Where do we fit the story, or even the concept, of Adam and Eve into the modern evolution theory or education in general, both at the elementary level and through to college? Wow, that's a loaded question. But it's easy to answer: Adam and Eve as a concept, the first two humans on Earth who fostered the children that would populate their world, is a universal idea that can transcend context.
Think about it. The Christian religion and those that have spun off have accepted that Adam and Eve were put here by God, after they were kicked out of Eden. From there they had children, and sin was created. The story gets more in depth, but for the basis of our discussion we are just going to leave it at that as the foundation of man on earth. The Bible says nothing about amoebas, fish breathing air for the first time, or monkeys growing opposable thumbs. It's a pretty cut-and-dry account for human history.
Many atheists or agnostics (which is different by the way) try to embrace evolution as a true retelling of the human journey. For some reason modern, global society has accepted the idea that evolution taught in school is less controversial than a secular religious analysis. The reason can be easy to grasp, with such fierce offence derived from one religion to another when fundamental values are in question. Evolution has just seemed easier to teach, and has more physical and conceptual proof.
Does that mean Adam and Eve are kicked out of school as well as Eden? Not necessarily. There is a middle ground that is easy to find in the evolution/creationism battle. Adam and Eve are a major theory of the heredity of humans that survived natural selection.
At some point in evolution, a point that is still elusive to prove, quadrupeds developed upright qualities and became bipeds. Using other examples of nature, we could conclude that humans developed after multiple mutations, and most likely became more solid through breeding between similar mutations. As well, our environment and mannerisms pushed our ancestors through adaptation and recoding to survive. And at the end of that process, we see modern, standing-upright man. No big foreheads, no clubs and monkey sounds. We were wearing the big pants now.
As others died off, the surviving brood resupplied the population. It is reasonable to theorize, with no way to prove nor disprove the idea, that at some point in the breeding cycle and steps of evolution, one male and one female human, as modern as can be, were born. They bred, and begot the rest of the world's human population, what we see now thousands of generations later. Thus, Adam and Eve, though not necessarily the name of the theory, can apply in evolution as well. They are simply the second installment, after the back story is theorized.
To the parents who get angry at evolution as a threat against the way the Bible tells the story of man, consider the way God and his Son direct man to observe his world. We are open, forgiving, compassionate and empathetic individuals, we humans. The very things that make us human and not animal are the reasons accepting theories as simply that - theories - whether that's the theory of religion or the theory of evolution, is so vital in our education. It does not detract from God to know the story of evolution. You do not have to present evolution in a context, other than the truth. Evolution is a theory, religion is a theory, and a human chooses his or her path based on what he believes is true. That can change as they get more information, but ultimately it is up to the individual to put these theories in his or her own context.
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