Evolutionary theory & the Catholic Church

The following is a copy of my R&S summary report for the first topic of unit four.

Evolution is a prominent scientific theory popularised by English naturalist Charles Darwin in his literary works, The Origin of the Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871).
The hypothesis proposes that all life has evolved from simpler initial forms to greater complexity and diversity, via the process of natural selection, which is, the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce offspring, which inherit the characteristics of their ancestors. Eventually mutations arise and if positive to survival, are passed on to successive generations via inheritance. Natural selection results in the formation of adaptations, whether structural, physiological or behavioural, that assists the survival of the organism. As evolution progresses, natural selection facilitates the adaptation of species to different ecosystems, thereby resulting in a variation of species- biodiversity.
On a broader spectrum, the theory can be applied to the unfolding of the entire cosmic narrative, from the chemical evolution of simple hydrogen atoms to a vast variation of elements, or from the stellar evolution that gave birth to the stars to the planetary evolution that resulted in the formation of the Earth. Evolution has been attributed as the underlying process of formation in the geosphere, biosphere and universe.

The theory of evolution challenged certain aspects of Catholic theology and methodology. First and foremost, the theory challenged a literal interpretation of Scripture and the validity of sacred texts, particularly in a scientific or material context. It therefore also challenged the authority of the Church as teacher, for if Genesis and the Church could be proven incorrect, then perhaps other bibilical narratives of Church doctrine could be undermined.
The theory challenged the Catholic core belief in the existence of a Creator – Maker of heaven and earth (Nicene Creed), for evolution relied heavily on chance and therefore it appeared that a Creator’s intervention was unnecessary nor evident. More than mere challenging the existence of a Designer, the theory challenged the Catholic understanding of the nature of God as a loving and compassionate Creator, for evolution highly emphasised the requirement for suffering, death and chaos as a means to drive creative progression. This prompts the question of why a loving Creator would choose such a chaotic process to create?
Evolutionary theory further challenged initial Catholic understandings of the original state of the created world, which was believed to be a creation of harmony and equilibrium. However, evolution portrays suffering , death and chaos from the earliest origins of the geosphere and biosphere, as opposed to the Genesis accounts of an initially perfect creation.
The Catholic understanding of humanity as “made in the image/likeness of God.” (Gen. 1:27), and therefore retaining innate dignity, is challenged as evolution portrays humanity as having evolved from primates, thus prompting one to question when attained God’s likeness, how, and whether God is a human-like figure as Catholics initially thought.
The theory of evolution challenged the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin, that is, the inherit sin passed through generations, originally committed by Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, that wove discord into an initially perfect created world. Evolution contradicts this, portraying discord as pre-existent to the first humans, but also necessary for progress.
If the concept of Original Sin is challenged, so to is the Catholic belief in the mission of Jesus to redeem humanity from such sin. Catholics believe that Jesus came “For us and for our salvation.” (Nicene Creed) Without Original Sin, what need is there for redemption from such sin? Futhermore, one is prompted to ask, how can the world be returned to a state of grace, through Christ, if there was no initial state of grace to return to, as evolution suggests?

The initial response of the Church to Darwin’s theory was in actuality, silence. The reason for this response from the official Church is likely due to past experience in its condemnation of Galileo’s 17th century theories , findings and support for Copernicus’ heliocentric model. The result was an embarrassment for the Church when inevitably Galileo’s theories were proven correct. To avoid a similar incidence, the Church remained silent on the matter.
To illustrate the extent of this silence, consider the 1864 edition of the Vatican document entitled the Syllabus of Errors, which condemned concepts such as the seperation of Church and state and political ideas, did not at all mention the theory of evolution.

A significant response from the Vatican highlighted a conditional acceptance of evolutionary theory. In his Encyclical letter on Christian Marriage (1890), Pope Leo XIII stated that it would acceptable to suggest that man arose from the “slime of the earth” – a clear hint of evolution, referring to arising from simpler organic matter. However, no such process could be applied to the creation of woman who “was drawn forth wondrously from man’s side as he slept,” as a “female companion for the man.” In this response, Leo XIII clearly allows the accommodation of evolution to the creation of man, but defends a certain aspect of Genesis 2 in stating woman did no co-evolve with man. Leo XIII attempts to maintain some literal credibility in the Genesis account, without discounting evolution.

Leo XIII responds to the challenge posed by evolutionary theory to the literal interpretation of Scripture by encouraging a more flexible approach, stating that, “Since Holy Scripture can be explained in a number of ways, no one explanation should be so rigidly, that one would presume to maintain it if it could be prove with certainty to be false.” In this response, Leo XIII paves the way for more flexible interpretation of Scripture, without discounting the meaning of sacred texts.

The response of the Church in Pope Pius’ XII Encyclical Humani Generis (1950) demonstrates a conditional acceptance of evolutionary theory and promotes inter-disciplinary dialogue regarding the theory. The Encyclical reads, “… the Church does not forbid that discussion occur in the part of men experienced in both fields [religion and science] take place in regard to the doctrine of evolution.” Pius XII invites dialogue, appealing to reason. He goes on to say that, “in as far as it inquires in the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter.” Pius XII acknowledges the science of evolution regarding the origin of the human body, yet adds the condition that, “Our Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.” In stating this, Pius XII affirms the Catholic belief that the human soul is directly created by God, therefore humanity retains innate dignity. The response of Pius XII clearly communicates general acceptance of evolutionary theory, whilst not excluding God from the creative process.
In defence of the doctrine of Original Sin, Pius XII responds to rule-out the scientific theory of polygenism – the notion that humanity arose from parents. On this, Pius states that Original Sin “proceeds from the sin of an individual, Adam, and through generation, is passed on to all.” Seeing the significance of Original Sin in dogma, Pius XII responded in its defence.

During the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Church responses to evolutionary theory in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, stating that, “the human race has passed from a rather static view of reality to a more dynamic, evolutionary one.” The Church recognises and accepts this progression in human intellect and also the evolution of the human understanding of reality.

Influential in the absorption of evolutionary theory by the Vatican, is the work of French philosopher, palaeontologist and priest Piere Tielhard di Chardin, who sought to view Christianity from an evolutionary perspective. From this outlook, Tielhard di Chardin was able to view Christ as the center of higher consciousness, called the Kingdom in Catholic theology. He viewed Original Sin and evil as “the unavoidable by-product of a universe in course with unification in God.” This was in response to the challenge posed by evolution to the doctrine of Original Sin. Di Chardin also viewed evolution as the creative process, and spoke of the evolution of the geosphere (inanimate matter) to the biosphere of life, which St. Paul called our ‘seed stage’ (I Cor. 15:38) and onward, through evolution, toward the Omega Point (mentioned in Rev. 22:13: “I am Alpha and Omega.”), in the noosphere- a technical philosophical term for the Kingdom. The work of Di Chardin demonstrates an attempt in the Catholic tradition to reconcile evolutionary theory with theology.
In a 1996 address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Pope John Paul II stated that there was considerable “recognition of evolution as more than a hypothesis.” The Pontiff does not discredit but rather reflects upon the substantial evidence in support of evolution as a valuable scientific theory.
In his inaugural mass as Pope, Benedict XVI stated that, “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.” Benedict XVI clearly highlights a general acceptance of evolution as a scientifically attained answer to the question of ‘how’, but maintains that Christ gives meaning and purpose to human life, and thus religion ultimately answers the question of ‘why?’