From One Person? Exegetical Alternatives to a Monogenetic Reading of Acts 17:26

Abstract

Biblical scholars and theologians who defend the classical view that Adam and Eve are the sole progenitors of humanity typically appeal to Acts 17:26 as a key proof text. This verse is part of Paul’s speech in Athens, and is usually translated to say something like, "from one ancestor [God] made every human nation to dwell upon the entire face of the earth"; in this instance ancestor is normally understood to be Adam. This article surveys several alternative exegetical analyses of the passage that do not suggest that humanity descended from one single couple, and compares the considerations that weigh in favor of and against each plausible option. Ultimately, it is argued that the Christian tradition of the unity of truth suggests that faithful interpreters of Acts may opt to favor those plausible interpretations that align with the scientific consensus of polygenism over those that imply monogenism.