Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church has no official position on the theory of evolution, leaving the specifics to the individual within certain parameters established by the Church. The Church has repeatedly stated that biological evolution is compatible with Christian belief. Many Catholic theologians have abandoned monogenism, believing that evolution requires polygenism. Catholics are free to accept evolution, either as a scientific hypothesis or as a philosophical speculation. The Church permits belief in either special creation or developmental creation, but it does not allow atheistic evolution. The Church has a more definitive teaching on human evolution, allowing for the possibility that man's body developed from previous biological forms under God's guidance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official stance on evolution | The Catholic Church does not have an official position on evolution. |
| Compatibility with Christian belief | The Catholic Church has repeatedly stated that evolution is compatible with Christian belief. |
| Compatibility with Catholic belief | Catholics are divided on the compatibility of evolution with their faith. Some believe it is compatible as long as God is the origin of all things, while others are unsure due to conflicting views from their evangelical Protestant peers. |
| Stance on atheistic evolution | Catholics do not accept atheistic evolution, which states that things evolve gradually by chance without divine guidance. |
| Stance on theistic evolution | Catholics accept theistic evolution, which suggests that things evolve gradually under the guidance of God or "divine providence." |
| Stance on instantaneous creation | Catholics believe in instantaneous creation, which suggests that God created all matter and the universe out of nothing in an instant. |
| Stance on human evolution | The Catholic Church allows for the possibility that the human body evolved from previous species, but insists on the special creation of the human soul by God. |
| Stance on scientific method | The Catholic Church does not oppose the scientific method and encourages methodical research in all branches of knowledge as long as it does not override moral laws. |
| Stance on polygenism | The Catholic Church does not embrace polygenism, the belief in multiple ancestral couples, due to its contradiction with the doctrine of Original Sin. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are generally pro-evolution
The Catholic Church allows for the possibility that man's body developed from previous biological forms, under God's guidance, but it insists on the special creation of his soul. This belief in "theistic evolution" or "developmental creation" is compatible with Catholic teaching, as it acknowledges God's role in the process of evolution. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a Catholic may accept either literal or special creation within a six-day, twenty-four-hour period, or they may accept that the earth evolved over time under God's guidance.
The compatibility of evolution with Catholic belief is further supported by the work of Catholic scientists such as the Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel, who made early contributions to biology, and Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest and physicist who developed the Big Bang Theory. Additionally, St. John Henry Newman, a renowned 19th-century Catholic theologian, wrote that he saw "nothing in the theory of evolution inconsistent with an Almighty Creator and Protector".
While there may be varying interpretations among individual Catholics, the Church has never condemned the theory of evolution. Catholics who are "anti-evolution" may be influenced by Protestant ideas, which suggest that evolution is contrary to Christian belief. However, as stated by a user on Reddit, "if God can so arrange things that many larvae are produced so that a few of them shall win out and survive to adulthood, why should he not arrange that many genetic mutations should occur so that some of them shall win out to produce new and interesting creatures?". This reflects the general pro-evolution stance of Catholics, who believe that God can guide the process of evolution.
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The Catholic Church has no official stance on evolution
While the Church has no official position on evolution, it does provide parameters for what is considered acceptable Catholic belief. Catholics are free to accept either literal creationism or theistic evolution, as long as they believe that God initiated and continued the process of creation and that Adam and Eve were real people with specially created souls. The Church does not permit belief in atheistic evolution, which states that things evolve gradually by chance without any divine guidance.
Some Catholics may be unsure about evolution due to conflicting messages from their evangelical Protestant peers, who may claim that evolution is contrary to Christian belief. However, Catholic scholars and scientists have long accepted the theory of evolution as compatible with their faith. The work of Catholic scientists, such as the Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel, has contributed to the development of evolutionary theory.
The Church's position on evolution is that it is compatible with Catholic doctrine as long as it is understood that God is the primary cause of all creation. This means that God, as the "Author of the whole universe", created a world in which causal relationships exist, allowing for the evolution of species over time. This belief in primary and secondary causality allows Catholics to accept the theory of evolution while still maintaining their faith in God as the ultimate creator.
In summary, while the Catholic Church has no official stance on evolution, it allows for a range of beliefs within certain parameters, including acceptance of evolution guided by God's providence. The Church has never condemned the theory of evolution and sees no contradiction between faith and scientific discovery.
