Dear Catholic Exchange:
If a Catholic chooses to believe in the literal interpretation of Adam and Eve as being how man was created and then continued on from their origin, how can one continue the story of their offspring, specifically Cain and Seth. We read that after Cain was banished, the Canaanites then formed. We also believe that it was through the bloodline of Seth that we follow all the way through the Old then the New Testament up to Christ. Are we to believe, and also assume that there were other people outside the garden walls that Seth and Cain joined up with to carry on the human race? It's definitely a hard story to sell to a non-believer. How can a Catholic possibly interpret this story literally without involving Eve and assuming incest, which we know wouldn't be an option with God. Help here?
Nora
Dear Nora,
Peace in Christ!
The testimony of the ancient rabbis is that Cain and Abel married their sisters. This is also logically inferred from the Church’s doctrine on original sin. Original sin is passed on to all human beings from our first parents, Adam and Eve. As St. Paul says, “[S]in came into the world through one man” (Rom. 5:12; cf. Rom. 5:19-20 and Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 402-06).
As a result of original sin, disease and other defects began to plague man, culminating in death. These diseases and defects are more likely to be passed on via procreation within incestuous unions. However, because Adam and Eve were created directly by God, this was not a concern for children procreated through the intermarriage of their first generation sons and daughters; the gene pool had not been impaired as it would be in successive generations. The ancient rabbis teach that Adam and Eve had upwards of 25 sets of twins, so there would certainly be no need for incestuous unions to continue after the first generation of their offspring.
United in the Faith,
Eric Stoutz
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)
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