Fr Ennio Mantovani SVD 25 billion years ago. Since it has been demonstrated that all living organisms on earth are genetically related, it is virtually certain that all living organisms have descended from this first organism. Converging evidence from many studies in the physical and biological sciences furnishes mounting support for some theory of evolution to account for the development and diversification of life on earth, while controversy continues over the pace and mechanisms of evolution.’” 2. Pope Pius XII As in other scientific issues, in the case of Evolution also Pope Pius XII took a keen interest. His encyclical Humani Generis of 1950, the first major document by a recent pope on this theme, says: “The Church does not forbid that ... research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in both fields, 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 (no.36). Here the Pope looks at human evolution as far as the human body is concerned. “The traditional position that the human soul requires a special divine intervention is upheld. Also, the Pope does not approve of the theory of Polygenism —the view of evolutionists that human evolution involved a whole group of original humans. In fact, according to evolutionists like Jerry Coyne, given the observed genetic variation present in the human species, the minimum size of the population of humans within the last million years is about 12,000. 3. Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II went much further in expressing the Church’s positive and open-minded attitude towards Evolution, particularly in his address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on 22 October 1996. In this much commented-upon address, he first recalls the views of his predecessors, especially Pope Pius XII, and restates the two “methodological conditions” put by the Pope: 1) One should not take evolution “as if it were a certain and demonstrable doctrine”. (no.4). 2) The teaching of Revelation cannot be disregarded. Then he made the well-known statement: “Today, more than a half-century after the appearance of that encyclical, some new findings lead us toward the recognition of Evolution as more than an hypothesis. In fact it is remarkable that this theory has had progressively greater influence on the spirit of researchers, following a series of discoveries in different scholarly disciplines. The convergence in the results of these independent studies—which was neither planned nor sought—constitutes in itself a significant argument in favour of the theory (no. 4)”. The Pope then enters into a brief but erudite discussion on the nature of a scientific theory according to contemporary philosophy of science. He clarifies that a theory is “a meta-scientific elaboration, which is distinct from, but in harmony with, the results of observation. With the help of such a theory a group of data and independent facts can be related to one another and interpreted in one comprehensive explanation”. It seems to me that he accepts evolution as a scientific theory in this sense. This understanding of scientific theory opens up the possibility of several theories to account for a particular phenomenon. Reasoning along this line the Pope says that “it is more accurate to speak of the theories of evolution ...in part because of the diversity of explanations regarding the mechanism of evolution, and in part because of the diversity of philosophies involved” (no. 4). He also puts certain limits to how far Christian scientists and thinkers can go in this connection: “The theories of evolution which, because of the philosophies which inspire them, regard the spirit either as emerging from the forces of living matter, or as a simple epiphenomenon of that matter, are incompatible with the truth about man. They are therefore unable to serve as the basis for the dignity of the human person (no. 50).” The Pope certainly has taken the Church forward in its openness to the scientific theory of evolution. But he has also made sure that it does not disregard the voice of Revelation and Tradition. Pope John Paul II certainly has taken the Church forward in its openness to the scientific theory of evolution. But he has also made sure that it does not disregard the voice of Revelation and Tradition.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ0MTI=