Doctrine of Man - Part 15: Were Neanderthals Humans?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and "shelter-in-place" recommendations, Dr. Craig gives this lecture from the safety of his home office.

"Defenders" is Dr. William Lane Craig's weekly Sunday school class on Christian doctrine and apologetics. This video is part 15 of his locus on the Doctrine of Man.

We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:

[anprimike]

Hello Dr Craig, here you have a new student from Chile. I'll teach this to my children, God bless you

[Jesus_is_Lord-]

Oh wow! The comment section is now open! I just realized that! #bringbackthebeared

[sralf]

Nice to see that this time the comment section is open.

[brookekennel]

Thank you so much for this discussion, Dr. Craig! I have been interested in Neanderthals for many years now and have been increasingly convinced of their full humanity. I wish more Christian thinkers were willing to broach topics like early hominids.

[The_Scouts_Code]

Amazing presentation. Thank you Dr Craig.

[TDL-xgnn]

Your next project should explore the flood. When was it and was it global or local.

[brianclark]

I enjoy Dr Craig but I'm wondering if he is saying that Neanderthal had a soul? If Adam is the first human soul then how do we accept the evolutionary model? The Bible is written with theological messages but still is clear on as humans as God's image with a soul. Are Neanderthals going to be judged? I do agree with the old Earth and Universe model but Bible is clear on the lineage from Adam to Jesus. Even Jesus says that Abel was righteous in Matthew 23, which means he was a real person. But I do enjoy Dr Craig. God bless

[erlwilliam]

Dr Craig, I am not impressed in fact disappointed and though I bought 4 of your books I don't think I can take your ministry seriously

[renzodelaquintana]

Wonderfull Dr. Craig you are the best🙏

[walkergarya]

Neanderthal were human, but they were not modern humans. It is a pity they did not survive but given our long history of awful abuse of our own species, perhaps it is better that they did go extinct.

[bassmanjr]

At what point do we have archeological evidence that these 'humans' exhibit a belief in a Supreme being. That would help determine when the historical Adam should be placed I would think? Unless God revealed Himself to other humans that isn't recorded for us.

[lakedelta]

Neanderthals are indeed a species of human just like homo sapiens (us). We just evolved differently we evolved to be taller and slimmer because we originated in Africa. Neanderthals evolved to be short and stocky due to them originating in the colder environments of Europe and Asia.

[bakacsn]

I read once an article written by Christians about neanderthals that they indeed were normal human beings and that their unusual bone structure might be also tight to the long life (800 years like Adam) of early people and different climate. It was an argument that people who get older are usually get reduced in height and if their body does not decay as fast then their muscles also have time and the means to develop into something much thicker and stronger. I don't know if this is argument is scientifically sound thou, maybe someone with a background in this can look into it.

[dewinthemorning]

I seem to remember Dr. Craig making fun of evolution ... Does he accept it now? He has also said that God created everything, that God created humans. I would like to ask him if God created humans, why did he before that create neanderthals, and denisovans, and homo erectus, and homo habilis, and all the rest of the hominids? And then made all of them extinct? Was that trial-and-error? But Dr. Craig has also said that God is perfect. How can God make "errors" then?

[bambam]

How interesting ... I've never looked at it from this point of view.

[yeshuaneitheristheresalvat]

Heresy! They are not MORAL BEINGS! And that is the MAJOR DIFFERENCE! All these words, are just that, words. Either beleive Bills word, or Jesus'.

[animatedsermons]

Craig is the hottest 70 year old man I’ve ever seen.

Seriously lucky wife.

[yeshuaneitheristheresalvat]

Humanity consists of a sinful nature, except Christ.

[yeshuaneitheristheresalvat]

Sin nature people, sin nature. This is what they are missing. But Jesus says all have sinned, and that came through Adam! Bill believes all the words of these scientists and their findings. "Science falsely so called " Do you people actually believe the record of what Bill is reading! He says opposite of Christ.

[erlwilliam]

if you look up Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had done. ... There is no more creation taking place subsequently, He does not come back to tweet anything that he has created for he says " and it was good" . Then on the sixth day he says its very good... God said his creation of man-kind was very good and he states why in Genesis 1:26...The Triune God created a tripartite man that could match Him and if man was created a bi-part creature he would not ... end of story... If the Neanderthal's were not made in Gods image it is because they did not have a human spirit and thus they were not matched to breed with mankind... it is not a matter whether they were or were not beautiful or high IQ or not.All the animals bred after their own kind that is how they were programed