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New Scientist
Vatican: We’re not apologizing to Darwin

In 1950, Pope Pius XII described evolution as a valid scientific approach to the development of humans, a view that was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 1996. But Ravasi said the Vatican had no intention of apologising for earlier negative views.

“Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session,” he said, adding that Darwin’s theories were “never condemned by the Catholic Church nor was his book ever banned”.

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“Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session,” he said, adding that Darwin’s theories were “never condemned by the Catholic Church nor was his book ever banned”.

I think this sums it up perfectly.

He’s dead. Let’s stop trying to apologize for things that can’t be undone. And so long as the church didn’t actually harm Darwin, I really don’t see what there is to apologize for anyway.

Esthier on September 17, 2008 at 5:38 PM

Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session

I totally agree. Apologizing for shit in done 50 years ago is retarded.

You can either learn to live with history or wallow in it.

Not both.

lorien1973 on September 17, 2008 at 5:40 PM

Wow, we have the Catholic Church AND Darwin in one thread…the stuff mega-threads are made of…

The Catholic Church teaches “theistic evolution”, a stand that accepts evolution as a scientific theory and sees no reason why God could not have used a natural evolutionary process in the forming of the human species

Exactly! I don’t know what the strict Darwinists, or the Fundamentalist crowd seem to fail to see here.

Apologies to Darwin? The Church owes him none.

JetBoy on September 17, 2008 at 5:45 PM

I thought Darwin was dead?

Rod on September 17, 2008 at 5:47 PM

The Catholic Church teaches “theistic evolution”, a stand that accepts evolution as a scientific theory and sees no reason why God could not have used a natural evolutionary process in the forming of the human species

Thank you.

amerpundit on September 17, 2008 at 5:47 PM

What it is with Allah? Posts on evolution that never result in any outcome but pissing everyone off, no matter what their opinion. I suggest we stick with “Fox News Sexpert” posts, they are a lot more fun!

zmrzlina on September 17, 2008 at 5:48 PM

Ummm… yeah. Why would a Church that did not reject his work have a reason to apologize?

AbaddonsReign on September 17, 2008 at 5:48 PM

People worshiping Darwin.

Sheesh.

Chakra Hammer on September 17, 2008 at 6:04 PM

Could someone email this to Charles Johnson? He needs to get this up on his site quickly!

john1schn on September 17, 2008 at 6:05 PM

Someone apologize to Al Gore!

LMAO!

ManBearPig! >:D

Chakra Hammer on September 17, 2008 at 6:07 PM

The Catholic Church has always taught that God had mysteries he had not revealed, and left it to humanity to find them. That’s one of the reasons Christian scholars developed the scientific method, to reveal God’s mysteries.

Newsflash anti-papists: The Catholic Church is not a fundamentalist church.

Iblis on September 17, 2008 at 6:07 PM

“Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session,” he said, adding that Darwin’s theories were “never condemned by the Catholic Church nor was his book ever banned”.

Fair enough.

RightOFLeft on September 17, 2008 at 6:08 PM

Catholicism rules.

JeffreyLloyd on September 17, 2008 at 6:29 PM

People worshiping Darwin.

Sheesh.

Chakra Hammer on September 17, 2008 at 6:04 PM

Eh, been known to happen.

Tzetzes on September 17, 2008 at 7:57 PM

The Catholic Church does not read the Genesis account of creation literally, saying it is an allegory for the way God created the world.

Of course they are right and the bible and Jesus was wrong.

maynila on September 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM

It took the Catholic Church a while to come around to Galileo’s way of thinking too. Damn Scientists, meddling in the affairs of men in robes and funny hats.

Hey, those Dark Ages, they were fun times weren’t they? Remind me, who was running the show in Europe back then?

fogw on September 17, 2008 at 8:39 PM

Of course they are right and the bible and Jesus was wrong.

maynila on September 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM

!

