Re: [asa] Adam and the Fall

Hi Bethany,

I think that one can be as certain that an Adam didn't exist as one can be
> sure that there is no firmament...
>
Wow, that is pretty certain :-)

I guess, it is this certainty that I'm questioning. There are many biblical
minimalists that state with the same certainty that Abraham, Moses, and even
David and Solomon never existed. I agree that there is a world of
difference between Gen 1-11 and what follows in the OT, but to state
categorically that there is no historical basis for any of the characters
involved seems too strong. I can accept that one would say it is
theologically unnecessary for an Adam to have existed, but it doesn't
necessarily follow that he didn't. (Of course, the set of those who a)
believe Adam existed but that b) it is theologically unnecessary for him to
have done so, is probably pretty small).

thanks,

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Bethany Sollereder
<bsollereder@gmail.com>wrote:

> Steve,
>
> The Adam you are talking about (the one that first had a covenantal
> relationship with God) is exactly the Adam that Denis rejects. He holds to
> gradual punctiliar polygenism, which means the image of God and "real
> humanity" was manifested gradually amongst many humans.
>
> I think that one can be as certain that an Adam didn't exist as one can be
> sure that there is no firmament...
>
> David,
> I can appreciate you wanting to bring in Paul and his beliefs as attesting
> to the historicity of some sort of Adam. But it is not necessary, any more
> than it is to ascribe to Paul's 3-tier universe presented in Phil 2. He
> also held to ancient beliefs of science and cosmology, and Adam was part of
> that package.
> Nor do we need the doctrine of original sin being passed down through
> Adam's sperm to hold to the idea that all people are sinners. Sin, as it
> were, is empirically verifiable. Just look around.
>
> Always,
> Bethayn
>
>
>
>

-- 
Steve Martin (CSCA)
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