Now it is in no way apparent how such an opinion [of polygenism] can be reconciled with that which the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Teaching Authority of the Church propose with regard to original sin, which proceeds from a sin actually committed by an individual Adam and which, through generation, is passed on to all and is in everyone as his own. As we will discuss in the essays that follow, this is not surprising because scientists in believed that the human race was descended from several original first non-human couples who were scattered throughout the planet.
As we will also see, scientists today now think that our species is descended from several first human couples living in the same geographical area. Thus, I will argue that an account of polygenism that is in accord with everything that we know and believe about original sin remains true to the magisterial statement of Pope Pius XII in Humani generis.
Adam was a real, historical person
Significantly, Pope Pius XII makes no mention of the Genesis text in his encyclical, because for Catholics, the disputed question over the historicity of Adam and Eve does not involve a debate over whether the biblical text should be interpreted literally or not. As we have discussed in earlier essays in this series on evolution and Christian faith, for the Catholic Christian, biblical interpretation is a work of both faith and reason that seeks to read the sacred text in line with all truth, theological and scientific, both of which have their source in God.
It is a task that is guided by the Holy Spirit who continues to work within and through His Catholic Church. Finally, it is important to acknowledge that the International Theological Commission chaired at that time by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, published a theological statement on evolution that is open to polygenism.
In its document, Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God , published in , the Commission acknowledges that the scientific evidence points to a polygenic origin for our species: We will discuss this scientific evidence in the next essay in this series on evolution and Christian faith. The Commission then makes the following theological claim: This suggests that both monogenism and certain types of polygenism remain viable theological opinions for Catholic theologians seeking to be faithful to the doctrinal tradition.
The Doctrine of Original Sin. Theological Data One of the most controversial disputed questions in the dialogue between evolution and Christian faith today involves the historicity of Adam and Eve. In that letter addressed to the bishops of the Catholic Church, the Holy Father taught the following: The Holy Father taught: Hence science, not theology, becomes the primary place to look to understand the nature and origin of human beings. There are at least four major objections to this view. First, I believe a strong case can be made for thinking that human beings are more than merely physical creatures.
Such qualities as consciousness are difficult to explain on merely physical grounds.
The Historicity of Adam and Eve (Part I: Theological Data) | Thomistic Evolution
Much has been written of the problem that consciousness presents for physicalism. In Search of a Fundamental Theory. Second, this view tends to reduce evil merely to our acting on biological impulses, ignoring the particularly serious forms of evil that are made possible by our own self-awareness and transcendence—evils such as idolatry of self, viewing other people as mere objects, and the like. Many present-day Christians and other religious believers agree with this criticism: Third, within this understanding, the voices of theology, Scripture, and Church tradition are practically ignored, becoming simply a sort of fifth wheel.
Instead, it is the purported findings of science that are claimed to provide us with the correct understanding of human nature and the human condition. The only role theology plays is to give a name—original sin—to what science discovers.
The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve by Stephen Greenblatt review – how a myth was exposed
Specifically, this view ignores those scriptures on which the doctrine of original sin has been traditionally based, such as Romans 5 and Genesis , which provide a clear link between human bondage to sin and the free choice of our ancestors. A bloody death on the cross certainly does not seem as necessary. Even with this response, however, Christianity will be put into a losing competition with science: If our problem is biological, then a biological solution seems most appropriate, not a religious solution.
- Carnations: Poems (Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets)!
- C. S. Lewis and Others: Non-Literal Views of Adam and Eve.
- Why creationists are out of time with history and science.
Nonetheless, the spiritual might very well be interwoven with both the cultural and physical, just as the cultural is interwoven with the physical. Despite these problems with the biological interpretation, it could plausibly be thought of as providing a component of original sin. My objection to the biological account is that it reduces original sin to certain inherited biological traits. I hope you will be part of the conversation once again. Non-Literal Views of Adam and Eve" https: We gratefully acknowledge their cooperation in bringing this material to our readers.
One of the sources cited by Collins is especially important for anyone interested in this topic: A former high school science teacher, Ted studied history and philosophy of science at Indiana University, where his mentor was the late Richard S.
Do We Need to Believe in Adam and Eve?
Westfall, author of the definitive biography of Isaac Newton. Author of dozens of scholarly articles and essays, Ted is one of few historians who have written extensively about both the Scientific Revolution and modern America. He and his wife Kathy enjoy theater, music, and traveling to new places.
Professor Robin Collins, Ph. He specializes in philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and philosophical theology. He is well-versed in issues relating to science and religion, with graduate-level training in theoretical physics.
- Art Gallery Orgy.
- David Mitchell: Critical Essays (Contemporary Writers: Critical Essays Book 1);
- The Dog Who Rescued Me.
- Of Lives and Crosses: Stories from a Place Called Duran.
- Biomimetic Sensor Technology.
He has written almost forty substantial articles and book chapters in these areas with some of the leading academic presses, such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Blackwell, and Routledge. Join our email list to see the latest blogs, events and more. BioLogos Voices A speakers bureau featuring top scholars and communicators in the BioLogos community.
Recent Articles Entering the Sixth Extinction: Evolution, Diversity and the Stewardship of Life. December 17, Richard Lindroth.