What Is the Distinction Between the Literary and the Historical Adam?

Dr. Sean McDowell asks Dr. Craig to clarify differences and give examples of the literary and historical Adams.

We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:

[cmk]

I think one example of what Craig is talking about is the age of Moses at major points in his life. In the Torah, Moses was 40 when he fled Egypt, 80 when God appeared to him, and 120 when he died. Are these ages strictly historical, or are they embellished to make a point, using the theologically significant number of 40 for that purpose?

[sandinacents]

The literary Adam and the historical Adam is the same. Nothing in scripture says otherwise (that I know of).

[peterjs]

Interesting distinction and not one I've heard much exploration of.

[kiwisaram]

It is similair to saying the story of the good Samaritan was just a parable and not to be taken literally as being true. However, if it was not true then its teachings are not true and altogether misleading and subsequently rather pointless. Then again if true it opens us up to a world of meaning.

[orange]

Sounds like someone thinks there is a gulf between the words in context and their meaning, fact and value, known statements and hidden intention. I Kant agree to that. It all presupposes that it doesn't apply to Craig himself.

[jessedphillips]

I was worried that the initial thrust of the presentation was going to be that you could, legitimately, view Adam as a literary figure and dismiss his historical existence. I immediately was worried that you would be able to then dismissed Jesus because he is discuss concurrently with obvious historical and literary individuals. Thank you for not doing that.

It's always a little dicey when someone acknowledges the two natures of a character from a book as being both historical and literary and then trying to parse them.

[captainunload]

Think Craig is going over the rails on a crazy train.

[thescoobymike]

What if Paul was simply mistaken in thinking that Adam was historical?

[aj_hammy]

So, does this mean that Adam's portrayal was literary but he was a historical figure? Because how can someone be literary to a certain degree, while being historical to a certain degree? Isn't the second question logically contradictory?

If possible, please clarify my doubt as I come from India, and my people consider almost all people from roughly Adam's historical era as gods and goddesses. Hence, I need to know how to sift myth from history.

[josephtattum]

first comment also I am not sure that Adam was a real person, but i think it is inconsequential.

[thescoobymike]

The story of the Resurrection is “so fantastic” that we can confidently say that it’s not historical 2:38