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rom
Guest
The Catholic Church says otherwise? Where did the Church say that God did not make Adam and Eve?
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Diaconia
Guest
Mendel, Copernicus, Ockham, Bacon, et. al.
Deacon Christopher
Deacon Christopher
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jtwp5
Guest
I definitely don’t consider it literal. I don’t believe Adam and Eve were the first humans, probably humans before that, maybe the first with souls. People who say the Earth is only a few thousand years old are so blinded.
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Joe_5859
Guest
You’re asking a lot of questions here. 
The Bible is composed of many different books and many different styles of literature. Even within the same book, there is often a variety in that regard. Saying that Genesis 1–11 uses figurative language is not the same thing as saying that the entire Bible is written figuratively and none of it actually happened. Not at all.
Most any biblical scholar differentiates between Genesis 1–11 and the rest of Genesis, let alone the rest of the Pentateuch.
It’s not a zero sum game. It’s not a case of either the Bible never uses figurative language or the Bible only and always uses figurative language. You have to look at the book and the type of writing it contains.
I’d recommend reading through what the Church says about Scripture and it’s interpretation. The Catechism (paragraphs 50–141) cover the Church’s approach to Divine Revelation. There are also a lot of great encyclicals and other Church documents from recent popes and the Pontifical Biblical Commission that go into the Church’s approach to Scripture:
The Bible is composed of many different books and many different styles of literature. Even within the same book, there is often a variety in that regard. Saying that Genesis 1–11 uses figurative language is not the same thing as saying that the entire Bible is written figuratively and none of it actually happened. Not at all.
Most any biblical scholar differentiates between Genesis 1–11 and the rest of Genesis, let alone the rest of the Pentateuch.
It’s not a zero sum game. It’s not a case of either the Bible never uses figurative language or the Bible only and always uses figurative language. You have to look at the book and the type of writing it contains.
I’d recommend reading through what the Church says about Scripture and it’s interpretation. The Catechism (paragraphs 50–141) cover the Church’s approach to Divine Revelation. There are also a lot of great encyclicals and other Church documents from recent popes and the Pontifical Biblical Commission that go into the Church’s approach to Scripture:
E
edwest
Guest
From Catholic Answers -
Adam and Eve: Real People
It is equally impermissible to dismiss the story of Adam and Eve and the fall (Gen. 2–3) as a fiction. A question often raised in this context is whether the human race descended from an original pair of two human beings (a teaching known as monogenism) or a pool of early human couples (a teaching known as polygenism).
In this regard, Pope Pius XII stated: “When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains either that after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parents of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents. Now, it is in no way apparent how such an opinion can be reconciled that which the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the teaching authority of the Church proposed with regard to original sin which proceeds from a sin actually committed by an individual Adam in which through generation is passed onto all and is in everyone as his own” ( Humani Generis 37).
The story of the creation and fall of man is a true one, even if not written entirely according to modern literary techniques. The Catechism states, “The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man. Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents” (CCC 390).
Adam and Eve: Real People
It is equally impermissible to dismiss the story of Adam and Eve and the fall (Gen. 2–3) as a fiction. A question often raised in this context is whether the human race descended from an original pair of two human beings (a teaching known as monogenism) or a pool of early human couples (a teaching known as polygenism).
In this regard, Pope Pius XII stated: “When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains either that after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parents of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents. Now, it is in no way apparent how such an opinion can be reconciled that which the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the teaching authority of the Church proposed with regard to original sin which proceeds from a sin actually committed by an individual Adam in which through generation is passed onto all and is in everyone as his own” ( Humani Generis 37).
The story of the creation and fall of man is a true one, even if not written entirely according to modern literary techniques. The Catechism states, “The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man. Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents” (CCC 390).
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julie317
Guest
Google The Forgotten Books of Eden : The First Book of Adam & Eve". It’s not Catholic but is filled with Church tradition & is a very ancient writing & very moving - brings it to life & worth the read. It’s online in PDF form.
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