Download First Edition of Origin of Species 1859 S1

Darwin’s birth February 1809
First Edition of Origin of Species 1859
Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection” was
never on the Index of Prohibited books. Darwin’s evolutionary theory was not
mentioned in the Syllabus of errors. Certainly there were great difficulties for
Believers in the Bible to reconcile the two. Darwin himself probably came to be
what we would call an agnostic.
Genesis 1 clearly points to God commanding that the “earth bring forth living
creatures according to their kinds...” There didn’t seem to be any delay in this
process. Darwin proposed that variety of species came from “Natural Selection”
over many generations and not simply by “Divine Decree” as suggested by the
Bible. Darwin went further and suggested common ancestry descending from a
“tree of life” that he sketched in his pages.
How should a believer in the truth of Sacred Scripture approach such scientific
theories? In this piece the origin of non human life and later the origin of the
human species will be examined.
From the outset two principles have to be insisted on. Firstly it is the same God
who created us is the same God who inspired the Bible and calls us to life in
Christ. The “Laws of Nature” cannot contradict “Inspired Revelation.” If science
truly discovers something about our world, then it will be in harmony with the
truth of faith. As the Universal Catechism puts it: “...many scientific studies... have
splendidly enriched our knowledge of... the development of life-forms and the
appearance of man. These discoveries invite us to even greater admiration for
the greatness of the Creator, prompting us to give thanks...” [CCC 283]. The
second principle is that the Church will not decide whether Darwin’s theory is
true or not, rather that will be a scientific question. Rather, the teaching office of
the Church decides whether such a view of the world is compatible with Catholic
Faith. That “the sun goes round the earth” does not contradict Catholicism; that
“the earth goes round the sun” (Galileo) does not contradict Catholicism; that
“there are no privileged observers” (Einstein) does not contradict Catholicism.
Which of these three views of the world is true (if any) is a purely scientific
question.
Can Darwin’s theories be shown not to contradict Catholic Faith? Again Darwin’s
theory has been added to over the years. Some have insisted that it should lead
to eugenics and the destruction of those who are “not so fit.” Maria Stopes and
Adolf Hitler come into this category. Clearly such Darwinism is not compatible
with Catholicism. Others have taken Darwin’s theory to prove that “there is no
God.” Again such Darwinism contradicts the Catholic Faith, and so on.
We must leave aside Darwinisms, in order to ask whether the theory of the
“origin of the species by means of natural selection”, promulgated 150 years ago,
is in contradiction to the Catholic Faith. It may still be false and some reputable
scientists believe it to be false, but is it compatible?
Regarding “the days” of creation, both the Psalm 90 and the 1Peter agree that
“with the Lord one day is as a thousand years.” If the species took longer than “a
day” to form and appear then perhaps Darwin’s theories may be compatible with
Catholic Faith. In addition when Gen 1 says that “God rested on the seventh day
from all his work” no believer imagined God “heading for a sleep.” Something
more than a “video camera” account is being expressed in Gen 1. Perhaps the
first book of the Bible is expressing the “vertical” reason and purpose of Creation
while evolution explains the “horizontal” of creation and its space-time
sequence. As for the tradition of the Church, the idea that new yet-unseen species
could appear was not so difficult for St Thomas Aquinas. In principle this was
possible.
In fact as Darwin theories are growing acceptance, Catholicism is insisting that
creation is not like a clock which God wound up and allowed to run its course
(Deism). God’s providence and care supports the Universe at all times from
falling into nothingness. God is always the answer to “Why is there something
rather than just, nothing.” God’s relationship with Creation cannot be simplified
to the “setting up of the space-time continuum.” God has a permanent care over
the world- a universe that God set up.
Last year Pope Benedict is reported to have insisted that if the theory of
evolution is reasonable then we are forced to ask where does this
reasonableness come from? Why is it that the Universe is so reasonable, so
comprehensible to rational minds? Every reasonable, rational thought requires a
reasonable rational thinker. Pope Benedict is insistent that if there is an
“evolutionary principle” which is reasonable then it should point us to the
reasonableness of a Creator God. If the theory of evolution is rational and true
then it still points to a reasonable Creator God.
The German Adult Catechism (whose editors include the former Cardinal
Ratzinger and the present Cardinal Kasper) puts it this way: “Faith in creation
and evolutionary theory do not conflict in principle.. They answer quite different
questions...”
Humourous anecdote
Quantum Mechanics relies on probability. The scientist who brought us
Relativity, Einstein couldn’t accept this. He is reported as saying: “I cannot
believe God plays dice.” Another atomic physicist retorted– “don’t tell God what
to do.”
This shows two things: Some scientists believe in God, some don’t. Secondly not
all scientific theories are “fixed.”