AbaddonsReign on September 17, 2008 at 8:45 PM

“anti-evolutionary fervour” is an indictment on the Church

Corrected:
“anti-creation fervor” is an indictment on the “mainline” denominations

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM

fogw on September 17, 2008 at 8:39 PM

Don’t badmouth the Church over Mr. Galilei. Galileo was in trouble for making assertions senza evidenza (which, to be fair, would only come along with Newton). Or, in other words, he got too big for his britches. He was right, but he couldn’t prove it.

emailnuevo on September 17, 2008 at 9:03 PM

I don’t buy into Galileo’s astronomy either – he thought the sun was the center of the universe.

There is a lot details lost in the story of Galileo and the RCC, like how he and the pope were friends, and how the RCC was a big patron of astronomy (because it was really cool and hip back then). There’s more to it than a ignorant pope condemning science.

tlynch001 on September 17, 2008 at 9:06 PM

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM

Amen, I think (by which I mean, I think I read that correctly). No, I don’t accept evolution, on its own terms (which isn’t the same thing as rejecting adaptation, which I don’t). Not because of Genesis, not because of the Church (Sola scriptura, Papists!), but because I am unconvinced. Reading, searching, but unconvinced.

emailnuevo on September 17, 2008 at 9:07 PM

He was right, but he couldn’t prove it.

emailnuevo on September 17, 2008 at 9:03 PM

And do tell, what could the Catholic Church prove?

fogw on September 17, 2008 at 9:09 PM

Darwin: “From goo to you by way of the zoo.”
Dawkins: “Little green men brought the goo here.”

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 9:12 PM

Of course they are right and the bible and Jesus was wrong.

Don’t cast your pearls, maynila. Most of the posters here prefer their superficial religions to real faith. They’re superstitious enough to claim belief, but they love the world too much to take Scripture seriously. Christmas and Easter? Yay! Read the Bible? Boo!

TMK on September 17, 2008 at 9:16 PM

Don’t cast your pearls, maynila. Most of the posters here prefer their superficial religions to real faith.

TMK on September 17, 2008 at 9:16 PM</blockquote

That sounds an awful lot like pride!

And what does the Easter bunny have to do with Jesus?

tlynch001 on September 17, 2008 at 9:25 PM

ahghgh…block quotes are hard!

tlynch001 on September 17, 2008 at 9:25 PM

ahghgh…block quotes are hard!

tlynch001 on September 17, 2008 at 9:25 PM

Not really.

And what does the Easter bunny have to do with Jesus?

Nothing.

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 9:28 PM

And what does the Easter bunny have to do with Jesus?

OK, here’s what happened:
In ancient Europe, well-meaning but goofy Christians tried to lure pagans–who revered bunnies for their reproductive prowess & eggs as a symbol of fertility–into the church by incorporating these symbols into the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, which happened during the same season that the pagans had their fertility rites.

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 9:31 PM

I’m waiting for Darwin’s apology to Plato and Aristotle.

Kralizec on September 17, 2008 at 9:47 PM

I’m waiting for Darwin’s apology to Plato and Aristotle.

Not to mention Moses & God.

jgapinoy on September 17, 2008 at 9:54 PM

Just like that Washington Times article:

Creationism is the belief that God created the world and all life in six days as described in the Bible. The Catholic Church does not read the Genesis account of creation literally, saying it is an allegory for the way God created the world.

Some other Christians, mostly conservative Protestants in the US, read Genesis literally and object to evolution being taught in biology class in public high schools.

Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for the US vice presidency, said in 2006 that she supported teaching both creationism and evolution in schools but has subsequently said creationism does not have to be part of the curriculum.

Another drive by crapping on Sarah Palin. It’s incredible how her beliefs are instilled into an article about the Vatican and Catholicism. Why aren’t they including Biden and his beliefs since he’s ACTUALLY a Catholic? Biden has more relevance to this article than Sarah and I thought that this LIE was already addressed just like the book burning thing.

Keep advocating this stuff. Keep putting up links to this stuff. Keep discussing this stuff like it’s relevant to the election. No wonder McCain/Palin are down in the polls despite the missteps of Laurel and Hardy.

Sultry Beauty on September 21, 2008 at 10:52 AM


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