Intellegent Design: A theory about the origin of life that holds that intelligent causes best explain the origin of many features of living systems. The theory is based on the testable assumption that structures that exhibit high information content are more likely to be the result of intelligent design than of undirected natural causes.Which part of that definition does the Vatican find threatening or worthy of distancing itself from?
If the assumptions are testable, then there should be data, analysis and peer-reviewed publication. When that happens (and none of it is happening now), then it can qualify as science. Otherwise it is just commentary.
" Which part of that definition does the Vatican find threatening or worthy of distancing itself from?"
First, it's not a theory, it's a hypothesis. It's a hypothesis with no evidence, only a pile of faulty modeling. Faulty modeling is the best they can do, because no fifth force that can direct all the others can be demonstrated scientifically.
Second, the claim that, "intelligent causes best explain the origin of many features of living systems", is empty. The simple scientific explainaiton suffices.
Third, the hypothesis is based on a false model of information theory. Their theory has nothing to do with reality.