Adam and Eve

[Watchmen]

Does the Church have an "official" position on whether the Adam and Eve events portrayed in Genesis literally happened or not? If one takes the account as an allegory or story, is he or she worthy to hold a temple recommend? Any sources for your positions?

 

[Katzpur]

Does the Church have an "official" position on whether the Adam and Eve events portrayed in Genesis literally happened or not?

My guess (that's all it is) is that the Church's "official" position is that there really was a man, Adam, and a woman, Eve, that they really were "our first parents" in some sense and really were tempted to disobey God, and by succumbing to temptation, got the Plan of Salvation rolling. I did read an article in the Ensign years ago that said something to the effect that certain elements of the story were definitely not to be taken literally, notably the idea that Eve was supposedly made out of one of Adam's ribs.

If one takes the account as an allegory or story, is he or she worthy to hold a temple recommend?

Let's hope so. I can't think of a single temple recommend question that people who interpreted the story as an allegory would have to answer dishonestly in order to get a recommend. We're certainly not asked, "Do you interpret all of the Bible literally?"

Any sources for your positions?

I'll see if I can find the article, but it was a long, long time ago.

 

[DeepShadow]

Does the Church have an "official" position on whether the Adam and Eve events portrayed in Genesis literally happened or not? If one takes the account as an allegory or story, is he or she worthy to hold a temple recommend? Any sources for your positions?

As this is not a question on the recommend interview, I would think that it's not necessary to accept a literal view.

 

[DavyCrocket2003]

By the way Katzpur, this may be splitting hairs, but I don't understand that Adam and Eve "disobeyed" God. I think that understanding the fall is very important to the rest of the plan of salvation and I don't think I would classify Adam and Eve's choice as "disobeying."

 

[Katzpur]

By the way Katzpur, this may be splitting hairs, but I don't understand that Adam and Eve "disobeyed" God. I think that understanding the fall is very important to the rest of the plan of salvation and I don't think I would classify Adam and Eve's choice as "disobeying."

I used the word "disobeyed" as opposed to "sinned" because I believe that sinning is a choice to disobey once disobedience is understood to be "wrong." When God said, "Don't do this," and Adam did it anyway, I see that as "disobedience." Since Adam was not capable of knowing the difference between good and evil until after he ate the fruit, I don't see what he did as "sinful." Does that make sense?

 

[zomg]

I think the LDS church holds a literal belief in Adam and Eve. If you recall from the early days of the LDS church Joseph Smith showed some men a pile of stones he said were from an altar made by Adam.

To me that says 'literal'.