FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Death before the Fall of Adam and Eve
Mormon perspectives on the concept of death on the entire earth before the Fall of Adam
This is a doctrinal or theological topic about which there is no official Church doctrine of which FAIR is aware and/or about which we may learn more "line upon line; precept upon precept" (2 Nephi 28:30; Isaiah 28:10). Leaders and members may have expressed a variety of opinions or positions. Like all material in FAIR Answers, it reflects the best efforts of FAIR volunteers, not an official Church position.
The existence of these animals is indisputable, for their remains have been found in rocks all over the earth. What eternal purpose they played in the creation and early history of the earth is unknown. The scriptures do not address the question, and it is not the realm of science to explore the issue of why they were here. We can only conclude, as Elder Talmage did, that “the whole series of chalk deposits and many of our deep-sea limestones contain the skeletal remains of animals. These lived and died, age after age, while the earth was yet unfit for human habitation.” (“The Earth and Man.”)
—Morris S. Petersen, professor of geology, Brigham Young University, "I Have a Question," Ensign (September 1987) off-site
—Morris S. Petersen, professor of geology, Brigham Young University, "I Have a Question," Ensign (September 1987) off-site
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: What does the Church teach on the subject of death before the Fall of Adam?
Template loop detected: Question: Was there no death on the entire earth before the Fall?
Template loop detected: Question: What was the state of things on the Earth prior to the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Template loop detected: Question: What changes have been made to the ''Gospel Principles'' manual?
Template loop detected: Question: Is the concept of no death before the fall on the ''entire earth'' Church doctrine?
Template loop detected: Question: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?
Summary: A number of statements have been made by Church leaders and published in Church manuals indicating that there was not death before the Fall of Adam. We compile these statements in this article.
Age of the Earth
Summary: Do Latter-day Saints believe that the Earth is only 6,000 years old? Why does Doctrine and Covenants section 77 say that the history of the earth covers only seven thousand years?Notes (click to expand)