How do we reconcile evolution with Original Sin?

[origen314]

Now that Pope Francis has acknowledged that evolution is true, my atheist friend has posed a question that I am unable to answer. Frankly, it has been clear that evolution is true for a very long time, and denying that fact is just shameful and embarrassing. But I digress …

My atheist friend (who knows more about bible scholarship than any Christian I know) posed the following question: If evolution is true then there was no literal Garden of Eden, no literal Adam and Eve, and thus no literal Original Sin and no literal Fall. So why was there a need for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross?

This is very troubling to me. Please help!

 

[Devon_Caffran]

The following links should assist you in better understanding the Catholic Church’s teaching on Creation. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please [contact Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/home/contact.asp) directly.
**Recommended Reading: **

• What does the Church say about creation?
• How do Catholics understand the creation story?
• Does the pope teach us that evolution is false?
• Why did God create dinosaurs?
• Dinosaurs?
• What is the Church’s view of evolution?
• Where does the prehistoric age fall in the book of Genesis?
• Is the earth 5,700 years old?
• Can Catholics believe in a literal six-day creation?

Recommended Book:
[Chance Or Purpose? (http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Purpos...=1392221544&sr=8-1&keywords=chance+or+purpose) Cardinal Schönborn (Archbishop of Vienna, Austria)