Church HistoryBrigham YoungAdam-Goddoctrine

The Adam-God Theory

Did Brigham Young teach that Adam is God, and is that doctrine?

Bible

The Bible answers

Bible · 1 Corinthians 15:45–47

KJV + NRSVUE

King James Version
The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit… The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

NRSVUE
The first man, Adam, became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit… The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.

Our explanation

The first man Adam, and the last Adam, Christ. Paul can tell them apart. So can we.

Modern Revelation

Doctrine and Covenants 27:11; 78:16
Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days — a presidency under the Holy One, not a replacement for the Father.
Our explanation
Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days — still not Elohim.

Faithful answers

FAIR

Adam-God

FAIR Latter-day Saints

Spencer W. Kimball and others named Adam-God a false theory. Brigham’s language is real and tangled; the Church’s doctrine is not. Adam is the archangel Michael, ancient of days, who will deliver up his stewardship to Christ. That is D&C, not speculation.

A prophet’s uncanonized sermon is not a fourth standard work. We already have a way to know: common consent and living keys.

Adam-God was never presented as binding revelation to the Church.
Later prophets explicitly rejected it as doctrine.
Michael-Adam in the D&C is glorious enough without confusion of Persons.

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