A literal — and figurative — understanding of Adam [Mormon Open]

Mormon Times ^ | 13 July 2010 | Jacob Hancock

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Early Mormon theology about the divine origin and destiny of Adam may have been an affront to contemporary Protestants, who revered such ambiguities as hallowed mysteries, but such candid new doctrine — like Adam's spirit existing before coming to earth — eventually encouraged Latter-day Saints to view Adam's roll as both a literal and figurative one.

The story of Adam and his and Eve's famed transgression have long been an important narrative for most of the world's largest religions — Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

The account had influenced art, and therefore society, long before Michelangelo painted Adam and Eve on Sistine's ceiling. Eve's traditionally perceived role as a sinful temptress has been wielded by men to sustain anti-feminist traditions and ritually justify the creation of purely sociological male hierarchies throughout much of religious and political history.

Indeed, the story is an old one — the oldest, in fact. And, just like the fate of most ancient stories, it has gradually slipped further into a sort of legendary status with each new generation who hears it. The next generation is always more scientific and practical than the last.

Although Catholics have forever maintained a strong literal interpretation of Adam and Eve, many have doubted the couple's story as a literal one, and by the 19th century it had become a progressive and popular notion to reduce the two figures to a fable graded morality lesson.

In fact by 1909, a few decades after Darwinism had shaken hairline cracks into the faith of may Christian Old Testament literalists, the New York Times headlined news that "figurative belief in the story of the Garden of Eden now satisfies Presbytery." After shedding tears of concern, ministers of the large New York church gathered and eventually voted to accept a group of freshman clergy, whom, during an interview, said Adam and Eve's story is only figurative. One of the candidates, a recent seminary graduate, also reportedly admitted to the elder clergy that he had trouble believing the literal "flesh" resurrection of Christ, too.

While the Adam and Eve story had been crumbling from history to poetry status in the hearts of much of the world for centuries, Joseph Smith came along and shocked everyone. He didn't necessarily surprise anyone by declaring its literalism; many had stated the same before. But Joseph did more, much more. He verified the story's place in our timeline by essentially revealing Adam's back story — in great detail.

What Latter-day Saint could be confused that Adam was possibly written in the bible as a theatrical analogy, a composite person, made up to explain or represent an era of human evolution, if he is also Michael the archangel? Such specificity was unknown to contemporary Christianity.

But — enter paradox! — it's through this literal understanding of Adam and Eve that early Mormons were finally able to view our original parents as clearer figurative figures, too, according to Jacob Rennaker, a Hebrew Bible student at Claremont Graduate University.

Rennaker had fellow colleague Blair Hodges read his scholarly paper at the annual Mormon Scholars Foundation Summer Seminar, hosted by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute at BYU, last week while he attended an archeological dig in Israel.

Nine other Latter-day Saint collegians from all over the United States also presented subjects on early Mormon theology, primarily from the years between 1830 to 1850.

Adam was "viewed figuratively in very unique ways that ultimately served as a means for early Mormons to understand the nature of God and the human," Rennaker said.

Rennaker focused on several specific theological teachings that brought Mormons closer to not only understanding the epic events in the Garden, but understanding themselves and their destiny.

First, Joseph taught Adam's spirit existed long before he was given a body in the Garden of Eden.

"Joseph Smith's literal interpretation of Genesis 2:7 ('God made man & put into it Adam's spirit') required an antecedent for Adam's physical existence," Rennaker said.

Suddenly, mortality wasn't the beginning anymore. Latter-day Saints could start thinking in more eternal terms, knowing their spirits existed long before residing in their mortal "tabernacle of clay."

Second, Adam was identified with specificity, as Michael, a heroic Old Testament figure who was traditionally known to go before and command God's army. Besides his patriarchal role in presiding over mortal men, Revelations makes it clear in Chapter 12 that Michael (Adam), during the "war in heaven … fought against the dragon (Lucifer)."

"As such, Adam became a hero even before his earthly sojourn," Rennaker said.

Latter-day Saints learned of their valiant past, as they were told they fought alongside Adam while the devil "prevailed not."

Third, "Adam was seen as being so significant in that pre-mortal realm, in fact, that he was described by Joseph Smith as holding a position of priesthood authority prior to his mortal existence on earth," Rennaker said.

It was also taught Adam assisted in creating the world, and thus he used priesthood power.

