The Genealogical Adam and Eve: The Surprising Science of Universal Ancestry

by S. Joshua Swamidass

Publisher:

IVP Academic

, 2019

Overview

Evolutionary science teaches that humans arose as a population, sharing common ancestors with other animals. Most readers of the book of Genesis in the past understood all humans descended from Adam and Eve, a couple specially created by God. These two teachings seem contradictory, but is that necessarily so? In the fractured conversation of human origins, can new insight guide us to solid ground in both science and theology?

In The Genealogical Adam and Eve, S. Joshua Swamidass tests a scientific hypothesis: What if the traditional account is somehow true, with the origins of Adam and Eve taking place alongside evolution? Building on well-established but overlooked science, Swamidass explains how it’s possible for Adam and Eve to be rightly identified as the ancestors of everyone. His analysis opens up new possibilities for understanding Adam and Eve, consistent both with current scientific consensus and with traditional readings of Scripture. These new possibilities open a conversation about what it means to be human.

In this book, Swamidass

• untangles several misunderstandings about the words human and ancestry, in both science and theology
• explains how genetic and genealogical ancestry are different, and how universal genealogical ancestry creates a new opportunity for rapprochement
• explores implications of genealogical ancestry for the theology of the image of God, the fall, and people “outside the garden”

Some think Adam and Eve are a myth. Some think evolution is a myth. Either way, the best available science opens up space to engage larger questions together. In this bold exploration, Swamidass charts a new way forward for peace between mainstream science and the Christian faith.

Key Features

• Explores implications of genealogical ancestry
• Examines misunderstandings about the words human and ancestry, in both science and theology
• Explains how genetic and genealogical ancestry are different

Contents

Part 1: Fracture

• Courage, Curiosity, Empat

Part 2: Ancestor

• A Genealogical Hypothesis
• Genetics Is Not Genealogy
• Ancestors of Everyone Today
• Genealogical Adams and Eves
• The Mythology of Isolation
• Direct and Miraculous Creation

Part 3: Human

• Humans in Science
• Humans in Theology
• The Error of Polygenesis
• Humans of the Text

Part 4: Mystery

• The Splintering of Traditions
• Recovering Many Traditions Together
• A Narrative Experiment
• Falling into Exile
• Justice, Mercy, and Ancestry
• Ending at a Beginning

Part 5: Crossroad

• Tolerance, Humility, Patience

Top Highlights

“Adam ends one era and begins another. According to Scripture, Adam is the first, but Jesus is the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45). They both come with the intended purpose of blessing all humankind by ending death. They both must make a choice that affects us all. Adam and Jesus, respectively, are the first and the last federal heads of humanity. They both enter the world in a special way, free of sin of any sort; the de novo creation of Adam is like the Virgin Birth of Jesus. Adam enters with a clean slate, sinless in a sinless environment, entirely safe, in the direct presence of a good God, given a choice to obey. Jesus enters the world perfect too, but into a fallen world, and he also is given a choice to obey. They both are meant to put an end to death. Jesus succeeds where Adam fails.” (Page 181)

“A fixed point in Catholic teaching is that original sin must pass by ‘generation’ to all humans from some original man. Generation is usually understood to mean natural descent. Kemp’s model satisfies this requirement. All theological humans begin with Adam and Eve, and all humans in all of history descend genealogically from Adam and Eve. At the same time, there were biological humans outside the Garden with whom Adam’s lineage interbred. The extent of theological humans, by his definition, matches exactly Adam, Eve, and their genealogical ancestors.” (Pages 111–112)

“It still appears Homo sapiens (1) shares ancestry with the great apes and (2) arose from a larger population that never dipped in size to a single couple. Nothing in genealogical science undermines these two conclusions. If Adam as an individual existed, the notorious problem of intermarriage of his descendants with one another is avoided; instead, their descendants mixed with a larger population of reproductively compatible beings. However, we would also count a particular couple called Adam and Eve as among our genealogical ancestors. They would be two people among those from whom we all descend, with theological or historical significance.” (Page 54)

Praise for the Print Edition

Swamidass proposes a genealogical Adam as a way to help resolve conflict among the competing creation and evolution models for human origins. He is to be commended for exhorting us all to 'find that better way together’ to resolve our differences with patience and humility.

—Hugh Ross, president and founder of Reasons to Believe, astronomer, pastor, and author

The Genealogical Adam and Eve is a meticulously researched, fascinating, and timely book. I am personally grateful to Dr. Swamidass for his honest and thoughtful approach to the question of the historical Adam. Whether we agree or disagree with him on evolution or Adam and Eve, everyone can deeply appreciate the spirit in which he writes this book. It is a model for how to approach hard questions at the intersection of science and faith. May this book get the wide readership it deserves.

—Sean McDowell, professor of apologetics, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

It is unusual to find a professional scientist with a keen interest in theology, but Joshua Swamidass, a computational biologist, is just such a person. The Genealogical Adam and Eve is a scientifically informed and biblically engaged study of human origins. Many will find shocking its claims concerning universal common ancestors in the relatively recent past. Agree or disagree, the reader will find this to be a stimulating and thought-provoking book.

—William Lane Craig, professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology and Houston Baptist University

Product Details

• Title: The Genealogical Adam and Eve: The Surprising Science of Universal Ancestry
• Author: S. Joshua Swamidass
• Publisher: IVP
• Publication Date: 2019
• Pages: 225
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Topic: Anthropology

About S. Joshua Swamidass

S. Joshua Swamidass (MD, PhD, UC–Irvine) is a scientist, physician, and associate professor of laboratory and genomic medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis, where he uses artificial intelligence to explore science at the intersection of medicine, biology, and chemistry. He is a Veritas Forums speaker and blogs at Peaceful Science.