Is Jesus Greater Than Origins?

Dr. Joshua Swamidass and Dr. Craig discuss whether one's general position on Genesis serves as the foundation for faith in Jesus. This is in response to Ken Ham's sharp critique of Dr. Craig's work on the historical Adam.

DR. SWAMIDASS: It really does come down to whether or not – the way I would phrase it in my parlance is – is Jesus greater than origins? If he is then it shouldn't matter if we disagree about details of Genesis. The fact that people come to Jesus . . . it seems that even if you're entirely wrong and I was a Young Earth Creationist watching this, I should be able to say, “You know what, Bill Craig? You've taken away some stumbling blocks from people because even if they're completely wrong about origins and evolution they should still follow Jesus.”

DR. CRAIG: Yes, that's right.

DR. SWAMIDASS: And you have made a way for many people to do that. So it seems like a far more Christian position, a thoroughly grounded position that understands that Jesus is greater, right?

DR. CRAIG: Yes, I think that's right. We need to be united on the essentials and then have charity to one another with regard to the non-essentials.

DR. SWAMIDASS: I think this is really critical. So my critique to throw it in of Ken Ham, is that I think he's forgotten what the cornerstone of the faith is. He's forgotten what the foundation is. When he talks about Jesus, he talks about how everything falls apart if you don't get Genesis; even Jesus and the resurrection will go away.

DR. CRAIG: Years ago, I saw a Young Earth Creationist poster that was very telling. It had a picture of two castles on two islands, and the people in the castles were shooting cannons at each other fighting. And the one castle was Christianity, and the other castle was labeled something like secularism or atheism, and the foundation of the one was called evolution, and the other one the foundation of Christianity was creation.

DR. SWAMIDASS: Do you know where that image is from?

DR. CRAIG: No!

DR. SWAMIDASS: Ken Ham says that that is the visual mission statement for Answers in Genesis. This is actually the way how they illustrate . . .

DR. CRAIG: It bears out the point you were making. It is such a misunderstanding of theological priorities to think that Christianity is based upon the doctrine of creation and that atheism is based upon the theory of evolution. It almost stands things on their head.

DR. SWAMIDASS: My concern with it is it seems to be in direct contradiction with a literal reading of Scripture that says that Jesus is the cornerstone.

DR. CRAIG: I know, I know, for goodness sake!

DR. SWAMIDASS: I thought he was the cornerstone, he was the first stone laid and he's the capstone too, isn't he? He's the last stone.

DR. CRAIG: The keystone, the cornerstone that the builders rejected. Paul says no foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.