[soc.religion.christian] The Catholic church's views on evolution

harrist@prism.cs.orst.edu (Timothy Bryant Harris) (10/13/89)

Hello,
	I'm currently enrolled in a class in which we discuss
evolution and have been assigned a report on evolution and the
Catholic church's views on it.
	Does anyone know of any good resource material that
covers this topic.  I would like to find their modern views and
their reaction throughout the history of biological evolution.

	Thanks in advance,
		Tim Harris(harrist@prism.cs.orst.edu)


[This seems a reasonable place to post such a question.  However let
me point out that I don't want to get into a discussion of the
scientific merits of evolution.  That belongs in talk.origins.
--clh]

dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) (10/16/89)

In article <Oct.13.03.22.27.1989.27718@athos.rutgers.edu> harrist@prism.cs.orst.edu (Timothy Bryant Harris) writes:
>	I'm currently enrolled in a class in which we discuss
>evolution and have been assigned a report on evolution and the
>Catholic church's views on it.

This will make an interesting class paper.  I wish I had many original
sources to refer you to, but I don't.  Pius XII in his 1950 encyclical,
_Humani Generis_ states the definitive Catholic opinion.  I frankly
don't know what the Church's stand was, if it had any, when Darwin's
theory was first promulgated.

Briefly, the understanding of the Roman Catholic Church is that the
theory of evolution is not intrinsically in opposition to the Genesis
account of creation: God's mechanism of creation is not known to us,
after all.  Which is not to say that the Church embraces Darwinism; it
is, like most scientific theories, adiaphora, and properly within
the sphere of scholarly investigation.

Within this apparent (and somewhat surprising) freedom, there is
adequate room for doctrinal orthodoxy.  The Church still teaches that
Adam and Eve were the first humans, with immortal souls which were
made by God, with all humans understood to be descended from them.
This is called "monogenism", in distinction to "polygenism", the
concept that "Adam" represents a group of humans.  Pius XII rejected
polygenism because it "did not appear reconcilable" with the revealed
truth of a single Adam committing original sin, which was passed down
to all men and women through his descendents.  Theologians after Pius XII
have been grappling with the reconciliation of polygenism with Church
teaching, though I really don't know where this stands right now.  It's
probably fair to say that the question doesn't have much urgency.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
dyer@arktouros.mit.edu, dyer@hstbme.mit.edu

conan@purina.berkeley.edu (10/16/89)

In article <Oct.13.03.22.27.1989.27718@athos.rutgers.edu> harrist@prism.cs.orst.edu (Timothy Bryant Harris) writes:
>
>Hello,
>	I'm currently enrolled in a class in which we discuss
>evolution and have been assigned a report on evolution and the
>Catholic church's views on it.
>	Does anyone know of any good resource material that
>covers this topic.  I would like to find their modern views and
>their reaction throughout the history of biological evolution.
>
>	Thanks in advance,
>		Tim Harris(harrist@prism.cs.orst.edu)
>
>
>[This seems a reasonable place to post such a question.  However let
>me point out that I don't want to get into a discussion of the
>scientific merits of evolution.  That belongs in talk.origins.
>--clh]

Here are a few references--hopefully they will lead you to more.

A good place to begin would be to look for "Evolution" in the _New
Catholic Encyclopedia_ (circa 1968).  This will probably give a brief
summary of Catholic teaching on the subject and have a bibliography 
referring to "mainline" writing on the subject.  

The only definitive papal teaching I am aware of is the Encyclical
_Humani Generis_ (sp?) by Pope Pius XII.  Be forewarned that the first
2/3's of it have nothing to do with evolution--it is a forceful state-
ment regarding the teaching authority of the Church.  This Encyclical
states clearly that evolution is not contrary to the teaching of the
Church.

Pope John Paul II has at various times commented on evolution, and 
perhaps has even hosted a conference on it at the Vatican.  Beyond this
clue I have no references.

Also, a number of American Catholic scholars (particularly Jesuits) have
written on the Evolution/Creation controversy.  Try looking in any good
collection of articles on the subject for authors with funny initials 
after their names-- SJ, OSB, OFM, etc.  :-)

The one Catholic theologian to aggressively tackle evolution and its 
religious consequences was Pierre Tielhard de Chardin (sp?).  A Jesuit
with a Phd in paleontology (sp?), he worked on the original Peking Man
dig and made significant contributions to the field.  The _New Catholic
Encyclopedia_ should have a good summary article.

For a possible overview of earlier Catholic doctrine on evolution, consult
the _Catholic Encyclopedia_ (circa 1910).  My guess is that it will not
have nice things to say about either evolution or Darwin.  Note that while
in many circles evolution was probably cautiously welcomed, the Church at
that time was going through a very conservative (possibly reactionary) 
period, and more liberal opinions did not make it into print. 

Also, for the record, the very conservative branch of the Catholic Church
in America has members which side with the fundamentalists in the Creation/
Evolution debates.  (Despite papal teaching on the subject.)  For more 
information, look for copies of either the _Wanderer_ or _The Remanent_,
the two leading conservative Catholic newspapers.  (I don't mean to imply
that all, or even alot of conservative Catholics feel this way.)

Good luck with your paper,

Yours in Christ,

David Cruz-Uribe, SFO

jhpb@lancia.att.com (10/16/89)

Timothy Harris wrote:

	   I'm currently enrolled in a class in which we discuss
   evolution and have been assigned a report on evolution and the
   Catholic church's views on it.
	   Does anyone know of any good resource material that
   covers this topic.  I would like to find their modern views and
   their reaction throughout the history of biological evolution.

1. A good starting point is an encyclical letter by Pope Pius XII called
Humani Generis, issued in 1950.  This is the most official document I
know of that deals explicitly with evolution.  (There are several
general councils that touch on related issues -- cf. Fundamental of
Catholic Dogma, mentioned below.)

Among other things, it states that no Catholic may believe in polygenism
(the idea that the human race is descended from more than two first
parents).

I have a copy if you have trouble getting it.  I think mine is from the
Daughters of St. Paul.

2. Try "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma", by Dr. Ludwig Ott.  It has
several pages of material that bear on the doctrinal aspects of
evolution.

Something that is of primary importance is the Catholic dogma that man
is composed of a material body and a spiritual soul.  Souls have to be
created directly by God, they can't evolve.

3. The encyclical letter on atheistic Communism, Divini Redemptoris, has an
indirect bearing, in that it explains that Communism is grounded on the
idea of the blind evolution of matter.

Joe Buehler
jhpb@lancia.ATT.COM
att!lancia!jhpb