According to some interpretations, at one time Brigham Young advanced the idea that Adam was the father of our spirits. This idea comes mostly form a sermon on April 9, 1852, in which he states: “Jesus, our Elder Brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the Garden of Eden, and who is our Father in heaven.” Many church authorities say that the only correct interpretation of this statement is that Brigham Young is referring to, and identifies, the father of Jesus Christ as our Father in heaven. God talked to Adam in the Garden of Eden. A good commentary on this is found in Evidence and Reconciliations, John A. Widtsoe, p. 68.)

Although we know very little about God, and even though we are told that it Is life eternal to know God, (not just his commandments), we hesitate to rock the boat of traditional concepts. Is it prudent to ask if there is the slightest chance that Brigham Young did believe that Adam was the father of some of our spirits? Should we ponder this possibility even though it seems that Christ is spiritually superior to Adam since it is to Christ that Adam will deliver up his stewardship at Adam-ondi-Ahman?

If one would out that Adam was referred to as “The Ancient of Days,” is a God in Heaven, is the one with whom we dealt with in the creation, is the father of the human race, and had perhaps other information, it is not hard to see why someone, even a Prophet, could conceive of this idea. Prophets also learn line upon line and test theories.

In both the Testament and Apocalypse of Abraham, “Abraham is given an instructional tour of the universe, bot also spends most of the time among the hosts of the dead. . . . His compassion for the dead is shared, and surpassed, by that of the glorious man on the throne, the judge, who is none other than Adam, the parent of them all . . . who is decked out in glory . . .as the wicked or the righteous pass before him.” (Abraham in Egypt, Hugh Nibley, p. 29.) One can imagine how impressed Abraham was with Adam’s position after viewing such a scene.

What the author gets from Brigham Young’s discourses is that Adam will be and is a God to us, and many of our future dealings with be with Adam.