Where are Adam and Eve in the Story of Evolution? Four Possibilities

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://biologos.org/blogs/guest/where-are-adam-and-eve-in-the-story-of-evolution-four-possibilities

[Christy (Christy Hemphill)]

Hadrien on Facebook asks:

According to option 3 how do you explain : “Because they sinned as representatives of all humanity, all of humanity fell into sin”. How were humans before then? And how did they fall?

Anyone care to weigh in on that?

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

Those sort of questions are why I go with some form of door #4 in this presentation. I think the concept of “the fall” is not well supported biblically, when all is said and done. Otherwise, it would have been prominent in the rest of Old Testament, and filled out more in the New Testament. Instead, much more is said of the effects of ongoing sin of both individuals and Israel as a nation.
Romans 5:12 speaks of sin entering the world by one man, but he was just the first, not the first cause. I suppose that could be said to be a fall, but do not think it to be “the fall” that damns us today. Our own sin is sufficient for that.
I am sure there is a lot more to be said, and will hope others respond with their thoughts. As George H. W. Bush was quoted, " I have opinions of my own, strong opinions , but I don’t always agree with them ."

[Randy]

I think that you put it very well, Phil. I think we get mixed up with taking the fall too narrowly. I appreciate @LorenHaarsma’s options above.

In talking with my kids, I think that a narrower impression can be misleading (their impression from our YEC church has been that Adam’s one sin spoiled everything–all sin, all pain, result from that). . One example is a mission site (I can supply it, but I don’t want to selectively blacklist anything). which I think is a bit of stumbling block (though I know many very wonderful people who work there–my family members, for example):
6. CONCERNING MANKIND

We believe the Scriptures teach that men and women are created in God’s image. Adam was created by a direct act of God as described in Genesis 1 and not from any previously existing form of life. By voluntary transgression he fell from his state of innocence, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners by nature and by choice, and therefore under just condemnation to everlasting, conscious punishment, separated from God.

Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:23, 5:12-19; Isaiah 53:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

Another mission puts it this way, which perhaps is broader (I also have family members who work in this one):

The Human Race

Humanity is the climax of God’s earthly creation, bearing His image, designed for relationship with Him, and being the object of His redeeming love. All people have sinned. This results in guilt, death, and alienation from God as well as the defacing of every aspect of human nature. People are unable to save themselves from sin’s penalty and power and from Satan’s dominion.

The article @Christy linked is a good one, and is stimulating me to think… I have the book Origins, by the Haarsmas, which goes into a wide variety of detail too; I can recommend it… Thanks.

[TGLarkin (Tom Larkin)]

The problem with all four "possibilities, in my opinion, is that there is not Biblical argument made for any of these. I have read Denis Alexander and Francis Collins books, which appears to be the primary source for these theories. Both are excellent, so I am sticking my neck out disagreeing.

Noah, Abraham, Jacob and many others were chosen to be representative and the Bible says they were chosen (and it is made clear it is not of there own righteousness). Adam and Eve were specifically created and this does not appear to be in any option. I do not see how any theory based on the Bible could not include this concept.

It is also very clear to me that men and women were created in Genesis 1, and “it was very good”. Adam and Eve were not created until chapter 2. If these are taken as sequential action, it eliminates many clear contradiction and omissions in the creation sequence. For example, sea life is never created in the second creation narrative, which to me indicates it is a local creation, specific to the Garden. With this simple sequential approach, the conflict with science and evolution is eliminated.