- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
What is the Catholic teaching on Biblical lifespans 900 years old? Do we have to believe they’re literal?
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
-
CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
Biblical Lifespans
- Thread starter FaithT
- Start date
- Sep 29, 2015
- 23,424
- 20,320
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-American-Solidarity
Here’s what I think. We should remain open about them literally being true but also be able to see them more metaphorically. I lean to the metaphorical. I know of no Church teaching that demands we hold to literal hundreds of years.
Upvote
0
- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Upvote
0
- Feb 5, 2002
- 187,648
- 69,664
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
I don’t have anything to add. I’m open to both. What unfolded during creation and how literal it was is anyone’s guess. I pretty much agree with how Chevy answered. Was there a literal Adam and Eve? Yes. As far as lifespan during that period is a mystery.
Upvote
0
- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Upvote
0
- Feb 5, 2002
- 187,648
- 69,664
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
occasionally get questions about the remarkably long lives of the patriarchs who lived before the great flood. Consider the ages at which these figures purportedly died:
Personally, I think we need to take the stated life spans of the patriarchs at face value and just accept it as a mystery: for some reason, the ancient patriarchs lived far longer than we do in the modern era. I cannot prove that they actually lived that long, but neither is there strong evidence that they did not. Frankly, I have little stake in insisting that they did in fact live to be that old. But if you ask me, I think it is best just to accept that they did.
This solution, when I articulate it, causes many to scoff. They almost seem to be offended. The reply usually sounds something like this: “That’s crazy. There’s no way they lived that long. The texts must be wrong.” To which I generally reply, “Why do you think it’s crazy or impossible?” The answers usually range from the glib to the more serious, but here are some common replies:
Continued below.
- Adam – 930
- Seth – 912
- Enosh – 905
- Jared – 962
- Methuselah – 969
- Noah – 950
- Shem – 600
- Eber – 464
- Abraham – 175
- Moses – 120
- David – 70
Personally, I think we need to take the stated life spans of the patriarchs at face value and just accept it as a mystery: for some reason, the ancient patriarchs lived far longer than we do in the modern era. I cannot prove that they actually lived that long, but neither is there strong evidence that they did not. Frankly, I have little stake in insisting that they did in fact live to be that old. But if you ask me, I think it is best just to accept that they did.
This solution, when I articulate it, causes many to scoff. They almost seem to be offended. The reply usually sounds something like this: “That’s crazy. There’s no way they lived that long. The texts must be wrong.” To which I generally reply, “Why do you think it’s crazy or impossible?” The answers usually range from the glib to the more serious, but here are some common replies:
Continued below.
Did Noah Really Live to Be 950? - Community in Mission
I occasionally get questions about the remarkably long lives of the patriarchs who lived before the great flood. Consider the ages at which these figures purportedly died: Adam – 930 Seth – 912 Enosh – 905 Jared – 962 Methuselah – 969 Noah – 950 Shem – 600 Eber – 464 Abraham – 175 Moses …...
blog.adw.org
Upvote
0
- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Interesting article but I still don’t believe people lived that long. Is it still ok for a Catholic to not believe that or has it changed?occasionally get questions about the remarkably long lives of the patriarchs who lived before the great flood. Consider the ages at which these figures purportedly died:
How should we understand these references?Many theories have been proposed to explain the claimed longevity. Some use a mathematical corrective, but this leads to other pitfalls such as certain patriarchs apparently begetting children while still children themselves. Another theory proposes that the purported life spans of the patriarchs are just indications of their influence or family line, but then things don’t add up chronologically with eras and family trees.
- Adam – 930
- Seth – 912
- Enosh – 905
- Jared – 962
- Methuselah – 969
- Noah – 950
- Shem – 600
- Eber – 464
- Abraham – 175
- Moses – 120
- David – 70
Personally, I think we need to take the stated life spans of the patriarchs at face value and just accept it as a mystery: for some reason, the ancient patriarchs lived far longer than we do in the modern era. I cannot prove that they actually lived that long, but neither is there strong evidence that they did not. Frankly, I have little stake in insisting that they did in fact live to be that old. But if you ask me, I think it is best just to accept that they did.
This solution, when I articulate it, causes many to scoff. They almost seem to be offended. The reply usually sounds something like this: “That’s crazy. There’s no way they lived that long. The texts must be wrong.” To which I generally reply, “Why do you think it’s crazy or impossible?” The answers usually range from the glib to the more serious, but here are some common replies:
Continued below.
Did Noah Really Live to Be 950? - Community in Mission
I occasionally get questions about the remarkably long lives of the patriarchs who lived before the great flood. Consider the ages at which these figures purportedly died: Adam – 930 Seth – 912 Enosh – 905 Jared – 962 Methuselah – 969 Noah – 950 Shem – 600 Eber – 464 Abraham – 175 Moses …...blog.adw.org
Last edited:
Upvote
0
- Feb 5, 2002
- 187,648
- 69,664
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
Upvote
0
- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Upvote
0
- Dec 1, 2019
- 4,922
- 2,333
- 65
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Upvote
0
- Sep 29, 2015
- 23,424
- 20,320
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-American-Solidarity
On this, at least, the Catholic Church is not pretending to know it all.
We should be cautious too to be respectful of people who see it differently, as I know you always will.
Upvote
0
- Feb 10, 2013
- 40,481
- 22,979
- 30
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Celibate
- Politics
- US-Republican
Upvote
0
- Feb 10, 2013
- 40,481
- 22,979
- 30
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Celibate
- Politics
- US-Republican
Upvote
0
Similar threads
