Shawn
Hughes
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
In October 1996, Pope John Paul II stated
in a Message to Pontifical Academy of Sciences that:
"new knowledge has led to the recognition
in the theory of evolution of more than
a hypothesis"
This was restated from Humani Generis that:
"if the human body takes its origin
from pre-existent living matter, the spiritual
soul is immediately created by God."
Concerned,
Shawn
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{
Why didn't the Church know this from the beginning
instead of science correcting
us? }
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Shawn,
We knew from the beginning that God
created man:
- in an orderly fashion
- out of the Earth and by His Spirit
- in an orderly fashion, and
- that he was created good.
This does not conflict in any way
with evolution properly understood.
Evolution is a scientific theory
about how man's physical nature was
formed. The Bible's literary form
did not intend to teach science.
The orderly fashion refers
to the ascending hierarchy of being
and the (7) seven days, as opposed to the
battle scenes of pagan mythology.
Mary Ann
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Shawn
replied:
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Mary Ann,
- As a follow up question, didn't
many take the Bible in the literal
sense up until the scientific
explanations?
I know not all did, but I believe one
of the Church Fathers did.
Thanks!
Shawn
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Sean,
No, the Fathers generally did not take
it literally, but according to the
literary form intended, and symbolically
in several ways.
Also in another e-mail you said:
God is the author of All things,
and the source of all truth.
You are right that God is the author
of All things, and the source of
all truth. That is why the Catholic
Church teaches that science and faith
will never conflict. If there is
an apparent conflict, it will be
resolved. Science is observation,
and is rarely definitive. The good
news is that we, ourselves, don't
need to figure everything out for
ourselves, because God has given
us an authoritative teacher on faith
and morals. It wouldn't matter to
me if something immoral had benefits.
It is immoral to do evil for the
sake of good. The end does not justify
the means.
The only way to pursue God is to
surrender to Him and ask Him to lead
you.
If you ask, He will.
God bless,
Mary Ann
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John
replied:
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Shawn,
When it comes to the exegesis of
a particular package, it is often
times, if not more often than not,
a matter of theological opinion.
Genesis Chapters 1 through 3 are
loaded with meaning, some of which,
isn't clear to us
(on the surface) because we are
reading it in English and not Hebrew.
John
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Shawn
replied:
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Thank you both John and Mary Ann!
Shawn
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