Previously, we spoke on the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, “God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”   In this article of the creed we profess our belief in the Creator.  Although not directly implied in the creed, it will nevertheless profit us to consider what Catholics have to believe concerning creation itself... which is our topic today.

There are many theories regarding creation.  Some teach the pre-existence of  matter i.e., big-bang and stellar formation theories; some teach that life originated as minute spores transported through space on meteorites (Cosmozoic Theory) or that nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) miraculously formed to begin an evolutionary process of life (Biopoesis Theory); and there are scientists who say man himself is the result of natural processes.  What’s a Catholic to believe?

The first 3 chapters of the book of Genesis contain the bulk of our answer.  The Church has defended this deposit from scholars intent upon a too naturalistic interpretation.

To preserve scripture against false opinions, Pope Leo XIII instituted the Pontifical Biblical Commission by his Apostolic Letter, Vigilantiae in 1902.  Later, Pope St. Pius X decreed that “All are bound in conscience to submit to the decisions of the Biblical Commission which have been given in the past and which will be given in the future.” (Motu Propio Praestantia Sacrae Scripturae, 1907).  Since Vatican II the Commission’s decrees no-longer require our assent.

On June 30, 1909, the Commission made several key decisions regarding the creation account given in the first three chapters of Genesis.  We will review three of these.

First, the Commission rejected the notion that the first three chapters of Genesis contain either myths or fables, allegories meant to explain higher things, or legends only true in part and simultaneously affirmed that these chapters contain objective reality and historical truth.

Second, the Commission rejected the notion that the literal and historical sense of Genesis could be called into question when the narration pertains to the foundations of the Christian religion.  The Commission identified some issues which may not be called into question: “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 the serpent; the casting out of our first parents out of that first state of innocence; and also the promise of a future restorer.”
    
Third, on the question of whether the earth was created in six days or not, the Commission affirmed that the word dies (day) can be taken either in its proper sense as a natural day, or in the improper sense of a certain space of time; and that there can be free disagreement among exegetes on this question.

These decisions clearly manifest Catholic parameters concerning the book of Genesis and creation.  Genesis contains real and objective history; it requires literal belief on issues pertaining to the foundations of our Faith; there may be free disagreement on questions of time frame.   We will review the nine specific examples given by the Commission which demand our assent.

 1. The creation of all things wrought by God in the beginning of time. We must believe that a Divine Being is the ultimate cause for the universe.  God “creates” in the strict sense which is to say, God brings forth from nothing and this act simultaneously begins time.

2. The special creation of man.  We must believe that God uniquely created man with a rational soul.  Whether directly from the slime of the earth or indirectly through a succession of other organic bodies is not a concern.  We must believe that at one point God infused into some matter a rational soul making the first man.

3. The formation of the first woman from the first man.  We must believe that God miraculously formed Eve from Adam.  As we read in Genesis, “the Lord God cast a deep sleep upon Adam and when he was fast asleep, He took one of his ribs and filled up flesh for it.” (Gn 2:21)

4. The oneness of the human race.  We must believe that every man born into this world shares the same first parents namely, Adam and Eve.  The Church condemns polygenism, the false doctrine that mankind has several first parents.  For if such were true not all mankind would be stained with original sin and, thereby, not all mankind would need redemption.  (see Rm 5:12)

5. The original happiness of our first parents.  Adam and Eve were perfectly happy in their pristine condition.  They were created in a state of justice having intimate friendship of God; a state of integrity, they had perfect control over their passions; a state of immortality, they could not die.  The privileges of our first parents makes it difficult to find a reason for their disobedience... a question the Church studies under the title: the mystery of iniquity.

6. The command given to man by God to prove his obedience.  We must believe God tested Adam to prove his obedience.   The meaning of “Thou shall not eat of the tree of knowledge” awaits a full explanation but it is enough to know Adam was tested by God for his obedience and his response would affect all mankind. 

7.  The transgression of the divine command through the devil’s persuasion under the guise of a serpent.  We must believe that the devil exists and that Adam failed his test through demonic persuasion.  In persuading Adam to sin, the devil takes possession of an organic life form recognizable as a serpent... perhaps even as a dragon as read in other scriptures.

8. The casting out of our first parents out of that first state of innocence.  We must believe that by his  sin, Adam and Eve, the purest human persons outside our Blessed Lady, lost God’s intimate friendship and became subject to concupiscence, suffering, and death 

9. The promise of a future restorer.  We must believe that God promised to send someone to restore the friendship He had with mankind in the beginning.  This promise is recorded in Genesis 3:15 wherein God tells the serpent, “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heal.”  This woman may be taken as our Lady or the Church either of which has the upper hand, “she shall crush thy head;” however, the seed of this woman must expect some suffering, “thou shalt lie in wait for her heal.”

These are some key positions we must hold concerning the book of Genesis and creation. Catholics are given freedom on the issue of when these things may have happened.  Common evolutionary theory teaches that the universe formed 10-20 billion years ago, life began 4.5 billion years ago, and man arose 10 million years ago.  A Catholic may believe this timing or he may equally hold that the universe was created in 6 days and is 6,000 years old... and this I believe.