This thought-provoking book probes a number of important philosophical quandaries at stake when considering how key Christian doctrines relate to metaphysical naturalism that is implicit in standard biological theories of human evolution. This lucid work refuses to gloss over points of tension. At stake is how a Christian theology might respond to the paradoxical biological concept of the fluidity yet distinctiveness of species. For the author, that boils down to the theological significance of human specialness in tension with anti-essentialist views. That specialness is presupposed in the doctrines of sin and salvation. Original sin is not just incompatible with evolutionary theory, it also opens up philosophical quandaries. Regardless of whether the reader accepts all the arguments in this book, they will agree that Neanderthals are good creatures to think with, they invite deeper questions such as are they, like modern humans, also caught up in the Christian story of salvation? The author notes the evolutionary lottery that rendered modern humans as the one human species left standing, and in this sense, he challenges whether humans are really special after all. In a theoretical sense, Neanderthals might well have been the redeemers too.

utionary lottery that rendered modern humans as the one human species left standing, and in this sense, he challenges whether humans are really special after all. In a theoretical sense, Neanderthals might well have been the redeemers too.utionary lottery that rendered modern humans as the one human species left standing, and in this sense, he challenges whether humans are really special after all. In a theoretical sense, Neanderthals might well have been the redeemers too.utionary lottery that rendered modern humans as the one human species left standing, and in this sense, he challenges whether humans are really special after all. In a theoretical sense, Neanderthals might well have been the redeemers too.