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Catholics cannot accept atheistic evolution
The Catholic Church does not have an official position on the theory of creation or evolution, and Catholics are free to accept evolution. However, the Church does not permit belief in atheistic evolution. Atheistic evolution is the idea that things evolve gradually by chance over a long time, without any divine guidance. This is incompatible with Catholic doctrine, which holds that God is the origin of all things.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God." This implies that scientific theories such as evolution, when properly understood, cannot contradict Catholic doctrine.
The Church distinguishes between “secondary causes” and the "Primary Cause," with God as the Author and Creator of the universe. It is believed that God created a world in which causal relationships exist, and that He sustains the natural order through these secondary causes. This means that God is both the vertical cause (Primary Cause) and the one who activates and sustains all secondary causes that contribute to the unfolding of the natural order.
While the Church permits belief in either special creation or developmental creation, it does not allow for atheistic evolution. Catholics must believe in the special creation of the human soul, which is not the product of evolution but is instead specially and instantly created by God. This belief is based on the understanding that man is composed of both a material body and a spiritual soul, with the soul being a gift from God that sets humans apart from other creatures.
In summary, Catholics cannot accept atheistic evolution because it contradicts the fundamental belief that God is the origin and Creator of all things, including the human soul. However, Catholics are free to accept evolution as long as it is understood within the framework of divine creation and guidance.
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Catholics can believe in theistic evolution
The Catholic Church has no official position on the theory of creation or evolution, leaving the specifics of either theistic evolution or literal creationism to the individual within certain parameters established by the Church. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, any believer may accept either literal or special creation within a period of an actual six-day, twenty-four-hour period, or they may accept the belief that the earth evolved over time under the guidance of God.
The Church permits belief in either special creation or developmental creation, but it does not permit belief in atheistic evolution. Catholics should weigh the evidence for the universe's age by examining biblical and scientific evidence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
> "Faith and science: ... methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God in spite of himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are."
The Church has a more definite teaching concerning human evolution. It allows for the possibility that man's body developed from previous biological forms, under God's guidance, but it insists on the special creation of his soul. Pope Pius XII declared:
> "The teaching authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions ... take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter— [but] the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God."
The position that ultimately prevailed within the Catholic Church was that the evolution of human beings at the physical level is consistent with Catholic faith, so long as the spiritual soul is understood to have been conferred by God directly upon the first human beings, as upon all subsequent human beings.
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Catholics believe God created the soul, not evolution
The Catholic Church does not have an official position on the theory of evolution or creationism. It allows individuals to accept either a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis or the belief that the Earth evolved over time under God's guidance.
The Church's position is that God initiated and continued the process of creation, with Adam and Eve as the first people, and that humans have always had specially created souls. This belief in the special creation of the human soul is a core teaching of the Church. Catholics must believe that humans have souls created directly by God, and not through the transformation of matter. This belief is based on the understanding that the soul is a spiritual substance, distinct from the physical body.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "methodical research in all branches of knowledge... can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God." This indicates that the Church does not see a contradiction between faith and scientific discovery, including the theory of evolution.
While the Church does not forbid discussions on the origin of the human body and evolution, it emphasizes that Catholics should form their opinions cautiously, respecting the Church's right to define matters touching on Revelation.
Some Catholics hold a pro-evolution stance, believing that God used evolution as a process of creation, with the soul being infused into humans at a certain point in their evolution. This view, known as theistic evolution or evolutionary creation, is supported by the Church. Pope John Paul II and Pope Pius XII have both made statements suggesting that there is no intrinsic conflict between Christianity and the theory of evolution, as long as Christians believe that God created all things and that the soul is a direct creation by God.
In summary, while Catholics may hold different views on the theory of evolution, the Church's position is that God created the soul, and this belief is central to their faith.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church has no official position on the theory of evolution or creation. Catholics are allowed to believe in either literal or special creation, or that the earth evolved over time under the guidance of God.
The Catholic Church has infallibly defined that the universe was created by God out of nothing. This is known as instantaneous creation or cosmological evolution.
The Catholic Church does not have an official position on biological evolution. Catholics are permitted to believe in either special creation or developmental creation, as long as it is guided by God. Atheistic evolution is not accepted.
The Catholic Church allows for the possibility that the human body evolved from previous species. However, it insists on the special creation of the human soul by God. This is known as theistic evolution.
