If Adam had not fallen. Part 1

If Adam had not fallen

(A theological reflection, coming in 5 parts)

Part 1: Genesis is still true

It sounds arcane, but this question, so crucial to Christian thinkers from Augustine to Calvin and beyond, but now regarded by secular thinkers as irrelevant, is, in fact, still central to understanding what it is like to be human.

Traditionally, the story of Adam and Eve was understood to be literally true. Adam had been created directly by God and lived in a state of perfect innocence and bliss, in harmony with God and creation. Then he ate the apple. Since then, life is a struggle and evil and suffering are rampant. If only Adam had not fallen, everything would have been good, instead, so many things are wrong.

We now know that this story is factually wrong. Evolution teaches us that there was never a time when humanity was at a pinnacle of moral behaviour from which we have fallen. Like all creatures we evolved through a ruthless system of self-interest, which is, strictly speaking, amoral. In the struggle for survival, creatures do not weigh up the morality of their actions and then make a judgement – morally better or worse – instead, they just do what is necessary to survive. However, as we evolved, we developed a moral conscience which now tells us that some actions we morally approve of and others we don’t – though we may still do them because the temptation to follow our self-interest is so strong. So, the story of Adam and Eve is false: we did not descend from a moral high plane, if anything, we have been making progress.

However, this is where the story in Genesis is still true, because it gives us a profoundly accurate, truthful account of the human condition. If Adam had not fallen is still a fundamental issue, because Adam stands for us all. I am not as I could be. I am not as I should be.