Comments on: Evolution and Creation II – Church and Family http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog/2009/06/evolution-and-creation-ii-church-and-family/ A Catholic blog on the vocation to love and holiness, on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, and on diverse theological and philosophical questions. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:29:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joseph Bolin http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog/2009/06/evolution-and-creation-ii-church-and-family/#comment-75 Joseph Bolin Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:22:54 +0000 http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog2/?p=62#comment-75 Since the previous anonymous commentator (since he chose no pseudonym, I will use the third person) simply quoted from the Pontifical Biblical Commission, without saying anything about what he intended to draw from it, it seems I would be warranted in doing the same... but I will be more generous. The selection of quotations seems to be intended to convey, at the least, that the creation of Eve from the side of Adam is a literal historical fact, which it is pointless to make hypothetical statements about. To this, I say first, that it is often of value to make hypothetical statements, even when one is convinced that the antecedent hypothesis is certainly false: e.g., to say "even if the early human embryo did not have a rational soul (as many doctors of the Church thought it did not), abortion would still be wrong." The statement does not become pointless on account of a conviction that it is absolutely certain that the rational soul is present from conception. This second post on evolution was not about the Church's teaching, but about the consequences of the theory of evolution for one's understanding of family and hierarchy. Secondly, the commentator, if intending by this quotation to exclude discussion of the question, neglects to consider the fact that it is not a definitive declaration of the matter, and thereby runs contrary to later statements of the Magisterium and Biblical Commission itself. I quote: "[the present pope proclaimed], The Catholic exegete... ought not by any manner of means to debar himself from taking in hand, and that repeatedly, the difficult questions which have found no solution up to the present time... in an attempt to find a well-founded explanation in perfect harmony with the doctrine of the Church, in particular with that of biblical inerrancy, and at the same time capable of fully satisfying the certain conclusions of the secular sciences.... If this recommendation of the Pope’s is borne in mind in the interpretation of the three official replies given formerly by the Biblical Commission in connection with the above-mentioned questions, namely June 23, 1905, on narratives in the historical books of Holy Scripture which have only the appearance of history (EB 161), June 27, 1906, on the Mosaic authenticity of the Pentateuch (EB 181-184), and June 30, 1909, <em>on the historical character of the first three chapters of Genesis</em> (EB 324-331), it will be agreed that <em>these replies are in no way a hindrance</em> to further truly scientific examination of these problems in accordance with the results acquired in these last forty years." (Pontifical Biblical Commission, Letter to Cardinal Suhard, January 1948) It goes on to declare that the literary forms of Gen 1-11 "do not correspond to any of our classical categories and cannot be judged in the light of the Greco-Latin or modern literary types. It is therefore impossible to deny or to affirm their historicity as a whole without unduly applying to them norms of a literary type under which they cannot be classed.... they relate in simple and figurative language, adapted to the understanding of mankind at a lower stage of development, the fundamental truths underlying the divine scheme of salvation, as well as a popular description of the origins of the human race and of the chosen people." That this openness to further study applies also to the question of Eve is evident from the fact that the Magisterium has not criticized those persons or catechisms that have proposed various interpretations regarding Eve. Regarding the historical character of Genesis, the Catechism of the Catholic Church also indicates that while Genesis describes the truth of creation, and in that sense history, it does so figuratively or symbolically. "Scripture presents the work of the Creator symbolically as a succession of six days of divine 'work', concluded by the 'rest' of the seventh day." (CCC 337). Since the previous anonymous commentator (since he chose no pseudonym, I will use the third person) simply quoted from the Pontifical Biblical Commission, without saying anything about what he intended to draw from it, it seems I would be warranted in doing the same… but I will be more generous. The selection of quotations seems to be intended to convey, at the least, that the creation of Eve from the side of Adam is a literal historical fact, which it is pointless to make hypothetical statements about. To this, I say first, that it is often of value to make hypothetical statements, even when one is convinced that the antecedent hypothesis is certainly false: e.g., to say "even if the early human embryo did not have a rational soul (as many doctors of the Church thought it did not), abortion would still be wrong." The statement does not become pointless on account of a conviction that it is absolutely certain that the rational soul is present from conception. This second post on evolution was not about the Church's teaching, but about the consequences of the theory of evolution for one's understanding of family and hierarchy.

Secondly, the commentator, if intending by this quotation to exclude discussion of the question, neglects to consider the fact that it is not a definitive declaration of the matter, and thereby runs contrary to later statements of the Magisterium and Biblical Commission itself. I quote:

"[the present pope proclaimed], The Catholic exegete… ought not by any manner of means to debar himself from taking in hand, and that repeatedly, the difficult questions which have found no solution up to the present time… in an attempt to find a well-founded explanation in perfect harmony with the doctrine of the Church, in particular with that of biblical inerrancy, and at the same time capable of fully satisfying the certain conclusions of the secular sciences….

