Catholics: (POLL) Do you accept evolution?

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That is absolutely false. As I said, we are allowed to research the doctrines of Lutheranism. We are not, however, allowed to accept (give belief in) Lutheran doctrines that contradict Scripture and Tradition.
Right, because sola fide contradicts Catholic doctrine…

I’m waiting to hear how evolution contradicts Catholic doctrine.
 
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However, this must be done in such a way that the reasons for both opinions, that is, those favorable and those unfavorable to evolution, be weighed and judged with the necessary seriousness, moderation and measure, and provided that all are prepared to submit to the judgment of the Church, to whom Christ has given the mission of interpreting authentically the Sacred Scriptures and of defending the dogmas of faith.
This is a hugely important and often ignored part of the quote. If theistic evolution is, in fact, the actuality then eventually the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, will inform us of this and of course I will gladly submit. However, we have already seen that the evolutionists rarely do accept the teachings of the Church and instead wiggle their way out of accepting the teachings by appealing to other science or to appeals to popularity.
 
Everything. The Church has its teachings and certain scientific teachings are missing critical information.
 
So you’re admitting theistic evolution is a possibility?

Good… Keep going…
 
Does the Church have a teaching that says we cannot accept evolution?
 
Pope Leo XIII
What is the true origin of marriage? That, Venerable Brethren, is a matter of common knowledge. For although the revilers of the Christian faith shrink from acknowledging the Church’s permanent doctrine on this matter, and persist in their long-standing efforts to erase the history of all nations and all ages, they have nonetheless been unable to extinguish, or even to weaken, the strength and light of the truth. We call to mind facts well-known to all and doubtful to no-one: after He formed man from the slime of the earth on the sixth day of creation, and breathed into his face the breath of life, God willed to give him a female companion, whom He drew forth wondrously from the man’s side as he slept
 
This has been addressed already in the other thread.

Pope Leo is not embarking on a commentary on evolution.

His entire document is on Christian marriage.
 
I think the Catechism says we are allowed to believe in the evolution of the human body, but not the evolution of the human soul. I don’t think believeing in biological evolution is at all wrong. God can create however He wants, and if it was through evolution, that’s great. If it was through a one second thing, that’s great too. I don’t think you’re wrong.
 
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We come now to the final magisterial intervention to be considered in this part of our study, namely, the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s Responsum of June 30, 1909, on the interpretation of Genesis, chapters 1 to 3. The main point of this document that interests us is the third question addressed by the Commission: Whether, in particular, the literal historical sense (sensus litteralis historicus) may be called in question (vocari in dubium possit), where it is a question of facts narrated in these chapters (ubi agitur de factis in eisdem capitibus enarratis) which involve the foundations of the Christian religion (quae christianae religionis fundamenta attingunt), as are, among others, the creation of all things by God at the beginning of time; the special [or, particular] creation of man; the formation of the first woman from the first man (formatio primae mulieris ex primo homine); the unity of the human race; the original happiness of our first parents in a state of justice, integrity and immortality; the precept given by God to man in order to test his obedience; the transgression of the divine precept under the persuasion of the devil in the guise of a serpent; the fall of our first parents from the aforesaid primaeval state of innocence; and the promise of a future Saviour? Response: In the negative (Negative)
Pope Leo is not embarking on a commentary on evolution.
Irrelevant. He discussed it as a historical fact that Adam was formed from the slime on the sixth day and that Eve was formed from his side.
 
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No he didn’t. He said the details of the story were known to all. He’s discussing the story of the creation account, regardless of how historical it is.

Because obviously, even in Leo’s own day, it was not “KNOWN TO ALL” that Eve came from Adam’s side, because, for one, not all people are even Christian! He’s speaking to the content of the story for the sake of the origin of marriage.

But let’s grant for sake of argument he IS, in passing comment, asserting that Eve literally came from Adam as a fact “known to all.” What about this statement would suggest it is infallible, binding, and required for all persons to believe?
 
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You think Leo was talking about evolution?
You don’t think Leo was talking about marriage?
 
But I have to take a break from this.

UPDATE FOR ALL:

Still the vast majority in the POLL clearly recognize that Catholics can accept evolution. Over 80% even accept evolution of the human body.

To my relief, Catholics readily acknowledge what the magisterium – and mainstream Catholic voice – tell us: That the Genesis account has theological truths, but it is not a scientific textbook. That Catholics can embrace science, even if we must remember limitations placed by our faith. That we can accept evolution of biological organisms as the method God utilized to bring about the diversity of creation and even the human body.

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Pope Leo was talking about things that actually happened. And he says why he needed to bring it up - again.

“Though revilers of the Christian faith refuse to acknowledge the never-interrupted doctrine of the Church on this subject, and have long striven to destroy the testimony of all nations and of all times, they have nevertheless failed not only to quench the powerful light of truth, but even to lessen it. We record what is to all known, and cannot be doubted by any, that God, on the sixth day of creation, having made man from the slime of the earth, and having breathed into his face the breath of life, gave him a companion, whom He miraculously took from the side of Adam when he was locked in sleep.”
 
I guess argument from popularity works in this thread, because as I said in the OP, I was looking to see if Creationists were truly representative. And they’re not. Not even on Catholic Answers Forums. They are in the minority.

There are two basic interpretations at odds:
  1. Magisterium allows for evolution, even of the body.
  2. Magisterium does not allow that.
Both sides are appealing to magisterium. But it seems the most straightforward interpretation is option 1, as the poll suggests.

That’s relieving, to me.
 
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