Religious Responses to Evolution
This page summarizes the widely-ranging responses to evolution found in
various religious communities. Where possible, I have used
official web pages, and have looked for official statements from the
various religious groups. In some cases, I have referenced
commentaries by individuals, which may or may not represent the
official (or even predominate) position of their religion. I have
made an effort to include the world's major faiths, as well as the
largest religious organizations in the United States, as listed by Adherents.com. Based on what I read from the internet sources, I have listed some general classifications:
This
is a rough classification, and it should not be assumed that the groups
listed in the same category have precisely the same views, or that all
members of a given group have the same point of view. In some
cases, the classification was a judgment call. The nuances of
some statements may be important. Many groups make a distinction
between biological evolution per se,
and "naturalistic" evolution which ignores or excludes a creator.
You are encouraged to read the source material and draw your own
conclusions. Also, please keep in mind that the content of
some web pages may have changed since I read them. Religious groups more or less open to evolution:
I
have included in this category groups whose web pages include positive
responses to evolution, even if some members or clergy have differing
viewpoints. Groups in this category do not generally
"believe in" evolution as a matter of faith, but they (or many of their
members) do express some openness to evolution as a possible mechanism
of creation.
The Anglican Communion
In an interview,
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams stated his opposition to
teaching of creationism in school and stated that in his view, science
is compatible with religion. The Archbishop is the leader of the Church of England and of the Anglican Communion. The
Anglican Communion consists of more than 40 Episcopal and Anglican
denominations worldwide, including the Episcopal Church, USA. In the interview, the Archbishop said, "I
think creationism is, in a sense, a kind of category mistake, as if the
Bible were a theory like other theories. "Whatever the biblical account
of creation is, it's not a theory alongside theories. It's not as if
the writer of Genesis or whatever sat down and said, 'Well, how am I
going to explain all this?'. . . For most of the history of
Christianity, there's been an awareness that a belief that everything
depends on the creative act of God is quite compatible with a degree of
uncertainty or latitude about how precisely that unfolds in creative
time" The Baha'i Faith
Baha'i teachings on the unity of religion and science indicate that Baha'is would be open to scientific explanations. A web page on the "Destiny of Mankind" appears to take human evolution as a given. The writings of 'Abdu'l Baha include extensive commentary on science and religion. Buddhism
A web page entitled, "Buddhism, evolution, and 'Intelligent design'"
states, "There is no conflict between the Buddha's teachings and the
scientific view of how the world has evolved. On the other hand, there
is a blatant conflict between the doctrine of ``creationism'' that is
espoused by some Christian sects that fear to be exposed to scientific
truth, on the one hand, and the teachings of the Buddha, on the other." Another web pates
states, "Buddhist philosophy is evolutionary and thus agrees with the
scientists rather than the [creationist] theologians. Buddha taught
that all things are impermanent, constantly arising, becoming, changing
and fading." Church of England
According to this article in the New York Times, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, is opposed to teaching creationism in schools. The Archbishop stated, "I
think creationism is, in a sense, a kind of category mistake, as if the
Bible were a theory like other theories. "Whatever the biblical account
of creation is, it's not a theory alongside theories. It's not as if
the writer of Genesis or whatever sat down and said, 'Well, how am I
going to explain all this?'. . . For most of the history of
Christianity, there's been an awareness that a belief that everything
depends on the creative act of God is quite compatible with a degree of
uncertainty or latitude about how precisely that unfolds in creative
time" Conservative Judaism
A search of the web page of the Jewish Theological Seminary revealed an article by Chancellor Ismar Schorsch
which states that, "The Torah's story of creation is not intended as a
scientific treatise, worthy of equal time with Darwin's theory of
evolution in the curriculum of our public schools." The Episcopal Church, USA
The Episcopal Catechism of Creation has extensive commentary on science and evolution and how they fit with Christian theology. The following are excerpts from the catechism: “Theories
are not mere guesses or hypotheses, as people often suppose. When
enough evidence supports a hypothesis that has been created to explain
