Editing Adam–God doctrine (section)

==Background==
[[File:Heber Chase Kimball-2.png|thumb|Heber C. Kimball, the First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1847 and 1868, is credited with at least partial authorship of the Adam-God theory.]]
Though Joseph Smith, the founder of the [[Latter Day Saint movement]], never used the term "Adam–God" in any of his recorded public statements, he provided several teachings from which the doctrine's adherents draw support. For example, Smith taught in an 1839 sermon that Adam was actually the archangel [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], who held the [[First Presidency]] in the premortal life.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Roberts|1905|pp=385–86}} (Before the world was formed, the First Presidency "was first given to Adam.... He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures."); {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=234}} (doctrine of Adam as Michael and as premortal First President cited as a precursor for the Adam–God doctrine).</ref> In the same sermon, Smith taught that Adam holds "the keys of the universe,"<ref>{{Harvtxt|Roberts|1905|p=387}} ("Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family.").</ref> and so it is through his authority that all [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|priesthood]] "keys," the abilities to unlock particular priesthood powers, are revealed from heaven.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=234}} (Adam's assignment of the keys of the universe cited as a precursor for the Adam–God doctrine).</ref> In 1840, Smith taught that Adam is the one "through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and will continue to be revealed from henceforth."<ref>{{Harvtxt|Roberts|1908|p=207}}; {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=234}} (Adam-as-mediator doctrine cited as a precursor for the Adam–God doctrine).</ref> Finally, Smith taught in his 1844 [[King Follett discourse]] that God was once a man "like one of us."<ref>{{Harvtxt|Larson|1978|p=201}} (God "once was a man like one of us and... God Himself, the Father of us all, once dwelled on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did in the flesh."); {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=234}} (citing teaching that God is an exalted man as a precursor for the Adam–God doctrine).</ref>

Young and other adherents of the doctrine claim that Smith was its originator<ref>{{Harvtxt|Widmer|2000|p=130}}; {{Harvtxt|Collier|1999|pp=228–42}}; {{Harvtxt|Kraut|1972|pp=80–97}} (same); {{Harvtxt|Christensen|1981|pp=131–49}}; {{Harvtxt|Musser|1938|pp=38, 43–46, 50–57}} .</ref> and that Smith privately taught it to them before his death, in 1844.<ref>{{harvtxt|Collier|1999|p=229 fn. 12}} (citing minutes of meeting of the [[Quorum of the Twelve]], 4 April 1860, in which it was recorded: "It was Joseph's doctrine that Adam was God.... God comes to earth and eats and partakes of fruit. Joseph could not reveal what was revealed to him, and if Joseph had it revealed, he was not told to reveal it."); {{harvtxt|Collier|1999|p=360}} (citing [[Wilford Woodruff]] Journal of 4 September 1860, in which [[George Q. Cannon]] said "that Adam is our Father [and] is a true doctrine revealed from God to Joseph & Brigham. For this same doctrine is taught in some of the old Jewish records which have never been in print."); {{harvtxt|Collier|1999|p=367}} (citing Wilford Woodruff Journal of 16 December 1867, stating that "President Young said Adam was Michael the Archangel, & he was the Father of Jesus Christ & was our God & that Joseph taught this principle."); {{harvtxt|Collier|1999|p=233}} (citing an 1877 reminiscence of [[Anson Call]], who said he heard Smith say that "now regarding Adam: He came here from another planet [as] an immortalized being and brought his wife, Eve, with him, and by eating of the fruits of the earth became subject to death and decay and he became of the earth, earthly, was made mortal and subject to death.").</ref> However, the prevailing academic view is that the doctrine taught by Young and others was an elaboration of Smith's vague references to Adam's unique role in Latter Day Saint doctrine.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Widmer|2000|p=130}}; {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=234}} ("Young's Adam–God teachings were an expansion of Joseph Smith's sermons in 1839-44"); {{Harvtxt|Bergera|1980|p=48}} (stating that there is "no reliable evidence contemporary to Smith's lifetime which lends support" to the view that Smith taught the Adam–God doctrine, and that Young "was not above inventing support for beliefs where none existed previously").</ref> Although Young is generally credited with originating the doctrine, the original source may also have been Young's counselor in the [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|First Presidency]], [[Heber C. Kimball]].<ref>{{Harvtxt|Bergera|1980|p=48}} (noting that [[Orson Pratt]] and contemporary historian [[T. B. H. Stenhouse]] both attributed the doctrine to Kimball).</ref>