Real people who committed real sin. Not allegory, not myth, not fable, not explanatory hyperbole, But true flesh and blood people.
We had that discussion in RCIA on this too, this past spring. We discussed the idea that some of the literature contained in the Bible is (may be) myth. I am no expert, so I cannot say much more than that I do understand your question.
See here for information bearing a nihil obstat and imprimatur
It appears to me that many deacons get much more training in Social Justice than in Catholic Theology.
I really like the statement from Hope’s priest. I am also no expert, however, my studies with my faith, tell me that each civilzation in history had their own creation story. The book of genesis was written in 300-500 bc well after many other ot books during the babylonian exile. The israelites no longer had their own king or lands. They needed to put their historical roots into writing. The time of creation was in what is termed pre-history. We don’t know for sure;however, we do know that God loves us and He is love. He cannot by His own admonition be anything other than love. We find strngth as the israelites did in knowing of God’s mercy. Consider that the Bible is Not a “history” book, it is a theology book. It is our story as well. I also heard a wonderful priest who in his homily summed up the Bible like this…God’s people turned their back on Him, he forgave them, they messed up again. The cycle repeats itself. Amazing tha this is what happens to each of us today. Inspired book, you better believe it is. One final thought on the mythology question…just because the biblical writers may have “borrowed” from the writings of other ancient civilizations and/or used "stories"does not diminish from their message of God’s hope and mercy. I recommend one book that i love from henri nouwen on God’s unconditional love…“Return of the Prodigal Son” based on Jesus’ parable and Rembrandt’s painting. It’s a quick read. GOD BLESS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY TO THE EASTER SACRAMENTS!We had that discussion in RCIA on this too, this past spring. We discussed the idea that some of the literature contained in the Bible is (may be) myth. I am no expert, so I cannot say much more than that I do understand your question.
I have a friend who is a Priest in another parish, and when I asked him about this, he said not to focus on whether or not Adam and Eve were real persons (which personally, I tend to believe they DID in fact exist), but to focus on the intention of the writing. Why was it included in the Bible? Why is it scripture? What does God want us to know about Him from this story? Father said it may help to read the scriptures in the presence of the Lord, before the Blessed Sacrament, and to make prayer a part of Bible study.
Not to confuse you any further, but in reading Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (which is amazing) particularly the first footnote following Part 3, “The Second Account of Creation: The Subjective Definition of Man,” there are some interesting comments on the role of myth in teaching. Here is the web page:
ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2tb3.htm
Clear as mud, huh?
Hope
The Catholic Church teaches explicitly that Adam and Eve are the real, true, sole parents of humanity. Unfortunately, there are many different reasons why a few Catholics are afraid of reality.
I agree. However, I have read one too many posts referring to Catholics who try to use this reasoning to deny the reality of two first parents and consequently deny original sin. This is in addition to Catholics who don’t realize that all their symbolism of some religious truth regarding bad things is actually a cover for denial of true human nature which includes the spiritual soul.
True, but “Mitochondrial Eve” was not the only human female alive at the time, and she lived roughly 200,000 years BCE, or 196,000 years before the “Adam” and “Eve” of the Genesis creation story. (Those two lived roughly 4000 years BCE.) Y-Chromosome Adam (from whom all human males descend) lived 50,000-80,000 years ago, and never met or mated with Mitochondrial Eve or produced offspring with her.
It’s not a case of different groups evolving at different times. Homo sapiens evolved together out of their prehominid past as a population of roughly 3,000-10,000 breeding pairs. No group was a natural master of the others, although technologies were discovered and applied at different rates. The Mesoamericans did not have the functional wheel, for example, but this did not make the Spanish conquistadores their “natural masters.”
Bolded statement does not imply what you think it means. If said statement is true, than mitochondrial eve is not the Eve of Genesis.
Rather than assuming, why don’t you tell me what you think I think the statement means?
This is not Catholic teaching.
Of course not – I’m speaking from the perspective of genetic science, not that of theology. Theology has nothing to say about the collective emergence of Homo sapiens (our species) from its prehuman past. Nor does Catholic teaching have anything to say about the theory or gravity, or the theory of plate tectonics, or the theory of quantum mechanics, or the theory of embryology. None of those are Catholic teachings either, but it doesn’t mean they are not scientifically accurate.This is not Catholic teaching.
Because in itself, human nature unites the material and spiritual worlds …
Granny, you are speaking theologically, and these are beautiful theological expressions. I am speaking scientifically. Theology cannot dictate to genetic science that the “Adam and Eve” story is literally true, any more than theology can dictate to geological or hydrological science that the Noah’s Flood story is literally true, or any more than it can dictate to astronomy that the story of Joshua commanding the sun to stand still is literally true.
Nicely put!
Indeed, while borrowing ancient stories, under divine inspiration they refined the theological focus of the stories and wove them architectonically into the narrative of salvation history.
Perhaps there is a bit of confusion here.
Regarding the purpose of Catholic Theology?