Lethargic IITian
Musings of a 20-something lethargic IITian on India and Catholicism.


Tuesday, December 17, 2002  

Mark Replies

At long last, the reply from Mark Shea:



From: mshea@catholicexchange.com
To: Kensy Joseph
CC: biblestudy@moff.org
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 17:20:16 -0600
Subject: RE: Question on Death and Sin


Kensy:

The Church does not bind us to any theory that all death is due to the sin of Adam and Eve. Scripture and revelation only concern themselves with *human* death. A Catholic is free to believe that lions ate zebras before the fall and the dinosaurs became extinct long before human beings were made. As St. Paul rhetorically asks, "Is it for oxen that God is concerned?" (1 Cor 9:9). Revelation lifts the veil solely for things the [sic] pertain to our salvation. It is not interested in questions about the death of oysters 30 million years ago. When Scripture speaks of death, it means "human death" and that's all.

Blessings!

Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange


If only that were the end of the matter. I had guessed for some time that it would come down to something like this - "you're free to choose what you wish to believe". So I have two choices - either accept an Eden where "lions ate zebras" and a Creation where every creature but humans faced the certainty of death; or accept Creationism in its entirety. I cannot see another scenario where original sin is preserved. Do you?

posted by Kensy | 9:13 PM
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