While I applaud Pope Francis’ statement that the Big Bang Theory and evolution are compatible with the Catholic Church’s teachings about God and creation, the Pope doesn’t appear to understand the modern theory of evolution and the origins of life. In his statement, he says:
“Evolution in nature is not in contrast with the notion of divine creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.”
Pope Francis is wrong. The theory of evolution does NOT require that God create beings that then evolve. Strictly speaking, current theory suggests that all life on earth evolved from a single living cell, which arose from random forces on our earth 3.8 billions of years ago. Indeed, one of the consequences of these theories is that no outside force (God) is necessary to explain how life began and evolved.
Even so, I celebrate Pope Francis’ statement. It’s an important concession to science. I hope there are more to come.
Now, about the Church’s prohibition of contraception….
