Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ginosko!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: conan@purina.berkeley.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: The Catholic church's views on evolution Message-ID: Date: 16 Oct 89 03:50:18 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Math Dept., UC Berkeley Lines: 67 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article 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