If this recommendation of the Pope’s is borne in mind in the interpretation of the three official replies given formerly by the Biblical Commission in connection with the above-mentioned questions, namely June 23, 1905, on narratives in the historical books of Holy Scripture which have only the appearance of history (EB 161), June 27, 1906, on the Mosaic authenticity of the Pentateuch (EB 181-184), and June 30, 1909, on the historical character of the first three chapters of Genesis (EB 324-331), it will be agreed that these replies are in no way a hindrance to further truly scientific examination of these problems in accordance with the results acquired in these last forty years." (Pontifical Biblical Commission, Letter to Cardinal Suhard, January 1948)

It goes on to declare that the literary forms of Gen 1-11 "do not correspond to any of our classical categories and cannot be judged in the light of the Greco-Latin or modern literary types. It is therefore impossible to deny or to affirm their historicity as a whole without unduly applying to them norms of a literary type under which they cannot be classed…. they relate in simple and figurative language, adapted to the understanding of mankind at a lower stage of development, the fundamental truths underlying the divine scheme of salvation, as well as a popular description of the origins of the human race and of the chosen people."

That this openness to further study applies also to the question of Eve is evident from the fact that the Magisterium has not criticized those persons or catechisms that have proposed various interpretations regarding Eve.

Regarding the historical character of Genesis, the Catechism of the Catholic Church also indicates that while Genesis describes the truth of creation, and in that sense history, it does so figuratively or symbolically. "Scripture presents the work of the Creator symbolically as a succession of six days of divine 'work', concluded by the 'rest' of the seventh day." (CCC 337).

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog/2009/06/evolution-and-creation-ii-church-and-family/#comment-74 Anonymous Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:28:24 +0000 http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog2/?p=62#comment-74 "Wherefore we find it necessary to declare and to expressly prescribe, and by this our act we do declare and decree that all are bound in conscience to submit to the decisions of the Biblical Commission relating to doctrine, which have been given in the past and which shall be given in the future, in the same way as to the decrees of the Roman congregations approved by the Pontiff; nor can all those escape the note of disobedience or temerity, and consequently of grave sin, who in speech or writing contradict such decisions, and this besides the scandal they give and the other reasons for which they may be responsible before God for other temerities and errors which generally go with such contradictions." (<em>Praestantia Sacrae Scripturae</em> 18 November 1907 "Wherefore we find it necessary to declare and to expressly prescribe, and by this our act we do declare and decree that all are bound in conscience to submit to the decisions of the Biblical Commission relating to doctrine, which have been given in the past and which shall be given in the future, in the same way as to the decrees of the Roman congregations approved by the Pontiff; nor can all those escape the note of disobedience or temerity, and consequently of grave sin, who in speech or writing contradict such decisions, and this besides the scandal they give and the other reasons for which they may be responsible before God for other temerities and errors which generally go with such contradictions." (Praestantia Sacrae Scripturae 18 November 1907

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog/2009/06/evolution-and-creation-ii-church-and-family/#comment-73 Anonymous Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:23:46 +0000 http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog2/?p=62#comment-73 "Literal historical fact or not, Eve's relationship to Adam does not depend on her coming from Adam insofar as it is (or is not) a historical fact, but insofar as it is symbolic" "Whether in particular the literal and historical sense can be called into question, where it is a matter of facts related in the same chapters, which pertain to the foundation of the Christian religion; for example, among others, the creation of all things wrought by God in the beginning of time; the special creation of man; the formation of the first woman from the first man; the oneness of the human race; the original happiness of our first parents in the state of justice, integrity, and immortality; the command given to man by God to prove his obedience; the transgression of the divine command through the devil's persuasion under the guise of a serpent; the casting of our first parents out of that first state of innocence; and also the promise of a future restorer? -- Reply: In the negative." (Pontifical Biblical Commission 1909) "Literal historical fact or not, Eve's relationship to Adam does not depend on her coming from Adam insofar as it is (or is not) a historical fact, but insofar as it is symbolic"

"Whether in particular the literal and historical sense can be called into question, where it is a matter of facts related in the same chapters, which pertain to the foundation of the Christian religion; for example, among others, the creation of all things wrought by God in the beginning of time; the special creation of man; the formation of the first woman from the first man; the oneness of the human race; the original happiness of our first parents in the state of justice, integrity, and immortality; the command given to man by God to prove his obedience; the transgression of the divine command through the devil's persuasion under the guise of a serpent; the casting of our first parents out of that first state of innocence; and also the promise of a future restorer? — Reply: In the negative." (Pontifical Biblical Commission 1909)

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