Created from Adam's rib?

[grannymh]

Do you have a choice in taking that portion of the biblical account literally or not?
Does anyone take that portion of the Genesis account literally? Why?

Many Catholics believe the tradition of Eve being made from Adam’s rib. In my personal opinion, given the pre-scientific era, it doesn’t make too much difference how the creation of Eve is presented in descriptive words. For Catholics, the what God was revealing about females is essential.

I use the universal catechism for teachings as to what the “rib” tradition really entails. The* Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition*, refers to Genesis 2: 21-23 and then adds an important theological meaning: “Man discovers woman as another “I,” sharing the same humanity.” CCC 371. In God’s plan, man and woman, in their respective beings, have been created in perfect equality as human persons.

The Catholic Church is different from Fundamentalism. It uses its authority to interpret, teach, and promote Divine Revelation. Thus, Catholicism sees beyond the descriptions in the first three chapters of Genesis, to the Word of God.

Catholics are welcomed to believe that Eve was formed from Adam as long as they recognize that both are created with the same human nature and as such are created in the Image of God. It is my personal understanding, that from “a rib” can be shorthand for the actual event. In my humble opinion, too often people erroneously get hung up on the how Divine Revelation is communicated in the first three chapters of Genesis and thus they are blind to God’s truth which is the what of communication.

Blessings,
granny

Basic Catholic teaching **regarding “Male and Female He created them” **
is found in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, ISBN: 1-57455-109-4
Paragraphs 369-373.
The good news of Jesus Christ follows in Paragraph 422, etc.

One can put the word paragraph and its number in the Catechism’s search bar in link www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm Entering topics, like Adam, is also very useful.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Many Catholics believe the tradition of Eve being made from Adam’s rib. In my personal opinion, given the pre-scientific era, it doesn’t make too much difference how the creation of Eve is presented in descriptive words. For Catholics, the what God was revealing about females is essential.

I use the universal catechism for teachings as to what the “rib” tradition really entails. The* Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition*, refers to Genesis 2: 21-23 and then adds an important theological meaning: “Man discovers woman as another “I,” sharing the same humanity.” CCC 371. In God’s plan, man and woman, in their respective beings, have been created in perfect equality as human persons.

The Catholic Church is different from Fundamentalism. It uses its authority to interpret, teach, and promote Divine Revelation. Thus, Catholicism sees beyond the descriptions in the first three chapters of Genesis, to the Word of God.

Catholics are welcomed to believe that Eve was formed from Adam as long as they recognize that both are created with the same human nature and as such are created in the Image of God. It is my personal understanding, that from “a rib” can be shorthand for the actual event. In my humble opinion, too often people erroneously get hung up on the how Divine Revelation is communicated in the first three chapters of Genesis and thus they are blind to God’s truth which is the what of communication.

Blessings,
granny

Basic Catholic teaching **regarding “Male and Female He created them” **
is found in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, ISBN: 1-57455-109-4
Paragraphs 369-373.
The good news of Jesus Christ follows in Paragraph 422, etc.

One can put the word paragraph and its number in the Catechism’s search bar in link www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm Entering topics, like Adam, is also very useful.

If you examine both of the creation accounts, you can see that in one Eve is the first female creation and wife of Adam. In the other, Eve may or may not be the first woman. Either way, there is also the Midrash to consider and Lillith to think about too.

 

[StrawberryJam]

When we try to figure God out we can get in trouble with our thoughts. Everything God created is good, no matter how He did it.

This type of statement is void of meaning to anyone who vaules questioning.

 

[Dorothy]

This type of statement is void of meaning to anyone who vaules questioning.

I do value questioning when it helps us to understand and appreciate what God has done.

I don’t value questioning when it causes us to second-guess God and doubt his Perfection.

 

[grannymh]

If you examine both of the creation accounts, you can see that in one Eve is the first female creation and wife of Adam. In the other, Eve may or may not be the first woman. Either way, there is also the Midrash to consider and Lillith to think about too.

Pardon me. I am using the Saint Joseph Edition, The New American Bible. Both creation accounts speak of Adam being first. Genesis 1: 26 and Genesis 2: 7.

I have heard of Lillith but not Midrash. But I have not clue where they appear in Scripture. At the moment, my area of interest is the first three chapters of Genesis.

Blessings,
Mary Helen

The human person is worthy of profound respect.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Pardon me. I am using the Saint Joseph Edition, The New American Bible. Both creation accounts speak of Adam being first. Genesis 1: 26 and Genesis 2: 7.

I have heard of Lillith but not Midrash. But I have not clue where they appear in Scripture. At the moment, my area of interest is the first three chapters of Genesis.

