each man is immediately created by God, or is generated by the parents as really as is the body. The former theory is called creationism; the latter, tradueiani:on. The following arguments are advanced by tradu cianists: 1. The Scripture declaration that " Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." Concerning this son. they affirm that, as he consisted of body and soul, these must both have been in the image and likeness of his father, and both must have been derived, mediately, from him. 2. The advocates of this theory affirm that it is necessary in order to account for the transmission of a sinful nature from Adam to his posterity. Community of essence, they say, produces community in sin. If mankind were not iu Adam as to essence, they did not sin in hini,.aud do not derive their corrupt nature from him; but if they were in him as to essence. then his sin was their sin. 3. Sonic urge also that the incarnation of Christ involves the truth of the traducian theory. He was born of a woman. Unless both his human soul and his body were derived, mediately, from his virgin mother, he cannot truly be of the same race with mankind. 4. Another argument is drawn from the transmission from one generation to another of ethnical, national, family, and parental peculiarities of mind, temper, and disposition, as well as of physical constitution. On the other hand, in behalf of C —the theory that every human soul is created by the immediate .igency of God—the following arguments are maintained: 1. That it is in accordance with the general teaching of Scripture. In the account of the creation of man, there is, they say, a marked distinction between the origin of the body and of the soul. The one is,
mediately, from the earth; the other, immediately, from God : and this distinction is continued through the Bible. The body and soul arc not only represented as different substances, but also as having a different "The dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." God is called "the God of the spirits of all flesh," and "the Father of spirits." 2. C., it is said, is more consistent with the nature of the soul which, being immaterial and spiritual, must be indivisible. i The traducian theory, on the contrary, implies that the essence of the soul is capable of division. Sonic of its advocates, indeed, deny that there is any division; but the great majority of them admit that the derivation of one soul from another requires a division of essence. 3. The advocates of C. think they have an argument for it in the very teaching of Scripture concerning the person of Christ to which their opponents resort. He assumed our nature by taking to himself a true body and a rational soul. He was born of a woman; in his human nature, lie was the son of David, and was descended from the fathers. As such, the advocates of both theories admit, he was without sin. But if, as traducianism affirms, mankind derive a sinful nature from Adam because of their community of essence with him, then C. replies that the human nature of Christ, sharing the same community of essence, must also have shared in the sinfulness. While these two theories are generally arrayed in opposition, as if one or the other must be true, it is conceivable that there is a truth in both. Many theologians do not affirm either; but, regarding the mode of the soul's coming into being as a part of the mystery which envelops the whole subject of the existence, maintenance, and transmission of life, are content to say with Augustine, "When I wrote my former book I did,'not know how the soul derives its being, and I do not know now." Sec TRADU CLkNISM, ante.