This correlates with Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon. It teaches premortal men were foreordained for priesthood powers/positions.

Fourth, "Adam was seen by early Mormons as having spoken a very particular language," Rennaker said, which "served to further legitimize Adam as a historical figure who was familiar with a particular theological outlook concerning the nature of God and humanity."

Fifth, the physical creation of Adam was interpreted in a hyper-literal sense.

"Genesis 1:26 records God as saying, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,'" Rennaker said. "A literal reading of this passage resulted in a radical anthropomorphism. Joseph Smith was reported as saying, 'God himself … is a man like unto one of yourselves … If you were to see him today you (would) see him a man for Adam was a man like in fashion & image like unto him.'"

Although Joseph's interpretation of the Godhead gave Latter-day Saints a clearer, more intimate view of God, it rocked both Catholic and Protestant contemporary Christians who were traditional Trinitarians.

It was all of these particular teachings, and a few more, that led Rennaker to suggest Mormons could better be figurists because they were taught to be such stalwart literalists.

"This trend of extreme scriptural literalism and historical expansion was paradoxically augmented in early Mormonism by figurative interpretations of Adam," Rennaker said. "… This extreme literalism allowed early Mormons (to experience) figurative views of Adam in a way that went beyond the figurative readings of Adam among other Christians."

e-mail: jhancock@desnews.com

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First, Joseph taught Adam's spirit existed long before he was given a body in the Garden of Eden.

[T Minus Four]

Second, Adam was identified with specificity, as Michael, a heroic Old Testament figure who was traditionally known to go before and command God's army

[T Minus Four]

Third, "Adam was seen as being so significant in that pre-mortal realm, in fact, that he was described by Joseph Smith as holding a position of priesthood authority prior to his mortal existence on earth,"

[T Minus Four]

Fourth, "Adam was seen by early Mormons as having spoken a very particular language," Rennaker said, which "served to further legitimize Adam as a historical figure who was familiar with a particular theological outlook concerning the nature of God and humanity."

[T Minus Four]

Fifth, the physical creation of Adam was interpreted in a hyper-literal sense... Joseph Smith was reported as saying, 'God himself … is a man like unto one of yourselves … If you were to see him today you (would) see him a man for Adam was a man like in fashion & image like unto him.'"

[ForAmerica]

According to Brigham Young’s JOD in 1852 Vol. 1, pp. 46-53 “Sermon” Adam is God!

Also the “Adam-God sermon” was quoted in the Millennial Star No. 48 Vol. 15 November 26, 1853. It then counseled Mormons to take the Adam-God teaching and the Journal of Discourses very seriously!

[filospinato]

Talking to yourself, again?

[4mer Liberal]

Third, "Adam was seen as being so significant in that pre-mortal realm, in fact, that he was described by Joseph Smith as holding a position of priesthood authority prior to his mortal existence on earth,"

Over whom did this pre-mortal Adam exercise his priestly duties?

[T Minus Four]

:-)

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Over all the other spirit children in the pre-existance I suppose. I don’t know why we would need priests when we were in heaven with no bodies yet, but whatever.

[4mer Liberal]

Fourth, "Adam was seen by early Mormons as having spoken a very particular language,"

Kind of like mock King Jameseze...

[MEGoody]

First, Joseph taught Adam's spirit existed long before he was given a body in the Garden of Eden.

Joe was wrong.

[T Minus Four]

Kind of like mock King Jameseze...

Or reformed Egyptian.

[ladyL]

Yahshua showed us how to identify a cult. Just ask them who do they say Jesus/Yahshua is. Peter said Jesus was the only begotten son of God. Anybody who says different is not a Believer. Seventh Day Adventist Ellen G. White said Jesus is Michael the archangel, Mormons say Jesus is Michael the archangel, The Way have Jesus as Michael plus many other cults.

I say Yahshua is fully God and fully man. He is the manifested embodiment of Yahweh and Yahweh is a Spirit.

[LeGrande]

Mormons say Jesus is Michael the archangel

You are confused. Mormons say Adam was Michael.

[caww]

You know I tried to think of how I would comment on this article...scratching my chin and shaking my head that people could even swallow this nonsense....no less whose beginnings were with a teenage occultist punk! Worse, that since then to this day people continue to follow this cult organization.

