What of the Australopithecus?

[zach_dunn]

Hey everyone! I just have a question, if this isn’t the right forum, I would appreciate it if a mod would move this to the right place . . .

So what of the Australopithecus? I understand that God created Adam and Eve as the first humans and that all humans (and thus Original Sin) descended from these two. Now, where do the Australopithecus (and also the Homo habilis and Homo erectus) come into play? They are said to have lived 4 million years ago (2.5 million years ago for Homo habilis and 1.6 million years ago for Homo erectus),[sup]1[/sup] where do Adam and Eve fit into this picture? Were they created “special” by God and all humans (including the three hominids listed above) descend from them? Does that mean Adam and Eve were Australopithecus . . . es?? Thank you for your answers!

[sup]1[/sup] Roger B. Beck, Linda Black, et al., World History: Patterns of Interaction (United States: McDougal Littell, 2007), 8-9.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Australopithicenes were not not human. Primates, yes, but not human. Homo erectus et al were different species than us but within genus homo. Our species is Homo sapiens sapiens as opposed to Homo sapiens neandertalensis or Homo neandertalensis. There is some debate that they were a separate species distinct from modern man. They are attempting to reconstruct the Neanderthal genome to determine if they were simply a sub-species of us or a unique species on their own.

I am not going to get into the Adam and Eve question because it is a hot button topic and as someone with a MA in Anthropology, my views are different.

 

[cathguy]

Australopithicenes were not not human. Primates, yes, but not human. Homo erectus et al were different species than us but within genus homo. Our species is Homo sapiens sapiens as opposed to Homo sapiens neandertalensis or Homo neandertalensis. There is some debate that they were a separate species distinct from modern man. They are attempting to reconstruct the Neanderthal genome to determine if they were simply a sub-species of us or a unique species on their own.

I am not going to get into the Adam and Eve question because it is a hot button topic and as someone with a MA in Anthropology, my views are different.

I personally would say, that as someone with an MA in Anthropology, a very thoughtful poster, your ideas on this topic matter a great deal!

To the OP: I would check out Ratzinger on this question.

In the Beginning: A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall

Also see:

Creation and Evolution: A Conference With Pope Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo (Hardcover)

 

[Guillaumus]

I’m sure you can find answers on this forum about creationism and the evolution theory if you look for them. I don’t dare to express myself in the matter, I am one of those Catholics who also thinks science has a place in religion and vice versa.