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