I think it’s a good thing to ask questions about what a thing can teach, about process and method, but these sorts of critique are growing tiresome.
PARIS (Reuters) – Pope Benedict, elaborating his views on evolution for the first time as Pontiff, says science has narrowed the way life’s origins are understood and Christians should take a broader approach to the question.
The Pope also says the Darwinist theory of evolution is not completely provable because mutations over hundreds of thousands of years cannot be reproduced in a laboratory.
But Benedict, whose remarks were published on Wednesday in Germany in the book “Schoepfung und Evolution” (Creation and Evolution), praised scientific progress and did not endorse creationist or “intelligent design” views about life’s origins.
What good does talking about “Darwinist theory” like this bring about? “Let’s understand the limitations of shoes before we move forward and so that no one gets the wrong idea. Everyone knows that shoes are not good for drinking out of. Let’s just remember that.”
Now I am no fan of the Pope (the office), but I thought when he said something it was supposed to be something reaffirming to the Christian world (or at least the Roman Catholic one). But this statement carries about as much conviction as a John McCain rally. Why speak if you’re going to say nothing? (Maybe the current Pope is a fan of Chuck Hagel?)
I suppose we shouldn’t be too shocked. Afterall, Roman Catholicism and Science mix about as well as the “Baby Boom” Democrats and War.
“…the view held by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and mainline Protestant churches that God created life through evolution and religion and science need not clash over this.”
This is not necessarily reaffirming to Roman Catholics, but defines evolution as its own process. I think the Pope is trying to differentiate RCs from some of the more stringent Christian faiths who propose creationism, or its pale cousin, intelligent design, as the Truth. While I also have issues with the “Pope”, his job includes deciphering and defining the beliefs of the Catholic faith. I see it as just a little fine-tuning going on. Maybe he’s paving the way for a stem-cell endorsement?
Shouldn’t every Christian church agree that Creation is the Truth? I am a little confused how the Roman Catholic Church can waver on this when they accept The Bible as Truth. (don’t they?) Maybe there are (unfortunately) several versions of Creationism out there but the basic gist–that God created the universe in seven days–should certainly be endorsable by “the Holy Father”.
I got the impression from the article that Steve linked to that the Pope didn’t endorse Creationism because “conservative Protestants” (*cough*Lutherans*cough*) believe in Creationism. Well geeps, conservative Protestants believe in the Resurrection too. Is he able to still endorse that?
“I would not depend on faith alone to explain the whole picture,” says the great white one. Of course he wouldn’t since it was Martin Luther that preached sola fide. Sorry Steve, looks like you stepped into an article more about the Reformation than science ;-)
Every Catholic is a Christian, but not every Christian is a Catholic. You’re an American, whether you hale from North Carolina or North Dakota–but if you sat down next to either one, you’ll get vastly different perspectives of what it means to be “American”. A Christian’s core beliefs center on Christ and his life. The rules and dogma that go along with that vary between the faiths, just like state tax laws. Roman Catholics view the Bible as a series of parables and estimations. The 7-Day creation story is not assumed to be analytically correct, just some guy’s example of God’s popping out the universe and everything in it. It’s the hood-pulled-tight radicals who insist that it be taken as (sorry) gospel. (We reserve that term only for Jesus’ words.)