Posted on 10/29/2014 4:45:37 PM PDT by ebb tide
Nate Anderson at ars Technica science site reported on Pope Francis' words on creation, the Big Bang, and evolution theory.
Though only a few paragraphs long (and currently available only in Italian; the translation below is unofficial), Francis's remarks focused largely on evolution—still a controversial doctrine in parts of the worldwide Christian church.
"When we read in Genesis the account of Creation, we are in danger of imagining that God was a magician, complete with a magic wand capable of doing anything," Francis said. "But he was not. He created beings and let them develop in accordance with the internal laws that He has given to each one."
The writer goes on to note Pope Pius XII’s warning of on the value that materialists and atheists find in evolutionary theories.
The Catholic church has long been open to evolution, though always stressing its belief that God is the ultimate power behind the universe and its unfolding story.
In 1950, Pope Pius XII wrote about evolution in Humani Generis, saying that "Communists gladly subscribe to this opinion so that, when the souls of men have been deprived of every idea of a personal God, they may the more efficaciously defend and propagate their dialectical materialism."
For Pius XII, however, evolution was only a possibility that was yet unproven, and so he went on to rail against those who "act as if the origin of the human body from pre-existing and living matter were already completely certain and proved by the facts which have been discovered up to now and by reasoning on those facts, and as if there were nothing in the sources of divine revelation which demands the greatest moderation and caution in this question."
Modern advances in biological science, the fossil record, and technology which reveal the complexity of living organisms, cast many doubts upon 19th century theories of random natural selection. They point rather to an intelligent origin for living things and make the warning of Pope Pius even more relevant.
Imagine silly people who actually think that God can do anything.
Imagine silly people who actually think that God can do anything.
Magicians do not produce miracles; they instead produce illusions. God produces miracles and is therefore not a magician.
"When we read in Genesis the account of Creation, we are in danger of imagining that God was a magician, complete with a magic wand capable of doing anything," Francis said. "But he was not.
OMG!!! Pope Francis is an IDIOT when it comes to stuff like THIS!!!! TYPICAL JESUIT!!!! I am a CRADLE CATHOLIC, taught ALL the facts, and Francis is an embarrassment!!
These parts, however, do not include the Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic, Assyrian, or Indian churches. And apparently not the Black Protestant churches, considering their vote and the amount of time (zero) they have devoted to the issue.
Been called a "Protestant" yet, ebb?
Said "miracles" for some reason never seem to include the creation of the universe and the events following as narrated in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. In fact, it apparently doesn't even include the possibility that these things may actually be true.
Personally, I'll be glad when the day comes when your "miracles" take a similar hit.
A cradle Catholic who wasn't taught to believe in evolution?
My mind can't comprehend this oxymoron.
You were proven a loony on another thread regarding this same topic. I refuse to devolve to your level of insanity; therefore, I shall tell you good night.
Sounds more in line with Henry Drummond than Pius XII.
Pope Francis:
“When we read in Genesis the account of Creation, we are in danger of imagining that God was a magician, complete with a magic wand capable of doing anything,” Francis said. “But he was not. He created beings and let them develop in accordance with the internal laws that He has given to each one.”
Henry Drummond (Protestant theologian):
“…the idea of an immanent God, which is the God of evolution, is infinitely grander than the occasional wonder-worker, who is the God of an old theology.”
Dear mr. Jewish person......Evolution is a THEORY....T H E O R Y.....Not a FACT, as in the OLD TESTAMENT!!! YOUR religion belives GOD MADE THE WORLD!!!...HELLO!!! I PRAY you were JOKING!!!!
GOD IS PERFECTION!!!!! WHY THE HELL WOULD HE HAVE EVOLUTION!!!! GOD IS PERFECTION!!!
what does god need with a starship? - james kirk
what does god need with evolution? - secret agent man
don’t confuse adaptation and variation with whole new species with stuff they never had before. we see variation, but we don’t see cows with wings. we breed animals and get the animals we expect, not totally new creatures.
A good thing Fr. Abram Ryan didn't see what became of his beloved Southerners!
I am not a Jewish person. And I do not believe in evolution. I am very much against evolution and have fought it on Free Republic for fifteen years.
You, Mr. Catholic Person, are the one whose religion believes in evolution. The Catholic Church has promoted evolution and attacked Biblical inerrancy for decades. I actually once joined your church but left it because I couldn't take all the attacks on the accuracy of the Bible.
Your fellow Catholics have done practically nothing but promote and defend evolution on this site all the time I've been here. Now your Pope has endorsed evolution (just exactly like at least his six predecessors) and your fellow Catholics have defended him tooth and nail. Even the most conservative, traditionalist Catholics on this forum believe in evolution and that the Bible is full of mistakes. They have made this clear time and time and time again.
You have some nerve to completely ignore the evolutionism of your fellow Catholics and then get onto me as a "Jewish person" "promoting evolution."
Let's see you stand up to your co-religionists and defend creation and the Bible as I have done for a decade and a half.
That's pure B.S. When will you stop lying about traditional Catholics?
Even the most conservative, traditionalist Catholics on this forum believe in evolution and that the Bible is full of mistakes.
That's pure B.S. When will you stop lying about traditional Catholics?
When the "traditional Catholics" on FR start defending Biblical inerrancy and the literal/historical facticity of Genesis 1-11 (which, so far, you are about the only one to do). Thank you, btw.
Most traditional Catholics that I know don’t frequent FR. But they are all Creationists; so please don’t write them off. That’s like Cardinal Kasper writing off the African bishops because they still believe in indissolubility of the Sacrament of Marriage.
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