some facts of nature, it becomes a theory. A theory is a
well-established concept that is confirmed by further scientific
discoveries and is able to predict new discoveries. . . Biological
evolution is a web of theories strongly supported by observations and
experiments. It fits in with what we know about the physical
evolution of the universe, and has been confirmed by evidence gathered
from the remains of extinct species and from the forms and environments
of living species.” “Clergy
and scientists from both the Catholic and Evangelical traditions in
Anglicanism have accepted evolution from Darwin’s time to the present.” “Many
Christians have been taught to believe that evolution is opposed to
creation, and that a believer cannot accept evolution and also believe
in God. Neither of these assertions is true.” A statement by Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold
is open to the idea of evolution. The statement concludes, "The
divine creativity can be equally proclaimed in both the creation
stories and the theory of evolution." Another page on the Episcopal website
includes differing points of view by a member of the clergy, and an
official at an Episcopal seminary. Their comments are followed by
commentary by readers. The Rev. Franklin Vilas (a member of the
national church's Working Group on Science, Technology and Faith),
says, "Is it possible to believe in God as creator and also to accept
the scientific findings about the life process expressed in the theory
of evolution?" To this question I would answer with a resounding
"yes!" David Mills, director of publishing at Trinity Episcopal
School for Ministry, is less enthusiastic. Mills responds to the
question, "Are evolution and creationism equally valid
beliefs?" by stating that "the answer to the question is:
maybe". A 1982 resolution
of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church states: "that the
67th General Convention affirm the glorious ability of God to create in
any manner, whether men understand it or not, and in this affirmation
reject the limited insight and rigid dogmatism of the "Creationist"
movement...and ... that the Presiding Bishop appoint a Committee to
organize Episcopalians and to cooperate with all Episcopalians to
encourage actively their state legislators not to be persuaded by
arguments and pressures of the "Creationists" into legislating any form
of "balanced treatment" laws or any law requiring the teaching of
"Creation-science."" The Archbishop of Canterbury, worldwide leader of the Anglican Communion has stated his opposition to teaching creationism in schools. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA web page FAQ
indicates that the church has no official position, but that, "God
created the universe and all that is therein, only not necessarily in
six 24-hour days, and that he may actually have used evolution in the
process of creation." An article
from the Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church takes a generally neutral
position. The Encyclopedia is a publication of the Lutheran World
Federation. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
In response to recent discussions regarding the teaching of evolution
in public schools, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has placed on their
web page a 1969 Theological Statement
on the issue, indicating that, "Neither Scripture, our Confession of
Faith, nor our Catechisms, teach the Creation of man by the direct and
immediate acts of God so as to exclude the possibility of evolution as
a scientific theory...Some form of evolutionary theory is accepted by
the majority of modern scientists...We conclude that the true relation
between the evolutionary theory and the Bible is that of
non-contradiction"
The 214th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), meeting
in June 2002 approved a statement
that "Reaffirms that God is Creator, in accordance with the witness of
Scripture," and that "a natural explanation of the history of nature is
fully compatible with the affirmation of God as Creator."
The United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. [now part of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)] issued statements in 1982 and 1983 opposing the teaching of creationism in public schools. A survey of Presbyterians
indicated that a majority of church members, especially clergy, are
"open to the possibility of evolution, at least in a general
way." A more detailed explanation of the same survey discusses a number of scientific issues. Reform Judaism
The web page of the Union for Reform Judaism includes an article by Rabbi Richard Jacobs who states the following:
"I [believe] the Genesis account of creation to be true, [and] I also
[believe] the scientific theory of evolution to be true...Science is
one of humanity's great truth traditions, and religion is another. The
two have threatened each other since well before the theories of
Charles Darwin were formulated. But they needn't be engaged in such a
heated rivalry because their goals are so different.
