Posted on 04/22/2015 11:50:07 AM PDT by NYer
Question: I had a former theology teacher at my parish’s school tell me that Vatican II changed the Church’s teachings on Adam and Eve and that the first few chapters of Genesis are to be considered as myths. Is that true?
Answer: No, it is not. Below are nine teachings of the Church regarding the first three chapters of Genesis. These teachings can be found in a document which was issued by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and confirmed by Pope St. Pius X in 1909. These teachings have been the constant teachings of the Church throughout the centuries, and the Pontifical Biblical Commission expounded them in 1909 as a response to the errors of the Modernists that had developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Modernists were, among other things, denying the reality of Adam and Eve.
Now, you might say, “John, this was before Vatican II, the question is: didn’t Vatican II change all of this?” No, it did not. We can find every single one of these nine teachings of Pope St. Pius X, as expounded by the 1909 Pontifical Biblical Commission, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) that was published in 1994.
So, here they are, the nine teachings of the Church regarding chapters 1-3 of Genesis, as expounded in the 1909 document from the Pontifical Biblical Commission, followed each time by the paragraphs of the 1994 Catechism that carry the corresponding teachings:
1. The creation of all things out of nothing by God at the beginning of time...and including time; CCC #’s 296-299
2. The special creation of man; CCC #’s 355-359
3. The creation of woman from man [Eve was created from Adam’s rib — well, the Church doesn’t say that it absolutely happened in exactly that way, but it does teach that woman was created from man in some manner]; CCC #371
4. That all of humanity is descended from an original pair of human beings — Adam and Eve; CCC #’s 54-55, 359-360, 375, 390-392, 402-405, 407, 416-417
5. That Adam and Eve were created in an original state of holiness, justice, and immortality; CCC #’s 374-379, 384, 398, 415-416
6. That a Divine Command was laid upon man to prove his obedience to God “Thou shalt not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” - again, exactly what that means, we don’t know. Was it really a tree with fruit that they weren’t supposed to eat? Probably not, but we don’t really know. But we do know that there was some command from God, laid upon man, to prove his obedience.]; CCC #’s 396-397, 399
7. The transgression of that Divine Command at the instigation of Satan; CCC #’s 379, 390-392, 394-395, 397-398, 413-415
8. The loss of the state of holiness, justice, and immortality of our 1st parents, because of their disobedience — Adam and Eve were kicked out of Paradise; CCC #’s 379, 390, 399-400, 410
9. The promise of a future Redeemer, a Savior — Gen 3:15, the protoevangelium, the first “good news”; CCC #’s 410-411
I doubt anyone will contend that the Catechism is pre-Vatican II. So, if the teachings of the 1909 Pontifical Biblical Commission on Adam and Eve are also found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, then it is obvious that Vatican II did not change the Church’s teachings in regard to Adam and Eve.
Ping!
one thing that Vatican II has apparently taught the Faithful is that attire at Holy Mass is casual...and that music should sound like TV ad jingles...
Certainly there are many people who with the teachings of evolution would like to call the story of Adam and Eve a myth but it is one of the most important parts of the Theology of The Gospel.
If not for the fall of Adam and Eve there would be no need of a Savior. With the Fall we all inherited death and need to be saved. With the Fall we are all separated from God and could not be reunited without the Saviors payment for the sins that separated us.
Satan would have you believe that indeed the story is a myth that way there would be no need of a Savior and you would become an unbeliever.
The story of Adam and Eve is so important that Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph and of Mary back to Adam.
Believe, follow Him, obey Him and be saved.
Myths? No. Two fully-formed, unevolved adult homo sapiens, the only two homo sapiens on the entire planet, residing in a literal Garden of Eden, with a literal Tree of Life? Not even close.
Last year we got a thread from a Catholic apologist addressing the same question (Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?) in which the author argued that Catholic doctrine allows for two distinct individual homo sapiens ("Adam and Eve") which could be identified existing within a broader population of co-existing, co-evolving former-primates, and that it was these two individuals who sinned and cursed all of the other evolving former-primates and thus the entire emerging human race.
I went to Marquette Univ. And I was taught in a theology class that Adam and Eve was a myth. A story, used to make a point. And not to be taken as true.
I take it as true. I have no reason to doubt it.
If God wanted all life to increase and multiply, He pretty much had to create them at about the same time as adults. But what do I know. It’s like the old joke. God asked Adam what kind of mate he wanted. He described someone beautiful, who could cook great food, liked his jokes and never has a headache. God told him that would cost an arm and a leg. So Adam said “What can I get for a rib?” Who knows? Hope that’s not out of line.
A Catholic woman I knew said her priest told her she can think of God as female if she wants. 500,000 denominations all under one roof.
I’m with you. I wasn’t there; I don’t know exactly how God created Man, only that He did.
Without a Fall, there woud be no need of a Savior.
We need a Savior, and God provided one for those that would accept Him.
Everything else in theology is secondary.
Without death, how did these former-primates evolve?
Interesting, I have read similar statements outside the Roman Catholic Church. Once such argument is there were other homo sapiens sapiens but God pulled Adam and Eve into the Garden. Today humans can be traced to Adam and Eve because all other lineage died-off. This theory would solve the DNA lineage issue while at the same time keep open an actual Adam and Eve. (Without a real first Adam how can you have a real second Adam.)
The problem is this "theory" is not really a theory but a way to appease creationist and evolution. As with any "bi-partisan" solution, it will not satisfy either party. Evolutionist will still wink and say "whatever your Christians want to believe" while creationist will argue that this comprises does not address that GOD uniquely created Adam and Eve.
Evolution also requires death before sin,
another doctrinal fail for those trying to make both “fit”.
What I like is that creation was choosing only Adam and Eve to be made in the likeness of God. Creation was to give only them an everlasting soul which other primates did not have.
The Catechism is not an INFALLIBLE proclamation of the magisterium ...it is simply the writing of men and subject to change
This is a naive or deceptive article. The reader can judge. Sure the catechism confirms a literal Adam and Eve. However, that is not what is taught in Catholic schools and the footnotes of the NAB.
Vatican II taught NO such thing. Those types of *innovations* were brought about by both clerics and lay alike....who had not fully read the documents of Vatican II.
Have you seen the movie version?
Simply because it was taught at Marquette does not guarantee that it is from the Teaching Magisterium. Sadly the same is true of many *Catholic* universities these days.
That was 30+ years ago. And a Jesuit was not teaching the class. But he did say he was teaching the churches curriculum. That’s not to say he was.
Got a big kick out of this discussion on the BBC a few years ago, David Attenborough had a number of animal shows and he was retiring, the announcer and he discussed animals and got on the subject of creation, how the myth of Adam and Eve were just lovely little stories our mothers taught us that were absolutely false but people liked them, but in fact, Darwin takes the day. Next the announcer asked him what was his favorite shows of all he had done, and he spoke of apes playing with his shoe strings, the announcer said, Oh I remember that one, it was my favorite, weren’t you a bit scared, Attenborough said no, - IT WAS A GREAT DEAL LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN. There was about 3 seconds of silence while they both understood what had just happened, it was priceless.
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