Genesis 1-11

[Guest :: Katie ::]

I was taught in high school religion that Genesis 1-11 is a myth. That is, not the common sense of the word myth as a falsehood or simple story, but as an explanation of a true experience by telling a technically/historically inaccurate story. For example, there may not have historically been an "Adam" and "Eve" who were convinced by a talking snake to eat a forbidden apple; but there WERE originally a man and a woman created by God who somehow fell from God's grace. Etc, etc.

I had been thinking about this recently, and then a (not Catholic, maybe Gnostic, whatever that is) college professor brought it up in a religious studies class. So, is this true? Is it a direct teaching of the church, or more like evolution (ie, believe it if you want to, under certain conditions)? Or was my high school (Catholic) religion teacher way off?

Part 2- how then, if this is true, would I counter someone who might say "Well if Genesis 1-11 is a myth, how do we know it all isn't?"

Thank you sooooo much!

[Theoketos]

[quote name=':: Katie ::' post='1062600' date='Sep 14 2006, 11:33 AM']
I was taught in high school religion that Genesis 1-11 is a myth. That is, not the common sense of the word myth as a falsehood or simple story, but as an explanation of a true experience by telling a technically/historically inaccurate story. For example, there may not have historically been an "Adam" and "Eve" who were convinced by a talking snake to eat a forbidden apple; but there WERE originally a man and a woman created by God who somehow fell from God's grace. Etc, etc.

I had been thinking about this recently, and then a (not Catholic, maybe Gnostic, whatever that is) college professor brought it up in a religious studies class. So, is this true? Is it a direct teaching of the church, or more like evolution (ie, believe it if you want to, under certain conditions)? Or was my high school (Catholic) religion teacher way off?

Part 2- how then, if this is true, would I counter someone who might say "Well if Genesis 1-11 is a myth, how do we know it all isn't?"

Thank you sooooo much!

[/quote]

It sounds like you have a good grasp of the theological situations involved here. The answer to number one takes so much time that I do not have right now, plus L_D is much more eloquent then I, so I will not be answering it tonight, but suffice it to say it sounds like your High School Teacher was reasonable.

As to number 2, the entire story of Salvation History is a myth spun in the silver of Truth who is God. It is the truest story we have, even if some of it is not complete historical account. History is not the central Mystery of Humanity, for the what is central for Man to understand himself is the Christ.