Unbelievable? Classic: Did Adam & Eve exist? William Lane Craig and Joshua Swamidass
11 snips
Feb 3, 2026 
William Lane Craig, a Christian philosopher known for apologetics, and Joshua Swamidass, a computational biologist studying genetics and theology, debate how Genesis’ Adam and Eve might fit with science. They discuss genealogical versus genetic ancestry, mytho-history as a genre, where a first human pair might fit in hominin timelines, and how theological concepts like the Fall and human uniqueness can be understood.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Genesis As Mytho-History
- William Lane Craig frames Genesis 1–11 as mytho-history: sacred, formative narrative with historical interest.
- This genre allows theological truth without strict literalistic detail, freeing readers from pressing every image to be factual.
Include Neanderthals As Human Ancestors
- Craig accepts Neanderthals as fully human based on archaeological evidence of modern cognitive behavior.
- Placing Adam and Eve at the common ancestor of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens avoids genetic impossibility objections.
Genealogy Beats Genetic Exclusivity
- Joshua Swamidass emphasises genealogical ancestry over genetic ancestry to allow a recent Adam and Eve.
- Population genetics estimates ancestral population size, not whether a single ancestral couple existed in a genealogical sense.