Blessings,
Mary Helen

The human person is worthy of profound respect.

Pardon me, but I never mentioned or quesitoned Adam’s being “first”. If you would be so kind to re-read my post, I mention that in the two accounts Eve is the first woman created in one of the two, and could be but is not explicitly the first in the other account.

Maybe you were a fan of Fraiser. I know I was.

Isaiah 34:15 “…The night-demon Lilith, evil and rapacious, will establish permanent quarters. Scavenging carrion birds will breed and brood, infestations of ominous evil.”

The Midrash is a commentary on the Hebrew Bible.

 

[grannymh]

Pardon me, but I never mentioned or quesitoned Adam’s being “first”. If you would be so kind to re-read my post, I mention that in the two accounts Eve is the first woman created in one of the two, and could be but is not explicitly the first in the other account.

Now, I see. You meant that Eve was the first woman…
I look at them as both humans who are the first, sole parents of human beings. But I understand your point.

Yes, I am a fan of Fraiser. But didn’t know the Isaiah reference you gave.

 

[TMC]

Now, I see. You meant that Eve was the first woman…
I look at them as both humans who are the first, sole parents of human beings. But I understand your point.

Yes, I am a fan of Fraiser. But didn’t know the Isaiah reference you gave.

There is an enduring and supposedly ancient myth that Lilith was the first woman, and that Eve was her replacment (or something, I don’t know all the details). Lilith is generally portrayed as alluring but evil - I’m sure that using that name for Frasier’s girlfriend/wife/ex-wife in Cheers/Frasier was a deliberate reference to that mythology.

 

[tambourine]

I think it’s worth noting that ribs will grow back when broken or when pieces are taken.

 

[edwest2]

The Church has consistently taught that Eve was taken from Adam’s side. The work of God has nothing to do with a pre-scientific era. Just like Jesus raising the dead without scientific explanation.

God bless,
Ed

 

[StrawberryJam]

Now, I see. You meant that Eve was the first woman…
I look at them as both humans who are the first, sole parents of human beings. But I understand your point.

Yes, I am a fan of Fraiser. But didn’t know the Isaiah reference you gave.

You inferred that from my post.

You are reading into things. That is not scientific thought.

But, you were right in that I was a fan of Frasier.

 

[Faith1960]

There is no requirement in Catholic theology or doctrine that one take that passage of Genesis literally.

My own opinion is that the passage is true in that sense that it expresses a deeper truth about God and God’s relationship to mankind, but not literal in the sense that the first woman was literally formed from a rib taken from the first man. One of the errors we see in society today is that too many people have forgotten that literal and true are not the same thing. This passage illustrates the difference, IMHO.

Are you Catholic?

 

[TMC]

Are you Catholic?

Yes. Did I say something that would suggest otherwise?

 

[chosen_people]

Unlike man’s, the woman’s body was not taken from the earth. God built one side of man into woman-so that the single human being became two, thereby demonstrating irrefutably the equality of man and woman - (the Stone edition Chumash)

 

[PJM]

=StrawberryJam;7219666]Do you have a choice in taking that portion of the biblical account literally or not?
Does anyone take that portion of the Genesis account literally? Why?

As Catholics we MUST HOLD to the reality of our first parents; Adam and Eve as being real, and to the story of there fall from GRACE an Orginal Sin. We are not obligated to accept the rib story, though it seems to me to be as valid as any other I have heard put forth.

 

[StrawberryJam]

As Catholics we MUST HOLD to the reality of our first parents; Adam and Eve as being real, and to the story of there fall from GRACE an Orginal Sin. We are not obligated to accept the rib story, though it seems to me to be as valid as any other I have heard put forth.

Well that is a shame then.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Unlike man’s, the woman’s body was not taken from the earth. God built one side of man into woman-so that the single human being became two, thereby demonstrating irrefutably the equality of man and woman - (the Stone edition Chumash)

How is this more equal than what Lillith had? Adam and Lillith were both created from the earth.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Are you Catholic?

I get so upset when people ask a catholic who is not a literalist that question. The most sane thing about catholics is their freedom to excercise that right. No one should make anyone believe in a literal creation account because if they do, they are forcing people to believe in utter lies about the natural world.

 

[chosen_people]

How is this more equal than what Lillith had? Adam and Lillith were both created from the earth.

people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/950206_Lilith.html

 

[StrawberryJam]

people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/950206_Lilith.html

That is very informational, thank you!

Kabbalistic Jews must not be within the mainstream then. I should have guessed so much based on a prominent person who “converted” to that faith community.

I still find the story very interesting, but will leave that in it’s proper place when considering these things. The trash can. It does not pass the sniff test, and is the “turd in the punchbowl” now.