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Question: Did procreation exist on the earth before the Fall of Adam?: Difference between revisions
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There are two primary reasons for the question of "procreation before the fall." One is just a curiosity of whether or not Adam and Eve had any children in the garden before the fall. In other words, was the enlightenment from the forbidden fruit necessary for procreation? The second source of this question concerns the hypothesis of some church members about pre-Fall procreation being necessary for organic evolution. | There are two primary reasons for the question of "procreation before the fall." One is just a curiosity of whether or not Adam and Eve had any children in the garden before the fall. In other words, was the enlightenment from the forbidden fruit necessary for procreation? The second source of this question concerns the hypothesis of some church members about pre-Fall procreation being necessary for organic evolution. | ||
===Children before the Fall?=== | |||
Concerning question source one: The Book of Mormon teaches us that Adam and Eve were innocent, and as long as they were in the Garden, "they would have no children" ({{s|2|Nephi|2|23}}). This is also strengthened in the Bible. Children are not even mentioned until after the fall (see also {{s||Genesis|3|16}}). | Concerning question source one: The Book of Mormon teaches us that Adam and Eve were innocent, and as long as they were in the Garden, "they would have no children" ({{s|2|Nephi|2|23}}). This is also strengthened in the Bible. Children are not even mentioned until after the fall (see also {{s||Genesis|3|16}}). | ||
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Thus, there is evidence from Biblical, Book of Mormon, and early Christian sources that Adam and Eve did not—and could not—have children prior to the Fall. The records are silent about whether other living things had offspring. | Thus, there is evidence from Biblical, Book of Mormon, and early Christian sources that Adam and Eve did not—and could not—have children prior to the Fall. The records are silent about whether other living things had offspring. | ||
===Life and death of non-human animals before the Fall?=== | |||
Concerning question source two: Although the church has no [[Evolution|official position]] on the occurrence of evolution (other than the creation did not occur [[creatio ex nihilo|ex nihilo]]), strong opinions have been expressed on both sides of the question. Some have hypothesized that God, being bound by natural laws, used evolution to create what we see now in the fossil record. In order for this to have occurred there logically would have been procreation and death among plants and animals before the fall of Adam. | Concerning question source two: Although the church has no [[Evolution|official position]] on the occurrence of evolution (other than the creation did not occur [[creatio ex nihilo|ex nihilo]]), strong opinions have been expressed on both sides of the question. Some have hypothesized that God, being bound by natural laws, used evolution to create what we see now in the fossil record. In order for this to have occurred there logically would have been procreation and death among plants and animals before the fall of Adam. | ||
Revision as of 02:06, 19 November 2007
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This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Question
Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Answer
There are two primary reasons for the question of "procreation before the fall." One is just a curiosity of whether or not Adam and Eve had any children in the garden before the fall. In other words, was the enlightenment from the forbidden fruit necessary for procreation? The second source of this question concerns the hypothesis of some church members about pre-Fall procreation being necessary for organic evolution.
Children before the Fall?
Concerning question source one: The Book of Mormon teaches us that Adam and Eve were innocent, and as long as they were in the Garden, "they would have no children" (2 Nephi 2꞉23). This is also strengthened in the Bible. Children are not even mentioned until after the fall (see also Genesis 3꞉16).
Irenaeus [1] said that both Adam and Eve "had no understanding of the procreation of children." [2] He also mentioned that Eve was a virgin in the garden three different times. He went on to say that after the fall, Adam "had lost his natural disposition and child-like mind." [3]
Thus, there is evidence from Biblical, Book of Mormon, and early Christian sources that Adam and Eve did not—and could not—have children prior to the Fall. The records are silent about whether other living things had offspring.
Life and death of non-human animals before the Fall?
Concerning question source two: Although the church has no official position on the occurrence of evolution (other than the creation did not occur ex nihilo), strong opinions have been expressed on both sides of the question. Some have hypothesized that God, being bound by natural laws, used evolution to create what we see now in the fossil record. In order for this to have occurred there logically would have been procreation and death among plants and animals before the fall of Adam.
Some LDS members and leaders have argued that there was no death anywhere on earth prior to the Fall, and such a position also assumes—if only implicitly—that there was likewise no procreation. (See FAIR wiki article on Death before the Fall.) Other members and leaders have held that, as Elder James E. Talmage said, "life and death have been in existence and operative in this earth for ages prior to [Adam]."[4]
Conclusion
The evidence seems to indicate that Adam and Eve did not have any children or understanding of procreation until after the fall. However, whether other forms of life passed through procreation and death before the fall is not an issue on which the Church has come to any official stance.
Endnotes
- [note] "Irenaeus," entry in Wikipedia off-site
- [note] Irenaeus, "Adversus Haereses," in III.22.4 Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Philip Schaff (Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886)1:455. ANF ToC off-site This volume direct off-site (circa A.D. 165)
- [note] Irenaeus, "Adversus Haereses," in III.23.5 Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Philip Schaff (Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886)1:457. ANF ToC off-site This volume direct off-site (circa A.D. 165)
- [note] Talmage to Heber Timothy, 28 Jan. 1932, Talmage Papers; cited in Richard Sherlock, "A Turbulent Spectrum: Mormon Responses to the Darwinist Legacy," Journal of Mormon History 4:? (1975): 45–69.. See also James E. Talmage, "The Earth and Man," Address in the Tabernacle, (9 August 1931); originally published in the Deseret News, 21 Nov 1931; subsequently published as a pamphlet by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1931; later published in The Instructor, 100:12 (December 1965) :474–477; continued in The Instructor 101:1 (January 1966): 9–15. FAIRWiki link