Introduction

Official Latter-day Saint material states that:

  1. Adam was “the first man.”
  2. Adam (and Eve) were parents of “all living in [their] day.”

Adam

Adam … father of all

D&C 138:38

Doctrine and Covenants 138:38 (emphasis added):

Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all,

D&C 27:11

Doctrine and Covenants 27:11 (emphasis added):1

And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;

the father of all living in his day

In a discourse at Commerce, Illinois in 1839, Joseph Smith stated (as reported by Willard Richards):

The Priesthood was first given To Adam:[1] he obtained to the first Presidency & held the Keys of it, from genration to Generation; he obtained it in the creation before the world was formed as in Gen. 1, 26:28,— he had dominion given him over every living Creature. He is Michael, the Archangel,[2] spoken of in the Scriptures,— Then to Noah who is Gabriel,[3] he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office & was the Father of all living[4] in his day, & To him was Given the Dominion. These men held keys. first on earth, & then in Heaven. …

Dan VII Speaks of the Ancient of days, he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael; he will call his children together. & hold a council with them.[6] to prepare them for the coming [p. 63] of the Son of Man.[7] He, (Adam) is the Father of the human family[8] & presides over the Spirits of all men, & all that have had the Keys must Stand before him in this grand Council. This may take place before some of us leave this stage of action, The Son of Man Stands before him & there is given him glory & dominion.— Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was deliverd to him as holding the Keys of the Universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family.[9]

Portions of the talk were reproduced in Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Joseph Smith, chapter 8:

There has been a chain of authority and power from Adam down to the present time.

The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed, as in Gen. 1:26, 27, 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures. Then to Noah, who is Gabriel; he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in heaven.

The phrase (“[Adam] was the father of all living in his day”) is also quoted in:

First man of all men and primal parent of our race

Ensign. 2002. The Origin of Man. By the First Presidency of the Church. From Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, 75–81:

It is held by some that Adam was not the first man upon this earth, and that the original human being was a development from lower orders of the animal creation. These, however, are the theories of men. The word of the Lord declares that Adam was ‘the first man of all men’ (Moses 1:34), and we are therefore in duty bound to regard him as the primal parent of our race.

The above is also reproduced in the Pearl of Great Price Teacher Manual, Moses 2:26–31: The Physical Creation of Man and Woman

Adam being the first man …

Marion G. Romney. General Conference, April, 1973. Man—A Child of God:

Adam, the first man, knew that he was a son of God.

As counselor in the First Presidency, Joseph Fielding Smith responded to a request for doctrinal clarification by Morris L. Reynolds. Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:

The doctrine concerning Adam has been distorted. You may accept what has been given us by revelation, and I call your attention to the Doctrine and Covenants. In Section 29, verses 23 to 34, you will find some interesting information in relation to Adam. It is also true that Adam being the first man, will eventually preside over his posterity as outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 107, verses 53 to 56, and in Section 78: 15-16, which are as follows:

Who hath appointed Michael (Adam) your prince, and established his feet, and set him upon high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel and direction of the Holy One (Jesus Christ), who is without beginning of days or end of life. (Verse 16.)

Eve

Consider Eve, the mother of all living

Daughters in the Covenant:

Consider Eve, the mother of all living. …

Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve “ the mother of all living “ – and they did so before she ever bore a child

Adam & Eve

A number of manuals teach or strongly imply, in one form or another, that “we are all are descendants of Adam and Eve”.

We are all descendants of Adam and Eve

New Era, October 2016, What does the Church believe about evolution?:

… We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, our first parents, who were created in God’s image. …

Ugo Perego corresponded directly with the office of the New Era asking about statements there (he was specifically interested in this and other similar statements on evolution) and was told that “nothing ends up published in Church magazines without the approval of a priesthood committee that acts under the direct supervision of the Brethern [sic]” and that “nothing is published that would not be in line with their teachings.”

As descendents … we inherit a fallen condition (implied)

Fall of Adam and Eve, Gspel Topics:

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality

As descendants … all inherit the effects of the Fall

As descendants of Adam and Eve, all people inherit the effects of the Fall. …

… each of us as descendants of Adam and Eve

Missionary Preparation Teacher Manual, lesson 2: Our Need for the Atonement:

… How does the Fall of Adam affect each of us as descendants of Adam and Eve?

As descendants … we are also separated from God

The Plan of Salvation manual, List of Terms, The Fall

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we are also separated from God and subject to physical death. The Atonement of Jesus Christ overcomes both physical and spiritual death.

As descendants … we inherit a fallen condition

Basic Doctrines Manual, 2012, Basic Doctrines

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality. We are separated from the presence of the Lord and subject to physical death.

As descendants … we inherit a fallen condition

Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, 2018, The Plan of Salvation

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality. We are separated from God’s presence and are subject to physical death.

Mortal condition … that we inherit as descendants

Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home Study, 2 Nephi 2

Thus, to be “cut off” according to the “temporal law” refers to the mortal condition on earth that we inherit as descendants of Adam and Eve.

as descendants … we are “fallen”

Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual, 2013, Moroni 7:20–48

… as descendants of Adam and Eve, we are “fallen” and unable to receive any blessings on our own …

because we are descendants … we are subject to the conditions [of] the Fall

Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual, 2 Nephi 2, pt 1

Make sure they understand that because we are descendants of Adam and Eve, we are subject to the conditions that came to them after the Fall

All descendants … inherit certain effects from the Fall (implied)

Liahona 2006, The Fulness of the Gospel: The Fall of Adam and Eve

All descendants of Adam and Eve inherit certain effects from the Fall, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are held accountable only for our own sins.

  1. The modern D&C 27 was originally Book of Commandments chapter 28 and then Doctrine and Covenants section 50. Chapter 28 of the Book of Commandments was originally seven verses long. Joseph Smith significantly expanded the section for the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (section 50), and it is in this expansionary material that the phrase “father of all” in reference to Adam was included. The expansionary material and the phrase “father of all” persisted in the the 1845 edition and remains to the present day. ↩