"Science can help us understand how the world was created, but it can't
tell us why it was created. And religion has no business telling us how
the world was created, but we desperately need it to help us understand
why we're here." Resolutions passed by the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the American Jewish Congress oppose the teaching of creationism in public schools Roman Catholic Church
In a message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Pope John Paul II stated the following:
"Before offering you several reflections that more specifically concern
the subject of the origin of life and its evolution, I would like to
remind you that the magisterium of the Church has already made
pronouncements on these matters within the framework of her own
competence...In his Encyclical Humani generis
(1950), my predecessor Pius XII had already stated that there was no
opposition between evolution and the doctrine of the faith about man
and his vocation, on condition that one did not lose sight of several
indisputable points...
"Today, almost half a century after the publication of the encyclical,
new knowledge has led to the recognition of the theory of evolution as
more than a hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has
been progressively accepted by researchers, following a series of
discoveries in various fields of knowledge. The convergence, neither
sought nor fabricated, of the results of work that was conducted
independently is in itself a significant argument in favor of this
theory." The Pope's statement is discussed in an article by Mark Brumley and in an article by Stephen Jay Gould. A 2006 article in the Vatican newspaper
states that “Intelligent design is not science and should not be taught
as a scientific theory in schools alongside Darwinian evolution.” The Catholic Answers website has an article that states:
"Concerning biological evolution, the Church does not have an official
position on whether various life forms developed over the course of
time. However, it says that, if they did develop, then they did so
under the impetus and guidance of God, and their ultimate creation must
be ascribed to him. Pope Benedict XVI has been asked to clarify the church’s position on evolution after comments critical of evolution by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna. Father George Coyne,
director of the Vatican Observatory has recently stated that “Evolution
is not only compatible with Catholicism but also "reveals a God who
made a universe that has within it a certain dynamism and thus
participates in the very creativity of God” Dr. Kenneth R. Miller of Brown University, a Catholic professor of biology also responds to Cardinal Schönborn’s remarks. An article
by George Sim Johnston discusses evolution from a Catholic
perspective. Numerous other pertinent websites can be found by
through a general search of the internet. Unitarian Universalist Association
Resolutions passed in 1977 and 1982 oppose the teaching of creationism in public schools. United Church of Christ
A UCC Minister is quoted as approving of the actions of a school board that rejected a plan to introduce creationism into the curriculum. United Methodist Church
In his response to the Draft Report
of the Task Force on Science and Theology to the 2004 General
Conference, W. Richard Turner states, "Evolution is a scientific
fact, not someone's opinion or belief. Why cannot evolution be a part
of an intelligent design? Wouldn't evolution be an extremely elegant
and subtle way for God to accomplish God's purposes?" Rev. Phil Wogaman
asks, "Did life evolve from one-celled organisms, as most scientists
believe? Probably...Do the school children of Kansas and other states
need to be spared exposure to the well-founded scientific theory of
evolution? That theory is not inconsistent with the religious doctrine
of creation. It is not about whether God created the world, but about how."
(It is stated that Rev. Wogaman's commentary does not necessarily
represent the official view of the United Methodist Church.) In 1984, the Iowa Annual Conference passed a resolution opposing "efforts to introduce 'Scientific' creationism into the science curriculum of the public schools." Methodist internet resources on evolution can be found at this web page, and a search of the Church web site will give a a variety of materials. Other Clergy and Groups
More than 10,000 Christian clergy have signed An Open Letter Concerning Religion and Science, supporting evolution as a “foundational scientific truth.” The text of the letter follows: “Within
the community of Christian believers there are areas of dispute and
disagreement, including the proper way to interpret Holy Scripture.
