Adam and Eve and their judgement

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There’s a long-standing Church tradition that they are saints (of the Old Testament variety). December 24th was formerly a feast day for both. Much pious artwork and homilies typically refer to Jesus. after descending to the dead, leading Adam and Eve and all the other righteous dead into Heaven.
 
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There is a lot of beauty in the tradition that Adam and Eve were redeemed through the actions of the New Adam and New Eve in Jesus and Mary.
 
It certainly appears that although God rightfully had to punish Mankind …
that he never claimed that Adam and Eve were going to Hell.
 
I think it makes sense that they did. It seems that they repented and did penance, and if they lived over a thousand years, then they had plenty of time.
 
‘She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone,
And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things.’ Wisdom 10:1-2
 
Serpent_of_Paradise said:
‘She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone,
And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things.’ Wisdom 10:1-2
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Thanks for the Scripture reference. Have read the entire Book of Wisdom before - pretty sure more than once. Strange how a passage can pass right over one’s head unnoticed!
 
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Serpent_of_Paradise said:
‘She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone,
And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things.’ Wisdom 10:1-2
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Doesn’t say he was saved, though – just that he “governed all things”. The cross-reference to that verse points to Genesis 1 – that is, that to Adam was given stewardship of all creation.
 
Theologically and by tradition, Adam and Eve are saints (Feast Day 24 December), so yes they are in heaven.
 
“And she brought him out of his sin, …” This is the line that tells us he was saved. God doesn’t send sinless people to hell.
 
Here is just a short portion from the Liturgy of Hours, Second Reading in the Office of Readings, for Holy Saturday. I look forward to reading it every year.
…God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
…
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Here’s a link to the reading if you wish to read it all; scroll down close to the bottom till you get to it’s title " From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday".
 
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Dan_Defender said:
I think it makes sense that they did. It seems that they repented and did penance, and if they lived over a thousand years, then they had plenty of time.
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They most likely were remorseful the very moment the Lord called them out on their sin.

Even some of their children saw favor with God

_
 
It was a little less than a thousand years, but yes. “[Wisdom] preserved the first-formed father of the world when he alone had been created; and she raised him up from his fall.” -Wisdom 10:1

Furthermore, the skull of Adam is beneath Christ’s feet in many icons of the crucifixion (tradition says that Christ was crucified over Adam’s tomb, which is why it was called “Place of the Skull.”)
 
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While the Church hasn’t spoken on this in any kind of definitive official manner, I tend to think our first parents are in heaven. The interesting thing to me in any case is that their exile from Eden into this very non-Edenic world wasn’t simply the reaction of an angry God offended by their act of disobedience so much as the natural consequences of rejecting His authority and gaining autonomy from Him. And that the exile isn’t so much punitive as it’s meant to be reformative, educational. Here we’re immersed in the experience of life free from God. We literally, directly, experience-or know - good and evil, while having no control over our own existence as death looms in the background with its inevitable, final threat of annihilation for ourselves and loved ones. And yet here we get to play “gods” ourselves so to speak, and to experiment, temporarily anyway, with freedom from the real God and the sin that always promises some sort of greater benefit or satisfaction while generally causing harm to ourselves and/or neighbor.

In the end I’d bet that A&E learned, with the help of time, experience, revelation and grace, what they needed to learn, that only God is God and that they are His creatures. And that He is infinitely good and trustworthy, and deserving of our uncompromised attention and heeding, of our uncompromised love ultimately, a love which would’ve brought obedience automatically if they’d been able to muster it at the time. They’ve presumably learned that man was made for communion with God, and that breaking that relationship only results in chaos, sin, evil, death.
 
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JGD said:
“And she brought him out of his sin, …” This is the line that tells us he was saved. God doesn’t send sinless people to hell.
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Doesn’t mean he didn’t sin, subsequently… 😉
JGD said:
Here’s a link to the reading if you wish to read it all; scroll down close to the bottom till you get to it’s title " From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday ".
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A homily isn’t a dogmatic teaching. 😉
EndTimes said:
They most likely were remorseful the very moment the Lord called them out on their sin.

Even some of their children saw favor with God
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So, those who have children who are holy are therefore absolved of their sin and are unable to be in hell? (Man… I hope I have holy children, then!!! 🤣 )
fhansen said:
While the Church hasn’t spoken on this in any kind of definitive official manner, I tend to think our first parents are in heaven.
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I hope they are, too!
porthos11 said:
The liturgy (which is part of the Tradition of the Church) tells of Adam and Eve being delivered from Sheol by Jesus during Holy Saturday.
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Again… liturgy isn’t doctrine.
 
“Gorgias said:
“JGD said:
“And she brought him out of his sin, …” This is the line that tells us he was saved. God doesn’t send sinless people to hell.
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Gorgias:
Doesn’t mean he didn’t sin, subsequently… 😉
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Of course, but the verse can apply to subsequent sins also. Same usage of the word “sin” as when one speaks of the “sin in my life” and is referring to all his sins/sinfulness.
“JGD said:
Here’s a link to the reading if you wish to read it all; scroll down close to the bottom till you get to it’s title " From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday ".
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Gorgias: :
A homily isn’t a dogmatic teaching. 😉
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My goodness Gorgias!! :roll_eyes: I never said it was.
BTW, not everything the Church teaches has been dogmatically defined.
Also, if the writing/homily was in any way contrary to Catholic teaching or belief, I hardly think it would have been allowed into the Liturgy of Hours, which according to CCC 1175 " is intended to become the prayer of the whole People of God".

P.S. Apologies for improvising on how your responses are identified. Haven’t learned yet how to split a post in responding. 🙁
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