Posted on 07/13/2010 11:54:36 AM PDT by T Minus Four
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
Spoken like a true follower of Joseph Smith.....right out of their own playbook. Who uses the word "bitter" anymore?
(Things that make me go hmmmmmm, but don't surprise me in the least.)
The mormon church loves the dead because the proxy baptism brings believers into the temple, a temple recommend is required to enter the temple, payment of a full tithing is required to receive a temple recommend, the tithing dollars flow into the corporation coffers to fund projects like the billion-dollar mall in Salt Lake City...it's all about the dollar$.
Members are "encouraged" to visit temple$ "as often as possible". Parents and other family members are forbidden from entering the mormon temple to witness member's weddings unless they have this temple recommend (after paying the full tithe), for which applicants must satisfactorily answer these questions:
Newest Temple Recommend questions of the LDS church.
Must be answered succesfully in order to obtain a "temple recommend" in order to take part in rituals that will supposedly allow you to progress towards LDS "exaltation".
1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?
2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?
3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?
4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?
5 Do you live the law of chastity?
6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?
7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?
9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?
10 Are you a full-tithe payer?
11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?
12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?
13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:
Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?
14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?
15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinance$?
Feel the love!
Ancestor worship unBiblical.
“Are they one in substance, Sandy? Or are they separate personages? “
The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible; it is a man-made concept.
The Father and the son are glorified personages; the Holy Ghost is a Spirit.
When I was baptized (full dunk) the words spoken were: “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” Amen.
The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible; it is a man-made concept.
So your answer is No.
Was that so hard?
The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible; it is a man-made concept.
- - - -
Epic fail, Sandy. Just because a WORD in not found in the Bible (btw, Atonement wasn’t coined until the 16th century (Tyndale) does not make it a ‘man made’ concept. The Trinity is a biblical concept.
By the same logic you appear to be saying that the Atonement is a man-made concept. The word and doesn’t appear in the ORIGINAL text either and was coined 1300 years after ‘trinity’. Yet the LDS throw that term around like nothing.
And if they are 3 gods, why didn’t you get wet (no church recognizes LDS baptism as valid) in the NAMES (plural) rather than NAME (singular).
While you are at it? Was God always God? Did He have a God?
And, no I don’t expect an answer...
Epic fail, Sandy [Reaganaut]
Well, Sandy if the "Gong Show" is still going on some cable/satellite channel, I think you'd stand a big "gong" chance if you take that one on the air.
But, you know, there's $ to be had from counterfeit religions -- like 10% tithing $ to be had -- like billion $ Lds, Inc. $ to be had...
Let's see if Sandy passes her consistency test:
Sandy, the word “personage" does not appear anywhere in the Bible; it is a 14 yo pimply-faced boy made concept. (For that matter, I don't think it appears in the BoM, either).
But why stop there, Sandy? The word "polytheism" doesn't appear in the Bible or Mormon standard words, Sandy. (But that doesn't stop Mormons from worshiping many gods, and trying their best to personally add to the god total, does it, Sandy?)
Or what about the word "monotheist." (You gonna tell Jews & Christians & Muslims that they all can't be monotheists because the word is missing from their sacred scriptures?)
The word "rapture" doesn't appear in the Bible. Is that extra-biblical as a concept? Yes, the 1,000 year reign in referenced in Revelation, but where's the words "millenium" or "millenial?"
Sandy, where's the word "Christianity" in the Bible or standard works? Because it doesn't appear, then none of us can claim to be Christians? Really?
For that matter, Sandy, where is the word "Bible" in the Bible?
I'd be curious from others, especially ex-Mormons, to tell me what common LDS words are not found in any of the standard works.
For example, is "temple recommend" in any standard work?
How about LDS' retrogression of Heavenly Father to when he was a man?
Where is that in any standard work--that he was once a mere man?
What about "general authorities?" Where is that found? What about "stake presidents?" Is that "scriptural?"
Or "high councilors?"
"Wards?" “Stakes?” Where are those to be found?
I thought the LDS church pretends to be a "restoration" of the original New Testament church pre-apostasy. Where do we find any of these titled leaders mentioned above in the New Testament?
Where is "president" in the New Testament? (That's a distinctly American term coined by George Washington himself...so the Mormon god follows George?)
[Guess to be consistent, Sandy, you'll have to get rid of all these titled "callings" in the Mormon church!]
And speaking of titled leaders and the LDS church being a "restoration" of the original NT church, where are Mormon "pastors" (Eph 4:11)?
Where are Mormon "prophetesses" like Anna in Luke 2:36 or Philip's daughters in Acts 21:9 (others in OT, too)?
Where can we find unmarried 12-year-old deacons in the NT?
The Father and the son are glorified personages;
____________________________________________________
What does that mean Sandy ???
and why is “Father” capitalized...while “son” is not ???
the Holy Ghost is a Spirit
___________________________________________________
What does that mean Sandy ???
a spirit of what ???
Where did it come from ???
How come Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God...
the Third Person of the Trinity...
Just as God the Father and Jesus, God the Son, are God..
While the mormons dont ???
1. a person of distinction or importance.
2. any person.
3. a character in a play, story, etc.
It's a longer way of saying person. IOW, a glorified person. A person who attained glory.
D&C 132
A person who attained glory.
_________________________________________
Thats what I thought...
The mormon god didnt start out as a god...
I told my Mormon office mate when I was in graduate school that I liked having Mormons share my office: I don't have to worry about them stealing my coffee. Does that count? ;-)
I have lots of good things to say about the Mormon people that I know.
I have nothing theologically good to say about the Mormon church. I appreciate some of their social endeavors but that doesn't cover the sins of a "church" built upon the first lie uttered to mankind ("you will be like God"). Joseph Smith should have heeded Paul's warning in Galatians 1:6-9. It's too late for him but not for his modern-day followers.
This Protestant has a lot of theological disagreements with Catholics but not on this issue. On the Trinity, the Catholics have a very defensible Biblical position.
Lol. Thanx for proving my point. You can't resist mentioning Joseph Smith even to non-Mormons. If you're cultivating a root of bitterness you'd better get a grip. It can eat you up.
Your mindless prattle is proof of your won assertion. Congrats on finally getting something substantial in a FreeRepublic post. Now have another beer and go play in your backyard in the shade.
You’re cute II. ;)
Nuff about you and me. We aren’t supposed to make these threads about posters, remember?
You must have burned your shelves again. I'd suggest you replace those boards because you seem to be making an ash out of your shelves. lol.
It doesn't have to be about you. There are many here that seem to be harboring bitterness. You're just the first one today reminding me of that fact. Thanx.
“For he that is not against us is on our part.”
Mark 9:40
We Mormons are certainly not against Jesus Christ and His Atoning sacrifice for all mankind. He is our Savior, Redeemer, the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament.
Please stop saying we Mormons are against Jesus Christ. Thank you.
You’re welcome. Anytime I can make you think, it’s worth my time.
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