Darwin Goes to Church

Washington Post ^ | 9/18/2005 | Rev. Henry G. Brinton

[curiosity]

Most adult Sunday school classes don't raise eyebrows, but my church is planning to hold one that's sure to. It's called "Evolution for Christians," and it will be taught this winter by David Bush, a member of the church I lead, Fairfax Presbyterian. David is an articulate government retiree who has been interested in this topic for nearly two decades, teaches a class on theories of the origins of life every five years or so, and once again has really done his homework. His view is that science and religion answer two different sets of questions about creation, with science answering the "how" questions, and religion answering the "why" ones. "With a little bit of wisdom and tolerance on each side," he tells me, "I think they can complement rather than contradict each other."

[Mylo]

Logic? conciliation? A zealot craves not these things.

[curiosity]

Faith and Science Ping.

[newgeezer]

Professing to be wise, they became fools.

[Vicomte13]

Evolution is easy for Catholics.

God created the world.
Evolution is probably how He did it.
He directly creates our souls, dips them in flesh for awhile, and then calls them back to Himself.

Why?
Because it pleases Him.

Nothing to see here, move along.

[Coyoteman]

But the debate between evolution and intelligent design has become increasingly shrill

Really? Where would that be?

[keithtoo]

The problem with Evolution in church is that Evolution is a religion.

It is a faith-based belief system.

[Paloma_55]

In before the first 500 replies!!!

[Paloma_55]

The problem with Evolution in church is that Evolution is a religion.

It is a faith-based belief system.



Shhhhhh..... don't want to start a 500 post debate on THIS subject. :)

[curiosity]

There's nothing uniquely Catholic about that position. There is no logical reason Protestants can't accept it too.

[RadioAstronomer]

It is a faith-based belief system.

ROTFLMAO!

[narby]

I had exactly this sort of class at a Southern Baptist church retreat sometime around 1970. There were actually religious tracts promoting this idea (that there is no conflict between science and the Bible) back in the 30's-50's, undoubtedly when my teacher back then studied.

That same church now teaches creationism. Which leads to the question, where they teaching garbage back then, or are they teaching garbage now?

[keithtoo]

If you are a thinking Catholic, Evolution should not be 'easy' for you. First of all, it is a postulation, not a a proven, or even provable belief. Secondly, if their was never a Fall, then their is no need of a Savior. If we are only getting better all the time, all we have to do is wait. None of that messy Cross or Salvation stuff is needed.

[curiosity]

It is a faith-based belief system.

No, it's based on physical and verifiable evidence.

[Mylo]

Yes, they have faith in replicable experiments that show that the predictions of evolution through natural selection are validated time and time again. And I have faith that nothing that the universe can show us is not part of God and part of God's plan. The universe shows us that living things pass on DNA to their progeny, that this DNA can be mutated leading to genetic diversity, and that this diversity can be selected for or against depending upon the environmental conditions. Obviously this is part of Gods plan, or it wouldn't' happen this way in life and in thousands of experiments.

[keithtoo]

Really? Why don't you post a picture of a current, living, intermediate biological form?

I didn't think so.

Punctuated Equilibria my @ss.

[newgeezer]

Evolution is easy for Catholics those who will not take God at His word.

Genesis 2 ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground

That's macro-evolution. One infinitesimal step for God. One giant leap for (unbelieving) mankind.

[Mylo]

Evolution isn't improvement. I hope you know more about theology than science.

[curiosity]

First of all, it is a postulation, not a a proven, or even provable belief.

Nothing it science is ever proven. However, evolution, like other well-established scientific theories, has a mountain of evidence supporting it.

Secondly, if their was never a Fall, then their is no need of a Savior

How exactly does evolution contradict the Fall? Man evolved, God revealed himself to him, and then man rejected God. What's the problem?

[Mylo]

If it is currently living what is it "intermediate" to?

Logic?