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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
response to creation/evolution	Jeff	Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Question: Brother Ignatius, I thought your response to the creation/evolution question was right on target. I only have one point to make. You stated that there was a lot of scientific data that backed up the theory of evolution. I am not sure if that is the case. Scientific research does lend credence to 'micro-evolution(where certain species and and living organisms have adapted to their enviroments) but for macro-evolution on a broader sense there is actually little or no data that I am aware of.Even if it were this would not interfere with our Catholic beliefs but many people are misled into beleiving that evolution is scientific fact- it is not- it is only a theory. Thank you, J.Clark
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Jeff: Thanks. As for the specific topic of Macro-Evolution: As I understand it, there is a lot of evidence for macro-evolution. It is a theory, but the public has a wrong idea about "theory". Gravity is a theory too, but I would not want to argue against it :) Anyway, even with the what I understand to be the evidence for Macro evolution, I have personal doubts about it overall. While Macro-Evolution may have evidence to support it (maybe not, I don't know), it does contain some presumptions that I find hard to support. The evidence only fits within those presumptions. Thus, personally, I am inclined to not buy into it 100%. Nevertheless, since I really don't care, and regardless of its scientific veracity it does not affect or effect the Faith, I spend no time wondering about it anymore. I'll leave that up to the scientists to argue. My concern is people's souls (which are NOT evolved). The PRIMARY message on this subject, is that God can create any 'ol way He chooses. If He wants He could have created the universe in six days and the earth is only 6000 years old. He could have created the Big Bang and allowed things to develop naturally through Evolution over billions of years. He can do as He pleases. Human beings could have been created in a nanosecond, or God could have allowed animals to evolve to the point that a suitable creature was formed that God then imbued with a soul. What makes us truly human is the rational soul made in the image of God. That soul is implanted into the human creature at the moment of conception. Thus, it is this event, not the biological form and DNA that truly makes us human. Thus, I have no problem with humans evolving from apes and in the long-range evolving from bugs in a primordial soup. It doesn't matter ultimately. What matters is that God has given us a soul in His image. Truth in general matters for its own sake, however, and whether or not Macro-Evolution is the truth of how the universe developed I do not know. Science must investigate that as such things is the job of science. Perhaps we will never know definitively about the origins of the universe and how everything developed. But we do know the Revelation of God who reveals Himself though Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and His Church. That we can know for sure. And that knowledge speaks to our future, not our past. Ultimately that is all that matters. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

response to creation/evolution

Jeff

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Question:

Brother Ignatius,
I thought your response to the creation/evolution question was right on target. I only have one point to make. You stated that there was a lot of scientific data that backed up the theory of evolution. I am not sure if that is the case. Scientific research does lend credence to 'micro-evolution(where certain species and and living organisms have adapted to their enviroments) but for macro-evolution on a broader sense there is actually little or no data that I am aware of.Even if it were this would not interfere with our Catholic beliefs but many people are misled into beleiving that evolution is scientific fact- it is not- it is only a theory.
Thank you,
J.Clark

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Jeff:

Thanks. As for the specific topic of Macro-Evolution:

As I understand it, there is a lot of evidence for macro-evolution. It is a theory, but the public has a wrong idea about "theory". Gravity is a theory too, but I would not want to argue against it :)

Anyway, even with the what I understand to be the evidence for Macro evolution, I have personal doubts about it overall. While Macro-Evolution may have evidence to support it (maybe not, I don't know), it does contain some presumptions that I find hard to support. The evidence only fits within those presumptions. Thus, personally, I am inclined to not buy into it 100%.

Nevertheless, since I really don't care, and regardless of its scientific veracity it does not affect or effect the Faith, I spend no time wondering about it anymore.

I'll leave that up to the scientists to argue. My concern is people's souls (which are NOT evolved).

The PRIMARY message on this subject, is that God can create any 'ol way He chooses. If He wants He could have created the universe in six days and the earth is only 6000 years old. He could have created the Big Bang and allowed things to develop naturally through Evolution over billions of years. He can do as He pleases.

Human beings could have been created in a nanosecond, or God could have allowed animals to evolve to the point that a suitable creature was formed that God then imbued with a soul.

What makes us truly human is the rational soul made in the image of God. That soul is implanted into the human creature at the moment of conception. Thus, it is this event, not the biological form and DNA that truly makes us human.

Thus, I have no problem with humans evolving from apes and in the long-range evolving from bugs in a primordial soup. It doesn't matter ultimately. What matters is that God has given us a soul in His image.

Truth in general matters for its own sake, however, and whether or not Macro-Evolution is the truth of how the universe developed I do not know. Science must investigate that as such things is the job of science.

Perhaps we will never know definitively about the origins of the universe and how everything developed. But we do know the Revelation of God who reveals Himself though Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and His Church. That we can know for sure. And that knowledge speaks to our future, not our past. Ultimately that is all that matters.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.