DARWIN REVISITED?

John Paul II reflects on creation and evolution

and the mass media distort his meaning

by Antonio Gaspari

It came like a bolt of lightning in a clear blue sky. John Paul II on October 22 touched on the theme of evolution and the world press exploded with front-page headlines: "The Pope Enlists Darwin"; "Evolution Agrees With Faith"; "Scientists Applaud the Pope"; "After Galileo, Rehabilitation of Man's Animal Origins"; "Evolution More Than a Hypothesis." The Pope was praised for advancing beyond Pius XII's Humani Generis, and thus admitting another error. The French daily Le Monde, in an editorial on October 25, expressed the hope that, after this great step forward, the Church might even rethink its doctrine of original sin.

Is it true that John Paul II has embraced Darwin's theories of evolution? Does the Church now admit that man is a direct descendant of apes? The short answer: No. Here Inside the Vatican takes a closer look at the Pope's statement and the background of the Vatican's approach to theories of creation and evolution.

The Pope's Statement

On October 23, 1996, John Paul II sent a message to members of the Pontifical Academy of Science meeting in plenary assembly (see next pages for the complete text).

It is clear to anyone who reads the Pope's message in its entirety that he is proposing a restatement of the doctrine of evolution expressed in Pope Pius XII's encyclical Humani Generis. The only new element is the acknowledgment that the theory of evolution, which for Pius XII had been only a "serious hypothesis, worthy of further research and reflection (along with research and reflection on opposing theories)," has received considerable support from scientific findings during the 50 years since Pius wrote.

On the other hand, the Pope does not affirm that evolution has become a certain, demonstrable doctrine. In the Holy Father's own words: "Rather than speaking of the theory of evolution, we should speak of (various) theories of evolution," since there does not seem to be unanimity among scientists.

The Pope, of course, does not express a definitive judgment on the scientific debate. He does, however, reassert the Church's competence to assess the theological and philosophical repercussions of evolutionary theories. The Church thus excludes, as Pius XII stated, "purely materialist or reductive analyses," which leave no room for spiritual interpretations. John Paul II reaffirmed this essential emphasis: "Even if the human body originates from pre-existent living matter, the spiritual soul is spontaneously created by God."

In his message, John Paul II never even pronounced Charles Darwin's name. Thus it seems clear that the mass media gave their own "spin" to the Pope's words, in some cases gravely distorting his actual meaning.

Man's True Origins

To investigate what the Church really understands by the term "evolution," we interviewed Father Vittorio Marcozzi, Vatican specialist on anthropological studies.

Marcozzi was an advisor to three Popes and an expert at the Second Vatican Council on questions related to creation and evolution. He is well known for his rigorous research and balanced appraisals; his books on the subject have been translated into many languages and distributed worldwide. Recently, in spite of his advanced age of 88 years, Marcozzi was summoned by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to debate with eminent scientists who have written on evolution and creation.

"I agree with Cardinal Ratzinger that we cannot speak of creation versus evolution, but rather of creation and evolution," Marcozzi told Inside the Vatican. "To admit evolution does not necessarily signify denying God's intervention. There are at least three 'moments' when divine intervention is necessary and evident: the appearance of life, that is of the first living organisms; the evolutionary possibilities with which God imbues these organisms; and, finally, the coming of man, whose spiritual qualities implicate God's special intervention."

Do you mean that evolution is "guided" by God?

FATHER MARCOZZI: Evolution is not admissible without the mediation of a supreme Mind which established the laws of nature governing natural processes and which created nature itself. Although Church Fathers, such as St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Augustine lacked a modern conception of evolution, they espoused ideas which approximated evolutionary theories. The Church Fathers maintained that God, in his first creative act, imbued matter with the "potentiality" or power to produce different animal and plant species. I favor the idea of evolution as a succession of beings, genetically related, but increasingly diverse and complex. The fundamental question is that of the first cause.

And how do you judge Darwin's theory?

MARCOZZI: For Darwin - a materialist criticized by his own wife for his lack of faith - evolution was set in motion by outside causal factors such as natural selection and the struggle for survival. According to the English scientist, all beings, including man, evolve from causal mutations. Apart from the absence of clear proofs for the intermediary forms of human existence, can we really believe that such marvelous beings, particularly man himself, are products of mere chance?

A billion and a half years have passed between the existence of one-celled and many-celled organisms, and yet there seem to be no intermediate forms linking the two.

These links are missing; they may never be found. What explains such great evolutionary leaps? Can they possibly be the result of material changes?

I rather see a divine intervention.

Can evolution be supported by the Bible?

MARCOZZI: There are two accounts of Genesis in the Bible. The more recent account describes creation in seven days and a repose on the Sabbath. The earlier account presumes that creation happened in one day.

The significance of both is that God created all things; evolution in no way contradicts this affirmation.

In synthesis, God created man from matter and then infused him with a spirit.

What is your opinion of the Holy Father's message to the Pontifical Academy of Science?

MARCOZZI: The Holy Father's message contains no specific recognition of Darwin or his theories.

John Paul II is proceeding along the doctrinal lines traced by the Popes before him. There are many different theories of evolution.

It is possible to accept evolution as a theory, while affirming that the spiritual and philosophical elements must remain outside the competence of science.