Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Introduction : Adam, to be or not to be? / Matthew Barrett and Ardel B. Caneday -- No historical Adam : evolutionary creation view / Denis O. Lamoureux -- A historical Adam : archetypal creation view / John H. Walton -- A historical Adam : old-Earth creation view / C. John Collins -- A historical Adam : young-Earth creation view / William D. Barrick -- Pastoral reflection 1 : Whether or not there was a historical Adam, our faith is secure / Gregory A. Boyd -- Pastoral reflection 2 : We cannot understand the world or our faith without a real, historical Adam / Philip G. Ryken.

As a part of the Counterpoints series, Four Views on the Historical Adam clearly outlines four primary views on Adam held by evangelicals, featuring top-notch proponents of each view presenting their positions in their own words and critiquing the positions with which they disagree. You will come away with a better understanding of the key biblical and theological issues at stake and of the implications of Adam for contemporary Christian witness and church life. Contributors include Denis O. Lamoureux, John H. Walton, C. John Collins, and William Barrick. Each focuses his essay on answering the following questions: What is the biblical case for your viewpoint, and how do you reconcile it both with modern science and with passages and potential interpretations that seem to counter it? In what ways is your view more theologically consistent and coherent than other views? What are the implications of your view for the spiritual life and public witness of the church and individual believers, and how is your view a healthier alternative for both? Concluding reflections by pastor-scholars Gregory A. Boyd and Philip Graham Ryken highlight the significance of the topic in the faith of everyday believers. - Publisher.