Adam & Eve in Heaven or Hell?

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Charlemagne_III

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Is anybody aware of arguments that have been made for either direction?
 
I’ve always been taught Heaven as the tradition, but I’ve no arguments…
 
No one knows for sure, of course; but most opinions favor them being in heaven.
 
dshix said:
We understand from Tradition that they are in Heaven.
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Is there a traditional source you can identify for me? Thanks.

They produced two sons, who both offered sacrifice. But Cain killed Abel.

I guess they are prototypes for the whole human family.

I wish there had been a biblical account of grief and reconciliation.

Seems to be a glaring omission. 🤷
 
The Harrowing of Hell was a popular subject of medieval art. Adam and Eve were very frequently depicted as the first one’s being led out by Christ. I think that’s where I recalled it from. Will do some searching…
 
Charlemagne_III said:
Is there a traditional source you can identify for me? Thanks.
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I too have had difficulty finding a lot of documentation on this.

Catholic Answers seems to just state it without explaining it.

Also interesting is CCC #635: (emphasis mine)
Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, [Christ] has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve
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This suggests that they were with the just, waiting outside the gates of Heaven until the Redemption. Justly being among those who waited there the longest. 😛
 
Wesrock said:
The Harrowing of Hell was a popular subject of medieval art. Adam and Eve were very frequently depicted as the first one’s being led out by Christ. I think that’s where I recalled it from. Will do some searching…
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Because the Harrowing of Hell is part of our liturgy, and lex orandi, lex credendi, heaven is the more probable answer.
 
porthos11 said:
Because the Harrowing of Hell is part of our liturgy, and lex orandi, lex credendi, heaven is the more probable answer.
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Precisely. And in addition, Holy Mother Church venerates them as saints. Their memorial (optional I believe) is December 24 I believe. We don’t venerate those in hell!
 
twf said:
Precisely. And in addition, Holy Mother Church venerates them as saints. Their memorial (optional I believe) is December 24 I believe. We don’t venerate those in hell!
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Good catch. Indeed yes, the martyrology lists Sts. Adam and Eve. If anything THIS is the definite statement as to their sanctity.
 
God banished them from the Garden of Eden, not Heaven! They had to work, sweat & feel pain…then they lived long enough to have children ( Cain & Abel). Adam & Eve had plenty of time to commit more sins or repent of their original sin. The bible doesn’t say…but I believe they learned their lesson & followed God’s laws and are in Heaven.👍
 
The “Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday” mentions Adam and Eve being rescued by Jesus:
"What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.
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Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.** He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam’s son.
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The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.**
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‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.
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‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.
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‘For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden.
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‘Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image.
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'See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See my hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one.
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`I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.
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‘But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.
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“The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.”
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boomerang said:
The “Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday” mentions Adam and Eve being rescued by Jesus:
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True. So that’s two strong indicators in the Liturgy that demonstrate that the Church knows our First Parents to be in heaven…the fact that they have a feast day as saints and this reference in the Holy Saturday liturgy of the hours.
 
Aquinas actually wrote that the original sin was not the most grievous of sins.
 
“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

This is a passage that refers to Adam.🙂
 
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