While virtually all Christians take the Bible seriously and hold it to
be authoritative in matters of faith and practice, the overwhelming
majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science
textbook. Many of the beloved stories found in the Bible – the
Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark – convey timeless truths about
God, human beings, and the proper relationship between Creator and
creation expressed in the only form capable of transmitting these
truths from generation to generation. Religious truth is of a different
order from scientific truth. Its purpose is not to convey scientific
information but to transform hearts. “We
the undersigned, Christian clergy from many different traditions,
believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of
modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of
evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to
rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and
achievement rests. To reject this truth or to treat it as “one theory
among others” is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and
transmit such ignorance to our children. We believe that among God’s
good gifts are human minds capable of critical thought and that the
failure to fully employ this gift is a rejection of the will of our
Creator. To argue that God’s loving plan of salvation for humanity
precludes the full employment of the God-given faculty of reason is to
attempt to limit God, an act of hubris. We urge school board members to
preserve the integrity of the science curriculum by affirming the
teaching of the theory of evolution as a core component of human
knowledge. We ask that science remain science and that religion remain
religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth.” More than 75 articles and sermons from clergy supporting evolution can be found at this website.
Religious groups neutral
or ambivalent to evolution:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
The Church web page does not address the issue in the section on basic beliefs. However, both official and unofficial statements
can be found elsewhere. The official statements are generally
neutral. However the full range of views are represented in
unofficial statements from Church leaders and members. Some
Church leaders have been highly critical of evolution. However,
articles more or less open to evolution have appeared in official
church magazines in 1933, 1965 and 1987. The winter 2000 issue of the Brigham Young University alumni magazine includes an article favorable to evolution from a Mormon perspective, and a publication of BYU-Idaho also has several articles along the same lines. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism takes a "hands-off" approach. Church president David O. McKay wrote in a 1957 letter
that, "on the subject of organic evolution, the Church has officially
taken no position." The Brigham Young University Board of
Trustees in a 1992 statement
said that Church leaders had expressed "various views" over the past
decades, but that "there has never been a formal declaration from the
First Presidency addressing the general matter of organic evolution as a process for development of biological species." Individual Latter-day Saints maintain web pages both open to evolution, and critical of evolution. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Rt. Rev. Maximos Aghiorgoussis, Th.D., Bishop of Pittsburgh
writes, "Among the visible things that God created is the crown of His
creation, man. In Genesis we read the story of God's creation. We
cannot interpret this story to the letter; however, its message is loud
and clear: God is the creator of everything that exists; there is order
in God's creation, and a development (even "evolution") from lower
forms to higher forms of life; God created everything good; man,
created in God's image and likeness, has a very special place in God's
creation, called to be God's proxy toward His creation." An article by Rev. George Mastrantonis seems to be no longer available on the website. In the article, Rev. Mastrantonis stated, "The theory of evolution does not contradict the existence of a Supreme Intelligent Being. It does not dismiss the existence of God with a Design and Purpose for the Creation. The Judaic-Christian concept of God accepts any truth from any aspect of life without fear of losing its faith in God as a Supreme Intelligent Being" Rev. Mastrantonis does express some concern regarding any concept of evolution which excludes a creator. Hinduism
The author of this web page sees parallels between biological evolution and the Hindu concept of spiritual and mental evolution.
"The emphasis here is more on the evolution of the subtle bodies rather
than on the gross body. Science heavily rests its speculations upon the
latter making it the central theme of its attention. But Hinduism goes
a step further and tries to explain a more comprehensive and holistic
vision of the same process...
"Hinduism explains the process of evolution from a wider perspective.
