1. Endorsing evolutionI haven't said my motto in awhile: context is everything.
2. Endorsing special creation
3. Not taking either side
I really made an effort to answer your earlier question, and I went way out of my way, even to including the guts of the Galileo matter, to put it all in context for you. I shall try once more to answer the question you just raised:
I think the Pope is accepting the theory of evolution regarding man's physical nature, and is asserting special creation for man's spiritual nature.
Whatever you do, please do not think I'm saying or endorsing anything in particular here.
Not a problem.
After reading your post again and trying to look at it from your perspective, I see that. Please ignore my earlier question.
I think the Pope is accepting the theory of evolution regarding man's physical nature, and is asserting special creation for man's spiritual nature.
It's my opinion, and I'm not Catholic so I could be way off base here, that the Pope isn't saying either way. When I first (i.e. months ago) read the link you provided I thought the Pope wasn't endorsing evolution. After reading a lot of different opinions on his words I think he's, as I just said, not saying either way.
Past experience with the NCSE has demonstrated an extreme bias on their part, so I tend to read very carefully everything they say. Having said that, I think the link you provided is a good translation. There are others that, IMO, don't hold up to scrutiny.
Some places I've been reading today are here, here and here.
With this I want to be careful - it is not my intent to offend. It is quite possible the Pope being who is is, is also being political. There, I said it. That's been on my mind all day.