Thanks for the kind words, lol, they seem to be few and far between here. lol
You wrote:
but ultimately it is this sort of argument which leads me to believe Adam was meant to be a mythical archetype, and as such Paul’s writing is still understandable and valid.
The biggest objection I have to this line of reason however, is when some equate intellectual capacity with the image of God and thus somehow to human worth in God’s eyes. Certainly, that tends to de-humanize those with lesser intellect, those with genetic abnormalities, those with dementia or mental illness, etc. I think we must be careful to separate physical and mental differences from valuations of worth. I think you agree, but can see how others could go off the rails when looking at “what is the smallest brain you can have and still be human” track.
I couldn’t agree more about the danger of dehumanizing those with lesser intelligence. My wife had a Downs uncle who taught me much about love and forgiveness. His life was not my life, but his life was of immeasurable value to the family and to the entire small town.
My problem with the archetype has been expressed many times. God says he doesn’t lie and the detail in the Genesis 2-3 account seems far more than is necessary for an archetypal tale.