Adam Quote by Thomas L. Thompson
“We can now say with considerable confidence that the Bible is not a history of anyone's past… The Bible's "Israel" is a literary fiction... Not only have Adam and Eve and the flood story passed over to mythology, but we can no longer talk about a time of the patriarchs. There never was a "United Monarchy" in history and it is meaningless to speak of pre-exilic prophets and their writings... The Bible deals with the origin traditions of a people who never existed as such”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Bible in History: How Scholars View the Text, 1975
The Bible should be seen as a collection of literary narratives rather than a factual record of historical events.
In simple terms: Bible is literary, not historical.
Key Takeaway
Treat biblical stories as cultural myths.
Themes
history
mythology
religion
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
explanatory
critical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- theological debate
- educational curricula
- public discourse
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
literary criticism
historical criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does viewing the Bible as myth affect faith?
- What role do narratives play in cultural identity?
A Different Perspective
Scholars may disagree on the extent of historicity.
![“J. C. Ryle[69] (1816-1900) wrote the following: “For many centuries there has prevailed in the Churches of Christ a strange, and to my mind, an unwarrantable mode of dealing with this word ‘Israel.’ It has been interpreted in many passages of the Psalms and Prophets as if it meant nothing more…” quote by Dalton Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57a/dalton-lifsey-15248_bible_j-c-ryle-69-1816-1900-wrote-the-followin_2797078.jpg)
![“[My approach to the Bible, history does really matter.] Everything matters. But I have priorities. For instance, for me to know whether there were two Isaiahs or one is less important than the text itself. Of course I read the arguments for and against. But it's not my task in life to say there…” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2f0/elie-wiesel-341_approach_my-approach-to-the-bible-history-does-re_2368125.jpg)
![“Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and the position of the Afro- American or negro in American history. [He] has done a remarkable job in fighting for rights of black people in this country. On the…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/caa/malcolm-x-213_adam_adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-c_6932.jpg)
