Consequences Of The Fall

[Sojourner]

I just learned today in class that Augustine thought interpreting Genesis as a literal 6 days was preposterous. I don't know details. But my interest is piqued.

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1301397' date='Jun 25 2007, 04:20 PM']I just learned today in class that Augustine thought interpreting Genesis as a literal 6 days was preposterous. I don't know details. But my interest is piqued.[/quote]
You may want to peep St. Augustine "[i]On The Literal Interpretation of Genesis[/i]". Origen also rejected the literal understanding of the six days.


[quote]Seven days by our reckoning, after the model of the days of creation, make up a week. By the passage of such weeks time rolls on, and in these weeks one day is constituted by the course of the sun from its rising to its setting; but we must bear in mind that these days indeed recall the days of creation, but without in any way being really similar to them


With the scriptures it is a matter of treating about the faith. For that reason, as I have noted repeatedly, if anyone, not understanding the mode of divine eloquence, should find something about these matters [about the physical universe]in our books, or hear of the same from those books, of such a kind that it seems to be at variance with the perceptions of his own rational faculties, let him believe that these other things are in no way necessary to the admonitions or accounts or predictions of the scriptures. In short, it must be said that our authors knew the truth about the nature of the skies, but it was not the intention of the Spirit of God, who spoke through them, to teach men anything that would not be of use to them for their salvation.

It is too disgraceful and ruinous, though, and greatly to be avoided, that he [the non-Christian] should hear a Christian speaking so idiotically on these matters, and as if in accord with Christian writings, that he might say that he could scarcely keep from laughing when he saw how totally in error they are. In view of this and in keeping it in mind constantly while dealing with the book of Genesis, I have, insofar as I was able, explained in detail and set forth for consideration the meanings of obscure passages, taking care not to affirm rashly some one meaning to the prejudice of another and perhaps better explanation.[/quote]


Oh, and it should be noted that Augustine does not suggest that Genesis I should be understood in figurative or allegorical sense. And to my knowledge neither the figurative nor literal interpretations have been condemned by the Church so one can go either way and remain orthodox.

[kateri05]

oh i'm not proposing a literal interpretation of 6 24 hour days at all.

there's this great book called "The Rare Earth." its total science, nothing about faith, Bible anything, and its talking about how incredibly rare the state of highly "evolved" intelligent life on earth is, considering the conditions needed for it to appear. the likelyhood of finding other solar systems with oxygen and nitrogen rich atmosphere planets the right distance from the star in that solar system, with the right elements to combine blah blah blah is incredibly nihl. and since with God there ARE no coincidences....

the incredibly personal and intimate nature of the creation of mankind described in Genesis is a theological truth. And, in my mind, that level of intimacy between Creator and created just can not correspond to a thousands of years evolution from primate to people, where poof, suddenly a soul appears along the way.

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='kateri05' post='1301391' date='Jun 25 2007, 04:12 PM']there is a large difference between an old earth and monkeys=people. large.[/quote]

But monkeys=people is a gross oversimplification of the Theory of Evolution. First of all, it would be apes=people, but that's just splitting hairs.

I think the important point that Joey-O makes is that all Truth is God's Truth. Faith and science aren't at odds, they both belong to God. We may simply have to throw up our hands and say, "We don't understand this right now, nor maybe ever will, but these two things are true."

We see through a glass darkly...