So, the Pope, the Rabbi, and Darwin were in a bar ...

[Jayhawker Soule]

An interesting article ...

What's curious is that neither Roman Catholics nor Jews get riled about evolution. They read pretty much the same Genesis as conservative Christians who reject evolution. Why don't Roman Catholics get angry over Darwin? Besides, most Roman Catholics hold a high view of the Bible as God's Word. They interpret it conservatively.

One reason is that Roman Catholics respect biblical scholars like Pope John Paul II who does not read Genesis in order to discover a scientific explanation for human origins. Pope John Paul II in 1996 wrote a very clear letter to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He endorsed the scientific theory of evolution, stating that the idea is compatible with Christian faith. For the Pope, evolution also complements the non-negotiable Christian conviction that creation is God's work.

In his Oct. 23, 1996, message to the Pontifical Academy of Science, the Pope said he believed in a physical evolution of humanity and other species through natural selection and heredity adaptation.

My solution to educating Southern Baptists who slap warning stickers on biology textbooks is to suggest they send their children to Roman Catholic parochial schools.

What piques my interest even more is that I have never read any rabbi's consternation over evolution. The Jews have studied the Genesis creation sagas much longer than any Christian community. It is part of their sacred Torah.

Perhaps Christian fundamentalists who think evolution denies God's creative power should sit at the feet of rabbinical scholars. They might learn to unlearn what their literal interpretations of the Bible make them believe.

- see Why Jews and Roman Catholics aren't upset over evolution

I rather like the good Rev. Jack R. Van Ens! I don't agree with him, but I like him.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I have been fomenting this heresey for some time now. It's good to know that the Pope and I agree on at least ONE thing!

 

[Master Vigil]

I like the pope more and more everyday.

 

[No*s]

Nice article Deut.

 

[MrMorden]

i dont have much respect for the pope, but as far as evolution goes, i believe that it is entirely compatible with christian faith, although it might not be as accurate as it is heralded to be. too many christians discount evolution as heresy without even knowing what it is, and vice verse as well. i personally believe scientific fact of any kind, but there is a fine line between scientific fact and scientific theory. i believe that science and the belief in a god are entirely compatible, and that one doesnt depend on the other for its validity or existence.(im not saying that god didnt create science, what im saying is that just as its possible that there is another explanation for the universe's origins, there also is another explanation for the big bang and for evolution, and then there is also the possibilty that both are in existence. this seems to be the most logical viewpoint, at least to me)

 

[michel]

I like the pope more and more everyday.

I think he is an extraordinarilly devout and focussed man........

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

i dont have much respect for the pope, but as far as evolution goes, i believe that it is entirely compatible with christian faith, although it might not be as accurate as it is heralded to be. too many christians discount evolution as heresy without even knowing what it is, and vice verse as well. i personally believe scientific fact of any kind, but there is a fine line between scientific fact and scientific theory. i believe that science and the belief in a god are entirely compatible, and that one doesnt depend on the other for its validity or existence.(im not saying that god didnt create science, what im saying is that just as its possible that there is another explanation for the universe's origins, there also is another explanation for the big bang and for evolution, and then there is also the possibilty that both are in existence. this seems to be the most logical viewpoint, at least to me)

i totally concur that it is essentially possible that one is possible while it is also possible that the converse is possible without in any way dismissing the possibility that both are possible although this stance could hardly coexist with the possibility that neither are possible yet despite this upwelling of underwhelming possibility i continue to respect the pope and science as well ...

... and I particularly appreciate that his views on science are clear and clearly communicated.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Maybe Jesus should have called them the Apossibles???

But Dear Deut...

he is saying essentially what I have been preaching here for some time. You guys refer to this as the "God of the Gaps", where in reality we see no gap that has to be filled. The true gaps are in our knowledge, understandings and perceptions. It's not with God.

 

[patronkerr]

Mmmmmm! But let me something about the Pope and the creation theory - ooops, it's in the Bible so it must be true!
Not so many years ago when, and I'm not sure if it was when the Hubble Space thing was sent up or when the Deep Space Tracking was started by NASA, and the scientists began to look further and further back to the point where there was a danger that the Big Bang might have be seen, this very Pope said, 'Stop! Stop! Man should not see what God has created!'
Also bear in mind it took the Vatican about 400 years to forgive Galileo Galilei for contradicting the Church by saying that the Earth went around the Sun and not the opposite.
Another example (and there are hundreds of them!) is the hunting down of William Tyndale, and his burning at the stake for daring to publish the Bible in English. As the saying goes, 'Knowledge is power.'

 

[michel]

Maybe Jesus should have called them the Apossibles???

But Dear Deut...

he is saying essentially what I have been preaching here for some time. You guys refer to this as the "God of the Gaps", where in reality we see no gap that has to be filled. The true gaps are in our knowledge, understandings and perceptions. It's not with God.

That's an excellent point NetDoc; I think this is the basis for all the dissent among people of different/same religions who 'clash words'. Because God is not defined in words of one sillable, and because we have (nor will we ever have) direct 'proof' of his existance, God is a very 'personal' being. At least that's what I think.