It views the whole problem on an universal scale, going beyond the
visible and the manifest forms of life to understand the mechanism that
is involved in the creation of not just the earth or its beings, but of
the entire universe in which exist different planes of reality and
consciousness...Thus Hinduism interprets the process of evolution both
from within and without, both as a mechanism of Nature and a product of
self-effort, with a hidden agenda which is the ultimate liberation of
the soul." Another web page
discusses evolution from the perspective of Hinduism. According
to Swami B.V. Tripurari, the idea of biological evolution is consistent
with Hindu beliefs, although Hinduism teaches that matter and life is a
product of consciousness, and that consciousness does not arise as a
product of matter. Islam
An article on organic evolution from an Islamic perspective accepts some aspects of evolution, but not others. Prof. Abdul Majid of the Government Postgraduate College in Pakistan discusses various Islamic views of evolution ranging from complete acceptance to complete rejection. This web page has numerous links to internet sources dealing with evolution and Islam. Orthodox Church in America
In answer to a question, Fr. John Matusiak states, "Orthodoxy is not literalist in its understanding of the accounts of creation in Genesis, and I have encountered writings by Orthodox Christians which attempt to balance the creation accounts with a certain ongoing -- evolutionary, if you will -- process which, on the one hand, affirms that while humans may have evolved physically under the direction and guidance and plan of the Creator, their souls could not have evolved any more than the powers of reasoning, speaking, or the ability to act creatively could have simply evolved. In such a scenario the Creator intervened by breathing His Spirit into man and giving him life, as stated in Genesis...Orthodoxy has no problem with evolution as a scientific theory, only with evolution -- as some people may view it -- eliminating the need for God as Creator of All." Orthodox Judaism
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations references an article
which states, "Belief in science and belief in the Creator are
absolutely consistent...In Genesis, the Torah describes a gradual
process of creation from simple to more complex organisms: first a mass
of swirling gasses, then water, then the emergence of dry land,
followed by plants, fish, birds, animals, and finally, human beings.
This, of course, is the same evolutionary process proposed by
science." The article states that the "days" of Genesis represent
six epochs or stages of creation, and is very clear that the process of
creation was guided by God. The Orthodox Union supports an "evolution disclaimer"
on the grounds that "students should not view their school as
necessarily contending with the teachings of their parents or
clergymen." In answer to a question on this topic, Eliezer Abrahamson states that the Jewish response to evolution ranges from complete acceptance to complete rejection. Religious groups critical of evolution:
Assemblies of God
A position paper
of the Assemblies of God states that, "This Bible record of
creation...rules out the evolutionary philosophy which states that all
forms of life have come into being by gradual, progressive evolution
carried on by resident forces." The paper also rejects theistic
evolution, the idea that the process of evolution was carried on by a
Creator. The reasoning behind this position paper is explained in a page on creationism,
which states in part, "If mankind has merely evolved from lower forms
of life, one cannot possess the special imprint of God’s likeness
(Genesis 1:27; 2:7) . . . If God is not Author and Creator of all that
is, life offers little meaning or purpose for mankind. In
evolution there is no judgment, and therefore no punishment or reward
for the way we live. Through the view of evolution, lifestyle
choices don’t matter. Instead life and creation simply
evolve. But from the view of creationism, recognizing God’s
handiwork and order, life takes on great meaning and renders
significant eternal reward." Jehovah's Witnesses
The official Jehovah's Witness web page includes several pages arguing that evolution is incompatible with the Bible, and stating that, "evolution teaches that a series of changes gradually fashioned us into a higher form of animal. On the other hand, the Bible says that we started off perfect, in God’s image, but that shortly thereafter, imperfection was introduced and mankind began a long downhill ride." Issues related to evolution are also discussed from a Jehovah's Witness perspective on another location in the web site. The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
An official statement
reads, "We reject every doctrine which denies or limits the work of
creation as taught in Scripture. In our days it is denied or limited by
those who assert, ostensibly in deference to science, that the world
came into existence through a process of evolution; that is, that it
has, in immense periods of time, developed more or less of
itself." The statement clearly denies an evolutionary process
undirected by God, but does not specifically address the question of
evolution guided by a divine creator. Another article on the Church web page states, "While these [Genesis] texts do not answer (nor were they written to answer) all of the various scientific questions that we as moderns might wish to bring to them, they are very clear about the instantaneous creation out of nothing of man as a creature fully and completely in the image of his Creator. There is not even the slightest hint that an evolutionary process was a[t] work. Presbyterian Church in America
A detailed Report of the Creation Study Committee
affirms that Adam and Eve are not the product of an evolutionary
process. The report does not appear to address the issue of
evolution of other species.
