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ImaJesusAddict
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I have been reading through the different articles catholic answers has on the issue of evolution like the one titled “Adam, Eve, and Evolution”. One thing I can’t really find an answer for is something concerning the theory of evolution and a teaching of the Church.
I found this from ewtn:
The Church has maintained that the first three chapters of Genesis contain
historical truth. Their inspired author used a popular literary form of
his day to explain certain historical facts of Creation. These were named
specifically by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, with the approval of
Pope Pius X in 1909. The official document states that the literal
historical meaning of the first three chapters of Genesis could not be
doubted in regard to:
“the creation of all things by God at the beginning of time; the
special creation of man; the formation of the first woman from the
first man; the unity of the human race; the original happiness of our
first parents in the state of justice, integrity, and immortality; the
command given by God to man to test his obedience; the transgression of
the divine command at the instigation of the devil under the form of a
serpent; the degradation of our first parents from that primeval state
of innocence; and the promise of a future redeemer.”
My question is just about the “special creation of man” part. I understand that the Church teaches that part of this is the special and immediate creation of man’s soul, but that God could have formed man’s body anyway he wanted to. My question is that some people (I think Catholics even) say that the special creation of man includes the special creation of his body as well. If that is so, wouldn’t that mean that man wouldn’t have evolved from an ancestor since the creation of man’s body as well would have to be specially created and would not have possibly been formed like the animals???
So really, what is the church teaching on what exactly “the special creation of man” means (does it include the special creation of his body)?
My other just little side question is if the Church teaches that God formed man’s body through evolutionary changes, then wouldn’t that mean that the body of Adam would of had to been born of an animal (hence making that animal… Adam’s father???)? It just seems really hard for me to believe that the Church teaches that the father of Adam could have been an ape or some animal.
I am probably just confused about the teaching, but it would really help me out a lot if you could shed some light on this!
I found this from ewtn:
The Church has maintained that the first three chapters of Genesis contain
historical truth. Their inspired author used a popular literary form of
his day to explain certain historical facts of Creation. These were named
specifically by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, with the approval of
Pope Pius X in 1909. The official document states that the literal
historical meaning of the first three chapters of Genesis could not be
doubted in regard to:
“the creation of all things by God at the beginning of time; the
special creation of man; the formation of the first woman from the
first man; the unity of the human race; the original happiness of our
first parents in the state of justice, integrity, and immortality; the
command given by God to man to test his obedience; the transgression of
the divine command at the instigation of the devil under the form of a
serpent; the degradation of our first parents from that primeval state
of innocence; and the promise of a future redeemer.”
My question is just about the “special creation of man” part. I understand that the Church teaches that part of this is the special and immediate creation of man’s soul, but that God could have formed man’s body anyway he wanted to. My question is that some people (I think Catholics even) say that the special creation of man includes the special creation of his body as well. If that is so, wouldn’t that mean that man wouldn’t have evolved from an ancestor since the creation of man’s body as well would have to be specially created and would not have possibly been formed like the animals???
So really, what is the church teaching on what exactly “the special creation of man” means (does it include the special creation of his body)?
My other just little side question is if the Church teaches that God formed man’s body through evolutionary changes, then wouldn’t that mean that the body of Adam would of had to been born of an animal (hence making that animal… Adam’s father???)? It just seems really hard for me to believe that the Church teaches that the father of Adam could have been an ape or some animal.
I am probably just confused about the teaching, but it would really help me out a lot if you could shed some light on this!