Re: Kerkut

Dick Fischer wrote:
>
> George wrote:
>
> >Remind me again: Where is that verse that says "As in Adam some die, so in
> >Christ shall all be made alive"?
>
> I Corinthians 15:22 says: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
> all be made alive." I believe this verse mandates that if we believe in a
> historical Christ that we should also believe in a historical Adam. I
> consider it inconsistent in light of this verse to believe that Christ
> lived and breathed, but that Adam was merely a symbolic representation of
> mankind. Would you agree?
>
> As to the manner of death, is this physical death or spiritual death?

        I know where it says "As in Adam _all_ die." It doesn't say anywhere "As in
Adan _some_ die." Adam is the theological representative & beginning of all humanity
which is enmeshed in death - which is to say, the whole human race today. Adam is not
"merely a symbolic representation of" humanity, he IS humanity qua sinful & dying
creature - including the first humans who chose to sin. You chose to make him a single
historical individual at the cost of destroying his theological role as the one in whom
"all" die.
        Concerning your last question, it is not _just_ physical death. But we have a
unitary understanding of the human (as I tend more & more to do) I think we need to give
careful thought to just what should be meant by "spiritual death."

                                                        Shalom,
                                                        George
                                

George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
Received on Sat Feb 7 22:17:40 2004