2026 Meditations | Meditations & FAQ | Meditations Archive
Does the Church teach that Adam and Eve are myths?
Catechism Meditation:
By his sin Adam, as the first man, lost the original holiness and justice he had received from God, not only for himself but for all human beings. Adam and Eve transmitted to their descendants human nature wounded by their own first sin and hence deprived of original holiness and justice; this deprivation is called “original sin”. As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin (this inclination is called “concupiscence”). “We therefore hold, with the Council of Trent, that original sin is transmitted with human nature, “by propagation, not by imitation” and that it is… ‘proper to each’”. The victory that Christ won over sin has given us greater blessings than those which sin had taken from us: “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”. ―Nos. 416-420
REFLECTION. Contrary to what you might have heard, the Catholic Church teaches that Adam and Eve were real persons and that the human race descends from them. Genesis presents them not simply as symbols, but as the first human parents through whom the history of fallen humanity begins. The Church does not require that Genesis be read as a literal, step‑by‑step biological account. It does not aim to explain the mechanics of evolution, species classification, or geological timelines. Instead, it addresses the “who, why, and what” of creation — God’s relationship to humanity, the moral order, and the need for salvation.
If Adam and Eve are considered our first parents, their disobedience is understood to have introduced original sin, which is transmitted to all humanity. This belief is central to Catholic doctrine, emphasizing that all humans inherit a wounded nature due to their actions. Their wills became disordered, producing concupiscence — a tendency toward sin — passed to all humanity. That does not mean each person is guilty of Adam’s personal act. It means that human nature itself has been wounded, and we are born into a condition that needs healing. This is why baptism matters. It is not merely a community rite. It is the sacramental gift of new life in Christ, the new Adam, who restores what was lost. Saint Paul ties the fall of humanity to one man, Adam, and the redemption of humanity to one man, Jesus Christ, presenting them as two pivotal acts that define the human condition and the path to restoration. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin, death; so also death was transferred to all men, to all who have sinned (Romans 5:12).”
The story of Adam and Eve is not mainly about a biological problem, but is about the first human family standing before God, receiving life, falling into sin, and passing on to us both the wound of disobedience and the hope of redemption. Catholic theology emphasizes that salvation is achieved through the historical actions of Jesus Christ, who came to heal the real wounds of humanity caused by sin. This understanding highlights the importance of Christ’s life and sacrifice in the process of salvation. The same Lord who made humanity from one pair also sends his Son to gather the scattered children of Adam into one redeemed family.
Sources: Catholic.com, LetsReadtheBible.com
PRAYER. Dear Lord, may the story or our first parents remind us that we have the grace of the sacraments and that true happiness lies in Communion with You.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“The family tree of earthly ancestors was really not important; what was important was the family tree of the children of God He planted on Calvary.” ― Blessed Fulton J. Sheen