Abstract
At the root of the church's modern debate about the existence of a "historical Adam" is a tragic misunderstanding of science. A contentious debate has intensified in the Christian world since it made the cover of Christianity Today (June 2011): "The Search for the Historical Adam." The subtitle summarized the ongoing issue well: "Some scholars believe genome science casts doubt on the existence of the first man and woman. Others say the integrity of the faith requires it."