Are Adam and Eve supposed to be the first regular humans after all prehistoric life had already become extinct?

Answer 1

For some long time to come, there will continue to be confusion on this question. Biblical tradition has always stated that the world was created in an act of Special Creation, some six thousand years ago, but scientists now know that the world is immensely old and that different species arose and became extinct time and again, long before the time of man.

First of all, the major Christian denominations now accept the scientific age of the earth and the truth of the Theory of Evolution. For example, the Episcopal Church has affirmed via Resolution A129 in its General Convention that God is creator and added, "The theory of evolution provides a fruitful and unifying scientific explanation for the emergence of life on earth, that many theological interpretations of origins can readily embrace an evolutionary outlook, and that an acceptance of evolution is entirely compatible with an authentic and living Christian faith." Other denominations and religions have made comparable statements.

In general, the Churches do not try to rehash the biblical story to make it seem compatible with science by, for example, supposing that Adam and Eve were the first 'regular' humans after all prehistoric life had become extinct. The position of the Catholic Church is to accept that humans evolved millions ago from earlier species, but that what matters is the creation of the human soul.