Abstract
A traditional view among Christians has been that death of all sorts is a consequence of Adam's disobedience and fall into sin. Beginning about two hundred years ago, the study of rocks led many Christians to accept the conviction that the Earth is vastly older than six thousand years, and the study of fossils found in the rocks brought Christians to face the question of death among plant and animal organisms prior to the existence of humans. While death before the Fall is still a hurdle for some Christians, many of us have come to accept this scientific conclusion as being compatible with a proper understanding of Scripture. A topic which has not been the subject of much discussion among us, however, is the matter of disease and trauma in fossil organisms, including pre-Adamic hominids. This study, called "paleopathology," demonstrates the presence of disease and trauma in many fossil plants and animals prior to the existence of humans on Earth, and faces Christians with the question of the relationship of disease to God's good creation. A brief description of some of the evidence for disease and trauma in fossil organisms serves as the impetus for discussion of the teaching of Scripture with regard to disease, trauma, and dying.