Evolution and the Catholic Church Are They in Conflict?

In this issue of Catholic Update, Sr. Paula Gonzalez tackles the age-old question of the compatability of the findings of evolutionary science with the Catholic belief in a creator God. She writes, ""Two major reasons for resistance to evolution are: 1) the mistaken idea that Darwin's theory of evolution excludes supernatural involvement in the development of the natural world, and 2) the general public's limited understanding of the scientific evidence that has made this theory univerally accepted in the scientific community."" She concludes that evolution need not threaten faith and cites various pontifical statements in support of this conclusion. One, by Pope Pius XII in the 1950 encyclical, Humani generis, states ""biological evolution is compatible with Christian faith."" In 1996, Pope John Paul II stated, ""[N]ew scientific knowledge has led us to realize that the theory of evolution is no longer a mere hypothesis."" She quotes the late Father Thomas Berry as we look to the future, ""The Great Work now, as we move into a new millennium, is to carry out the transition from a period of human devastation to a period when humans would be present to the planet in a mutually beneficent manner."" In light of this, Gonzalez writes, ""Our times require that all of us appreciate our part in this great work of co-creation."" SISTER PAULA GONZALEZ, S.C., Ph.D. taught biology at the College of Mt. St. Joseph for 20 years. She is cofounder and board member of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, and gives many workshops and retreats across the United States and Canada. This article originally appeared in St. Anthony Messenger magazine.