The Catholic Church teaches that the account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language but affirms a primeval event that truly took place at the beginning of human history 10. While the language is figurative, the events described are understood to be real.
The Garden of Eden as a Real Place
The Garden of Eden is described in Scripture as a place of protection, nurture, and sustenance, a gift from the Creator to be cultivated and safeguarded 1. It is depicted as a divine paradise, planted by God, a "storehouse of joy and gladness of heart" 7. Its location is described as being "higher in the East than all the earth," with a temperate and pure atmosphere, filled with evergreen plants and sweet fragrances 7.
While the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the account uses figurative language, it does not deny the historical reality of the Garden of Eden as a place where the first humans lived in harmony with God and creation 10. The narrative emphasizes that God placed humanity in a specific environment, not a "wild forest," but a place designed for their well-being 1.
The Forbidden Fruit as a Real Fruit
The narrative describes a specific prohibition given to Adam and Eve: not to eat from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" 2. This prohibition was a test of their obedience and a reminder of their creaturely limitations 4. The serpent's temptation involved a "malicious question" about God's command, leading Adam and Eve to suspect that God's covenant was a burden that deprived them of freedom 3 1.
Adam and Eve "succumbed to the temptation to be like God and to acquiring a 'knowledge' that belongs to God alone" by eating the fruit 2. The act of eating the forbidden fruit was a direct transgression of God's commandment 5. This act of "disobedience" meant going beyond the limit set by God, who is the ultimate source of the moral order 4.
The fruit itself was a tangible object, and their act of eating it was a real deed with real consequences 5. The "tree of knowledge of good and evil" symbolized the boundary between humanity and God, expressing that God alone is the definitive source of moral order 4. The temptation was to believe that by eating the fruit, they would gain a divine knowledge, making them "like God, knowing good and evil" 4.
The consequence of eating the forbidden fruit was the introduction of sin and evil into the world, severing humanity's relationship with God and leading to mortality 5. This act of disobedience, though described in figurative language, is affirmed as a "primeval event" that marked the beginning of human history with an "original fault" 10.
[1] CCC 390
[2] General Audience of 6 February 2013
[3] An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 11
[4] The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible (May 24, 2001) 28
[5] Dominum et vivificantem 36
[6] General Audience of 27 December 2023
[7] Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 147
When the Church states that the account of the fall in Genesis uses "figurative language," it means that the narrative employs symbolic or metaphorical expressions rather than strictly literal, scientific, or historical descriptions in every detail 7. This approach allows the sacred author to convey profound theological truths about God, humanity, and salvation history in a way that was understandable to the people of that time 4 5.
Here's what "figurative language" implies in this context:
- Not a Scientific or Historical Manual: The Bible, particularly the Book of Genesis, is not intended to be a scientific treatise on the origins of the universe or a detailed historical chronicle in the modern sense 4 5. Its primary purpose is to reveal fundamental truths about God's relationship with creation and humanity 4.
- Conveying Essential Truths: The use of figurative language allows the text to express essential truths in a "spectacular way" 3. For example, the "six days" of creation can be understood as periods of time rather than literal 24-hour days, and discussion on this point among exegetes is legitimate 2 1. The sacred writer did not intend to teach the "intimate constitution of visible things and the complete order of creation" in a scientific manner, but to give a proper notion according to the common mode of expression of the time 1.
- Anthropomorphic Expressions: Actions attributed to God, such as His commands, His review of His work, or His blessings, are often expressed in "anthropomorphic language" 1. This means describing God in human terms to make His actions comprehensible to human understanding, even though God is pure spirit.
- Symbolic Elements: Elements like the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" and the "serpent" are symbolic.
- The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes the boundary between humanity and God, indicating that God alone is the definitive source of moral order and that humanity is a creature, not the Creator 4.
- The serpent is a figurative representation of the Devil or Satan, who tempted Adam and Eve 2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly states that the account of the fall uses figurative language but affirms a "primeval event" and a "deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man" 7.
- Historical Reality of the Event: While the language is figurative, the event itself—the fall of humanity from an original state of grace through a free act of disobedience—is understood as a real, historical occurrence 7. The Church denies that these chapters contain "fables derived from mythologies" or "allegories and symbols destitute of any foundation of objective reality" 2 1. The "literal and historical sense" of passages touching on the foundations of the Christian religion, such as the special creation of man, the formation of the first woman, the unity of the human race, and the transgression of the divine precept, is affirmed 2.
In summary, "figurative language" means that the Genesis account uses literary devices and symbolic imagery to communicate profound theological truths about creation, human nature, sin, and God's plan, without necessarily providing a literal, scientific, or journalistic account of every detail. The core events and truths conveyed, however, are understood to be real and foundational to Christian faith.
[1] CCC 390
[2] General Audience of 6 February 2013
[3] Dies Domini 9
[4] Apostolic Journey to Rio de Janeiro: 5 October 1997, Rio de Janeiro 3
[5] Catholic Encyclopedia Pentateuch
[6] Catholic Encyclopedia Hexaemeron
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