Theistic evolution

The term theistic evolution refers to a range of perspectives on the relationship theistic religious beliefs and scientific theories on the origin and evolution of life. Many devout theists believe that God plans in any way the development of life or controls. Some theists go there only by the influence of God on psychic phenomena, but some go so far as to speak of the direct creative intervention of God in natural processes. In contrast to representatives of a Christian evolutionist creationism go adherents of theistic evolution in general but not on the assumption of full inerrancy of the Bible. Numerous well-known scientists and theologians are of the opinion that the theory of evolution and faith are completely free of contradictions in a Creator God to reconcile. Very many of the faithful of the major denominations hold science and faith also completely independently. Whether and how far those items yet falls under the heading of theistic evolution is controversial.

  • 3.1 German
  • 3.2 English

Catholic Church

Creatio continua

In the Christian doctrine of creation Augustine of Hippo is the inventor of the concept of so-called creatio continua. Augustine used this term to indicate that the creation is not yet complete, but in their laws constantly for the intervention of God is open. Even Newton takes this view. Leibniz accuses the other hand, before Newton, to see God as a poor watchmaker. Leibniz is the first who claims back to the Middle Ages, the world would run strictly causal for the ( created by a god at the beginning of the world) laws of nature from and is currently closed off from the intervention of God, as it would be expressed approximately in Miracles.

In a more metaphysical perspective, the concept focuses on the continuous creation, the ratio of timelessness ( eternity ) of a creator or creators - for the creator is everything "simultaneously" - for linear temporality of contingent, accidental creation. The creatio continua (Latin for " continuous creation" ) is either the preservation and conservation of creation by constantly Next work ( Thomas Aquinas, Summa contra gentiles III, 6) - Counter View: Deism - and / or the collapse of create and maintain.

Converse opinion

Theistic followers of a closed natural causality, as it has approximately represented Leibniz want to interpret a statement of Augustine to the effect that the intervention of a god narrow limits are set: "The world is not made in time, but with the world God created and the time. " according to their interpretation of this statement is a God, the world and time sets into existence, with this an act of creation, creation is complete and the world from then evolves in accordance with the laws of nature also finally created further in time. But that just claiming that creation at the beginning of time and was not beyond time. In this context it is often spoken of theological aspects of creation of the universe, of life and of the soul, which are outside the temporal and spatial world. Other interpretations see the emergence of these three aspects as active intervention. Followers of these interpretations distance themselves generally by the name of theistic evolution, because they consider their thesis as entirely independent of the science and make no statements about the evolution itself. Some directions to go but so far, to consider the biological evolution as a control system of a God, with which this constantly intervenes actively in the development of life.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) was a distinguished geologist and paleontologist and Jesuit priest and wrote extensively on the issue of inclusion of evolution in a new understanding of Christianity. While it by the Roman Catholic Church no recognition was initially met with, his works had considerable influence later. His view is discussed in Catholic and Protestant seminaries, but does not the doctrine of these churches again.

In Germany represented approximately half of the members of the Roman Catholic Church and many other great churches and denominations more or less one of these directions, as they have traditionally never considered the Bible on the whole, as literally interpreted, and the only authoritative source of transcendent truths. Specifically, to modern scientific theories on the development of life for the first time expressed by Pope Pius XII. 1950 in the encyclical Humani Generis. This encyclical was taken up in 1996 by John Paul II. He has said that they interpret the theory of evolution as " serious hypothesis " and stressed that this was in the meantime, " more than a hypothesis " has become.

In 2005 it came into circles of the Catholic Church to some statements, some of which were considered as an approximation to some creationist positions of fundamentalist Christianity. So Cardinal Christoph Schönborn published in July 2005 in the New York Times article Finding design in nature. In it, he presented the theory of evolution itself, although not in question, but was directed against the interpretation that it was, this is a process without end or purpose. Although he was intelligent design initially did not respond, he advocated later in interviews that it must be allowed also in the U.S. classroom to talk about this plan, for which he used the term Intelligent Design. From the charge, so to represent creationist positions, he distanced himself, however, referring to the view of the Swiss zoologist and anthropologist Adolf Portmann, who calls Darwin's deficits. In November 2005, answered Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, on the question of the intelligent design movement, that the creation story of Genesis and Darwin's theory of evolution are fully compatible when the Bible will be interpreted correctly. This is generally regarded as the rejection of the intelligent design movement, which among other things rejects the theory of evolution. Pope Benedict XVI. reiterated shortly thereafter again the position of Christoph Schoenborn, speaking of a "smart plan" of the cosmos. It is often assumed that it is in the statements to a reaffirmation of the position of the planned development of a God of life, although some statements in the press counted as direct support of intelligent design because of the similar choice of words.

Outside the Catholic Church

The notion that evolutionary theory and Christian faith were consistent to reconcile, has been since Teilhard de Chardin also postulated by prominent scientists, such as the evolutionary biologist Kenneth Miller, paleontologist Robert Bakker and Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project. Especially Miller and Collins are emerged at the same time as staunch opponents of creationism and intelligent design. Both are members who belong launched for this purpose by Collins BioLogos Foundation, the other renowned scientists and stands for the compatibility of science and Christian faith. Several Anglican theologians have presented some very extensive work on this topic. In addition to John Polkinghorne is especially Arthur Peacocke to call, who had previously worked for two decades as a university lecturer in biochemistry, as well as the theologian and scientist Alister McGrath.

767561
de