Hannah Klossner

Upheaval and discomfort has rocked the Catholic community with the public announcement about evolution made by Pope Francis. In his speech to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Pope continued making progressive statements, which can be seen as controversial for many Catholics.

“God is not a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,” Francis said. “Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.” The pope continued by saying, “When we read about creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God as a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,” Francis said. “He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.”

Catholic campus minister, Amanda Conklin expressed how Pope Francis is not changing church teachings and that there is a misunderstanding between Catholics. “The media loves this Pope. They want to paint him as a progressive leader, but all he is doing is reaffirming church teaching that were already there,” she said. She adds that the Pope expressing opinions about evolution is positive, in that it can help dissolve some of the confusion in the Catholic community. “As Catholics we aren’t supposed to believe in evolution. It is neat how science and faith can fit together showing that as Catholics we are not biblical literalists,” said Conklin.

Mark MacWilliams, Professor and Chair of Religious Studies, says the recent actions by the Pope are not a big deal. “In terms of science he isn’t saying much that is different from other Popes,” he said. Pope Pius XII came out with an encyclical that said evolution is the truth of science during his reign. MacWilliams adds, “Science and religion are two separate spheres.” He continues, “Science can’t say anything against the creation of human soul, but it can on human existence.” Science and religion occupy two different ways of understanding human life, religion being the spiritual and ethical matters, while science is the physical truth. “Catholicism is getting a bad rap,” said MacWilliams.

Biologists look at science and religion from a different point of view. Biology teacher and open non-Catholic, Linda Auker bases her statements off her own experiences. She understands that this explanation could be problematic for those Catholics who hold beliefs from the Bible as the literal truth. “The idea that random changes have determined what organisms look like and how they function removes the omniscient Creator from the story, which may be difficult for people with deeply held religious beliefs,” she said. “There is an abundance of evidence that supports evolution, much of it visible within our own lifetime. If one sees science as a tool to help others, rather than an attack on one’s own belief, it’s likely easier to accept,” concluded Auker.

Students also share ideas on the views articulated by the Pope. Mike Lengeiza ’17 said, “It moves them towards an inclusive and open-minded standpoint rather than the close-minded and adversarial standpoint that is characteristic of the Catholic Church.” Clifford Reilly ’17 adds, “Catholic people should already know about the Catholic Church believing that church and creationism coexist. He is just publically making a statement so non-Catholic people have a better understanding of the church.”

Pope Francis’ statements have caused individuals to question his Catholic beliefs. Some individuals believe his public announcement a big deal, while others do not. Pope Francis’ recent comments regarding evolution led to widespread media coverage claiming that he is embracing a progressive mentality.

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