However it is a cult business, ‘packaged today to sell’ to the uninformed and those seeking God, in order to ease the money out of the pockets who join to keep the organizations investment leadership investing...and they do just that in volume! Not to mention a very comfortable lifestyle. And as all businesses must do changing and evolving to accommodate the times and culture as it is in each era.

Throwing in the tenets of Christianity to make members believe they are serving God and making the levels of advancement steep enough and lengthy in time to keep the people occupied doing their “Christian Duty” while raping their pocket books. Now that is the business end.

Spiritually they give them a “new bible” to make them feel special they were chosen...lots of “rituals” to make them feel worthy of being chosen...”mission” work to give them purpose...and to top it off an “assignment” to locate all dead family members and friends and have them baptized via surrogate... in a sauna pool surrounded with oxen to make it also “special”. All to feed the feelings and offer experiences which might make them feel superior and holy.

It is all hogwash and a brazen insult to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. It is an occultic counterfeit Christianity and it's leadership are schishters in every sense of the word. It's entities are deceptive and demonic and it's Christ a complete impostor.

Jesus many many times warned of these and showed us clearly how to determine cults and the deceptions which Gods arch enemy uses....Mormonism lies in the face of Gods Word and in doing so lies to the face of God. And we know who the Father of lies is.

May God in His great mercy rescue those in the Latter-Day-Saints stronghold and bring them out to His saving grace and life thru the true and living Christ Jesus...Amen

[webboy45]

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us
to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering
of God waited in the days of Noah ...” (1 Peter 3:18-20)

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged
according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)

It’s amazing that Jesus preached also to the spirits of the disobedient. Appearantly we can repent
and accept Jesus even after death. All is not lost for those who lived without Jesus in their lives.
But there is a problem; how can they be baptized? For Jesus said that

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(Mark 16:16)

and

“... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

The solution to this problem is vicarious baptisms, where the living are baptized for the dead.
This was a common practice amoung the early saints. St. Paul tells us about it in the Bible.

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are
they then baptized for the dead? (1 Cor. 15:29)

We know this was a common practice because Paul didn’t have to justify it, but rather, he justified
the rising of the dead by the vicarious baptisms. Clearly, St. Paul and the Corinthians considered
the practice of baptisms for the dead to be a normal part of the Gospel, otherwise there would have
been no justification in St. Paul’s argument.

Where do we see this practice today? Which Christian church loves the dead enough to be baptized
for them? As far as I know, all of Christianity simply ignore the dead. All except The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

[4mer Liberal]

"We know this was a common practice because Paul didn’t have to justify it, but rather, he justified the rising of the dead by the vicarious baptisms. Clearly, St. Paul and the Corinthians considered the practice of baptisms for the dead to be a normal part of the Gospel, otherwise there would have been no justification in St. Paul’s argument."

This wasn't a common practice in the early church, and LDS have taken this out of context. The reason real christians don't bother with the dead is...they are DEAD. Either they believed in Christ, and their spririt is present with Him, or they did not, in which case, they are eternally seperated from Him. We can't do anything for them.

Anyway, I thought the early church got it all wrong and JS had to restore the gospel. Did I miss something?

[Tennessee Nana]

Adam is “god”

in 1873, the Deseret News noted Young saying “How much unbelief exists in the minds of the Latter-day Saints in regard to one particular doctrine which I revealed to them, and which God revealed to me—namely that Adam is our Father and God...).

He had been teaching Adam worship since the early 1850s: “Now, if it should happen that we have to pay TRIBUTE to Father Adam, what a humiliating circumstance it would be! Just wait till you pass Joseph Smith, and after Joseph lets you pass him, you will find Peter...” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 331, 1857)

Our Father Adam is the man who stands at the gate and holds the keys of everlasting life and salvation to all his children who have or who ever will come upon the earth. I have been found fault with by the ministers of religion because I have said that they were ignoratn. But I could not find any man on the earth who could tell me this, although it is one of the simplest things in the world, until I met and talked with Joseph Smith. (Brigham Young, Deseret News, June 8, 1873)

Now that was Brigham Young later in life...26 years AFTER he arrived in Utah. From the get-go of the mass-volumed “Journal of Discourses” — from vol. 1 in the early 1850s — Brigham Young was teaching that Adam “is our Father and our God, and the ONLY God with whom we have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non-professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later.” (vol. 1, JoD, p. 50)