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.
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.
really...did I need to post a sarcasm tag...?
and while we’re at it, what is your reasoning as to the necessity, or for that matter, the wisdom in convening Vatican II...? I mean,considering the clerics never bothered to read the documents it produced, it couldn’t have been of any real value...
Here I am , Lord
Is it I, Lord?
Who was bringing up three very lovely girls...
yes, a solid gold Dan Schutte special...and now it will take a full day to get the tune out of my head...
The winner. Thank you! This one’s going to my brother. (I do DESPISE what passes as music in the Church these days.)
LOL, that was priceless.
Nor is it what was announced by Pope Benedict: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19956961/ns/world_news-europe/t/pope-creation-vs-evolution-clash-absurdity/
No. Eve while one may hold that Eve was a Myth, she was not a Muth for long, and at the same time one must hold that Adam was a Mythter.
If you don't get Genesis right it's hard to get the rest right.
A bible in the hand of a Catholic is like the constitution in the hands of a liberal. The official Catholic doctrine is meaningless if the priests aren't preaching it.
What is that supposed to mean?
No matter what the bible says, Catholics will change the meaning or replace the scripture with tradition. The first devout Catholic I ever talked to about creation was a hard core evolutionist. She was reading a book supporting evolution, written by a Catholic priest.
I mean,considering the clerics never bothered to read the documents it produced, it couldn’t have been of any real value...
________________________________________
I honestly missed the sarcasm. It may be because of seeing so many many people dissing the Church these days. Some want the Church to change and be more liberal; others want the Church to revert to Latin only liturgies. I reacted in a somewhat knee-jerk fashion. Apologies.
To respond to what you stated above, I can only say that the position of Apostle was offered to Judas and he allowed his own disorder to prevail instead. This is also what happened to SOME clerics and then with some laity with the implementation of Vatican II. They simply chose their own ideas of how to do this, rather than that of the holy men who honestly were trying to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Their own disorder prevailed rather than what God’s Spirit was offering.
I have also honestly wondered how many people were regularly praying for the Church in those days...?
Ephesians 6:18
If you really believe that, then I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you.
But since you bring it up, tell me in scripture where to find the doctrine of sola scripture. And what is your take on John 6?
The description of your personal experience may be true. It proves nothing except that humans are imperfect and often sin.
Your first statement is simply false.
Interesting. My brides parish teaches (as in instruction materials to children and adults) that there was no Adam and Eve. God (maybe) decided to ensoul some monkeys.
When I point out the rather severe theological issues this presents, I have been called a fundamentalist Catholic hater. When I show them the parts of the Catholic Catechism quoted the article.. Well I was asked to leave.
No, they are not myths.
You just proved my point with that sentence.
If you check the Catechism of the Catholic Church for those verses, very often the Biblical connotation is also given.
My. What a wonderful "defense" of the literal truth of Genesis. [/sarcasm]
But "body" and "blood" mean "body" and "blood," right?
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