"All the Committee members join in these affirmations: The Scriptures,
and hence Genesis 1-3, are the inerrant word of God. That Genesis 1-3
is a coherent account from the hand of Moses. That history, not myth,
is the proper category for describing these chapters; and furthermore
that their history is true. In these chapters we find the record of
God’s creation of the heavens and the earth ex nihilo;
of the special creation of Adam and Eve as actual human beings, the
parents of all humanity (hence they are not the products of evolution
from lower forms of life). We further find the account of an historical
fall, that brought all humanity into an estate of sin and misery, and
of God’s sure promise of a Redeemer. Because the Bible is the word of
the Creator and Governor of all there is, it is right for us to find it
speaking authoritatively to matters studied by historical and
scientific research. We also believe that acceptance of, say,
non-geocentric astronomy is consistent with full submission to Biblical
authority. We recognize that a naturalistic worldview and true
Christian faith are impossible to reconcile, and gladly take our stand
with Biblical supernaturalism." Seventh-day Adventist Church
According to an official statement,
"Creation is a foundational pillar in the entire system of Seventh-day
Adventist doctrine—it bears direct relationship to many if not all
other fundamental beliefs. Any alternative interpretation of the
creation story needs to be examined in light of its impact on all other
beliefs. Several of the Faith and Science Conferences reviewed
alternative interpretations of Genesis 1, including the idea of
theistic evolution. These other interpretations lack theological
coherence with the whole of Scripture and reveal areas of inconsistency
with the rest of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine. They are therefore
unacceptable substitutes for the biblical doctrine of creation held by
the church." An additional statement
reaffirms "the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the historicity
of Genesis 1-11: that the seven days of the Creation account were
literal 24-hour days forming a week identical in time to what we now
experience as a week; and that the Flood was global in nature." Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
An official statement
reads, "We reject all theories of evolution as an explanation of the
origin of the universe and the human race and all attempts to harmonize
the scriptural account of creation with such theories." The Church web site also includes question-and answer pages which address this issue. One page
addresses several questions, and states, "An evolutionary development
of life from one species to another does not fit with what God has
revealed in the Holy Scriptures about the origin of living
things". Another page
states, "creation and evolution can only be harmonized by those who are
willing to do violence to many portions of Scripture for the sake of
seeming to be 'in tune' with scientific thought...Evolution is really
nothing more than proud sinful creature's arrogant attempt to erase his
responsibility to his Creator". A search of the church web site will reveal several other pages dealing with evolution and creation. Religious groups which do not state a clear position:
Using
internet resources, I was unable to find any evolution statements from
these groups. Please let me know of any sources I might have
missed. Some groups may profess a general belief in a creation,
but do not indicate whether or not they are open to an evolutionary
understanding of the creation process.
American Baptist Association
A doctrinal statement states that "We believe in the Genesis account of Creation (Gen. 1; 2)", but the statement does not address possible role of evolution in creation. American Baptist Churches in the USA
A lengthy list of church policy statements and resolutions does not include any dealing with creation or evolution. Southern Baptist Convention
I was unable to find any Church statement addressing the subject of evolution. The Baptist Faith and Message adopted 14 June 2000, states that "Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image", but does not explicitly state whether that special creation might have involved an evolutionary process, and it does not address the question of evolution among non-human species. One source indicates that some groups within the Southern Baptist Convention differ in their "acceptance of modern science," but does not mention evolution specifically. Also, it should be noted that this source includes a disclaimer stating that the differences discussed relate primarily to the SBC as a religious body, and may have little to do with Southern Baptist theology or religious life. Other Religious Groups
|
