Stump a Scholar: John H. Walton on Original Sin

Last updated on: March 26, 2015 at 1:43 pm by Guest Contributor

Stump a Scholar: John H. Walton on Original Sin 2015-03-26T13:43:27-06:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A new book on Adam and Eve and the human origins debate by Old Testament scholar John H. Walton has created significant buzz at Patheos. We invited our Facebook followers to try and stump our scholar, by asking Dr. Walton any question related to the book they wanted.

We received some 45 comments and questions– from the serious (“Assuming the Genesis stories are allegorical, what are the lessons we should take away from them?”) to the silly (“Did they have bellybuttons?”). Today, and for the next several Thursdays, Dr. Walton will respond to selected questions from our Facebook challenge.

FB Question (Walton combined these two questions this week): If Adam and Eve are figurative, is St. Augustine’s original sin argument false? Did the writers of the New Testament, and the early church, consider Adam and Eve literal or metaphor?

Professor Walton Responds:

I do not claim that Adam and Eve are figurative, but that even as real persons in a real past they are used archetypally. I have no trouble with the concept of original sin and that we are all subject to sin, though there are other formulations of this doctrine in the church besides Augustine’s.

When we inquire whether the authors of the New Testament and the Church Fathers considered Adam and Eve as literal or metaphorical, we are being too restrictive in the options. I consider Adam and Eve to be real people in a real past, but I would not label that as “literal.” I also believe that they are being used by both Genesis and the New Testament authors as archetypal figures, but I would not label that as “metaphorical.” We have to become more nuanced in our categories.

Next week’s questions for Dr. Walton: Could it be possible that the tree of knowledge was placed in the garden by something greater than Yahweh?

For more on The Lost World of Adam and Eve, visit the Patheos Book Club here.

Stump a Scholar

Previous Post

March 13, 2015

Maximus: A Q&A with Richard L. Black

Next Post

March 26, 2015 Stump a Scholar: John H. Walton on the Tree of Knowledge

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Author Q&A Book Review Christian Living Church Leadership Stump a Scholar Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2022 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 February 2019 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who interpreted the handwriting on the wall?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul Joseph Peter Daniel