天主教是否和進化論衝突？

Leechard,

Here comes a present to Darwin, who has his 200th birthday on 12. The presenter, however, is an organization influencing millions of people worldwide, the Vatican. According to 11 February Times report, the Church has admitted that Charles Darwin was on the right track when he claimed that Man descended from apes. The Evolution theory is compatible with the Christian faith and could be traced to St Auguste and St Thomas Aquinas, the leading official said on 10.

Were Charles Darwin to be alive now, he shall be glad to bear the witness of the scene that Catholic Church announced that they accept his thinking on evolution. Since the publication of Origin of Species, there are many debates on whether we should adopt Darwin's Evolution theory or Creationist theory to answer this question :where the organisms come from? Seeing that evolution appeared to be in conflict with Catholic teaching, creationist, at Darwin's time, was very hostile towards Darwin and his fellows. But all these have gone. In recent 50 years, there are increasing number of biological facts, such as the study of DNA between ape and human, the fossil of early man ancestors, that serves as evidence to support Darwin's theory. At the same time the Church slowly changed its attitude. First, it tried to study origin of man in Darwin's perspective in 1950. In 1996, it was Pope John II to proclaim, in his speech, that evolution theory was "more than a hypothesis" In 2009, Catholic Church, under Pope Benedict XIV, prepares to go a step further, that formally recognizes the excellent work of Darwin in evolution, and to agree that what Origin of Species said is in parallel with the first Chapter of Genesis.

The significance of this event, i think, should not be underestimated. It is the second time, in recent years, that the Church attempts to resolves hundred years long dispute between science and Religion, followed by the Galileo's event. Galileo, like Darwin, was condemned by many and the Church as anti-Christian, while he was advocating a theory that Earth was not a centre of univense. But, with many scientific evidences proving Galileo's theory, he is now accepted by the Church. Now Church is prepared to do the same for the father of evolution, Darwin, which should be welcomed and commenced by all. It is a historic, landmark moment in the present time, in World History, and in Catholic’s history that Church agrees that Darwin and Galileo's theory can be linked with Bible teaching. In other words, Science and Religion are not, as many people believed, in antagonism with each other. They are telling us the same things, but in different angles, on what has happened in universe, and where we come from. So, from now onwards, the time for conflict between science and religion arising on matters related on universe and our origin has ended. The time of communication and cooperation between Science and Religion has begun. People can concentrate their effort in understanding the world deeper and broader in scientific and religion context. Scientists would appreciate the value of love in the society, while religion believers would adopt a scientific way to learn the world. To me, and to many worldwide men concerning on human future, it is a good start for rebuilding the strong world culture since divided, fragmented in years long conflict between science and religion, Only when we are united in our thinking can we begin our planning and execute our plan of rebuilding the world culture. In this sense, it is a good present by Church to all of us in year 2009.

We wish to see more and more such kind of events to take place in Church in the present time.

Here attached is Times report which can serve as your reference.

I am looking forward to hear from you.

Best wishes,
William



Dear William,


來信收到，刊在思想資料庫，請參閱。

　關於進化論的問題，天主教和基督教的理解，完全不同。請參看以下
路透社的一篇文章。作者是Philip Pullella


http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSLG62672220080916?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

部份激進的基督教會，至今堅持「創造論」，以為上帝在
數天之內創造了世界。

　但天主教認為，創世紀並非一部歷史書。宗教故事，許多
時候都以寓言方式啟示世人。

　所以，創世紀是一個寓言(allegory). 而耶穌也在新約
中多次講過，他的每一句，都是比喻。

　因此，天主教是反對聖經直譯主義的。（Biblical literalism)

那麼，問題何在？

　問題是：進化論寫成以後，有人把達爾文沒有說過的話，
強加於他。達爾文不反對宗教，但

一：有人「根據」進化論說世上沒有神。

二：更有人「根據」進化論而強調物質。以為
物質比心靈更重要。

三：還有人以為，弱肉強食才是真理。
所以，生存在世上要有竸爭心，因此，愛是多餘的。

來信提到的意見很好。但請注意：宗教和科學，並不是
像部份傳媒的意見那樣「混合」的。更不是天主教接納
了無神論。


李察謹上
二零零九年二月十五日