I am having a little trouble with Genesis

[Jovian90]

I want to be a good Catholic and obey everything God teaches, but one thing i am struggling with is the first chapters of Genesis. I hear some people say how we need to take these first chapters literally and that evolution is a lie, right now I am feeling confused, you see I am kinda of drawn to believe in evolution because of the evidence but I feel like it is incompatible with Christianity. As for the young earth idea I found the idea preposterous, I cant believe it even though I tried to because of how strong the evidence is for an ancient Earth, so my questions are should I reject evolution and accept a literal 6 day creation? Does believing in evolution make you a bad Catholic? Is it alright if I like dinosaurs?

 

[Pattylt]

I am not Catholic but I know that the Catholic Church does not deny evolution. Others will give you some good links on what the Church specifically says. You are free to accept a literal Genesis or a literary interpretation.
You don’t have to deny science to be Catholic. It’s one of its bests features.

 

[Zach]

Remember the creation story is not a science book. It’s theological. Read the Catholic Catechism and you’ll see the Church states evolution is not incompatible with Christianity.

 

[meltzerboy2]

As stated, the Church does not deny evolution so long as you believe Gd started and has maintained the process. I believe you are also free to deny evolution. Either way, you can be a Catholic in good standing.

 

[buffalo]

Follow the link…

Why you should think that the Natural-Evolution of species is true Philosophy

For over a decade now I have been arguing these points that were found in the scientific papers. I referred to devolution and was roundly castigated for it. I showed over and over the major issues with evo. It cannot create, it destroys. BOOM - Darwin does Devolve and we have evidence [Michael Behe: Darwin Devolves]

 

[angel12]

I am kinda of drawn to believe in evolution because of the evidence but I feel like it is incompatible with Christianity.

No, it’s not. The Bible was never intended to be a science textbook. You should look at what the Church actually teaches, not at what “some people say.”

 

[jack63]

You are free to accept a literal Genesis or a literary interpretation.
You don’t have to deny science to be Catholic. It’s one of its bests features.

…I laughed a little at this one. I agree that it’s a good thing you don’t need to deny science to be Catholic.

As a Catholic I would say this “feature” of Catholicism is far far less important than the entire story of Jesus and the meaning of his divinity and his words to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.

Try not to get stuck on these arguments about whether to interpret Genesis literally…

 

[Jovian90]

Thanks for all your responses, I would like to ask if the Catholic Church doesn’t have a problem with evolution, why are there people opposing the theory?

 

[Riman643]

As Catholics we are not required to take the chapters of Genesis literally. I believe the Pope has even gone as far as to say evolution and the big bang are true or at least legitimate theories. Like other posters have noted the Bible is not a science/history text book. It is a book to help us understand God the father and Jesus.

 

[jack63]

I actually oppose Darwin’s theory, but I think it is a theory worthy of scientific study…

I oppose the idea of evolution being random. I believe it was guided by God. I have no problem with humans evolving over many hundreds of thousands of years from other creatures.

 

[Vico]

…

Catechism

360 Because of its common origin the human race forms a unity, for “from one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth”:226

O wondrous vision, which makes us contemplate the human race in the unity of its origin in God. . . in the unity of its nature, composed equally in all men of a material body and a spiritual soul; in the unity of its immediate end and its mission in the world; in the unity of its dwelling, the earth, whose benefits all men, by right of nature, may use to sustain and develop life; in the unity of its supernatural end: God himself, to whom all ought to tend; in the unity of the means for attaining this end;. . . in the unity of the redemption wrought by Christ for all.227

226 Acts 17:26; cf. Tob 8:6.
227 Pius XII, Enc. Summi Pontificatus 3; cf. NA 1.
NA Nostra aetate

 

[twf]

Who opposes it? Fundamentalist Protestants? Evangelicals?
The Catholic Church has officially been open to modern theories of biological evolution since the 1950s under Pius XII…
The Big Bang model was originally formulated by the Catholic priest and astronomer Monsignor Lemaitre.

 

[Jovian90]

Okay, why do Fundamentalist Protestants and Evangelicals oppose evolution if the Catholic Church is fine with it. Is the young earth idea a Protestant dogma? I am just curious I do not intend to offend anyone.

 

[twf]

There are no Protestant dogmas. Protestant churches are all over the map in terms of what they believe. They don’t accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, so they rely upon their own interpretations of scripture.

 

[John_Martin]

Thanks for all your responses, I would like to ask if the Catholic Church doesn’t have a problem with evolution, why are there people opposing the theory?

Because America is an evangelical protestant nation, and Catholics do not remember that they are sojourners in the culture where they dwell, so they speak the culture’s doctrine rather than the doctrine of their heritage, which is the Catholic Church, aka, the Kingdom established by God.

John Martin

 

[TK421]

I want to be a good Catholic and obey everything God teaches, but one thing i am struggling with is the first chapters of Genesis. I hear some people say how we need to take these first chapters literally and that evolution is a lie, right now I am feeling confused, you see I am kinda of drawn to believe in evolution because of the evidence but I feel like it is incompatible with Christianity. As for the young earth idea I found the idea preposterous, I cant believe it even though I tried to because of how strong the evidence is for an ancient Earth, so my questions are should I reject evolution and accept a literal 6 day creation? Does believing in evolution make you a bad Catholic? Is it alright if I like dinosaurs?

Genesis is an ancient epic, and in my opinion one of my favorite books of scripture. It is not a science text and not really a history text either.

Evolution is obviously true: that’s not really a serious question. This should not disturb your love & zeal for the Church in the slightest. I am sorry that others have caused you unnecessary anxieties about this but there is no need to listen to them or be troubled by them. They are creatures and they have no authority.

Peace.

 

[Jovian90]

Thanks for the help.

 

[TK421]

Jovian90:

Thanks for all your responses, I would like to ask if the Catholic Church doesn’t have a problem with evolution, why are there people opposing the theory?

Because America is an evangelical protestant nation, and Catholics do not remember that they are sojourners in the culture where they dwell, so they speak the culture’s doctrine rather than the doctrine of their heritage, which is the Catholic Church, aka, the Kingdom established by God.

John Martin

Yes, Catholics in America are sometimes influenced by evangelical protestism.

In Catholic countries, people that believe in a literal Genesis are more uncommon. For those that do, it tends to be for the reasons you would expect: disadvantaged socioeconimc status, poor education and/or their parents believed it.

You should not make fun of them or deride them but you don’t need to take them seriosuly either.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I would like to ask if the Catholic Church doesn’t have a problem with evolution, why are there people opposing the theory?

Because the Catholic Church doesn’t take an official position for or against it and therefore Catholics are allowed to decide for themselves whether they each wish to believe evolution or creationism.

 

[John_Martin]

In Catholic countries

We Catholics are aliens and sojourners in every country where we live; there are no “Catholic countries”, there are only Catholics living in the world’s countries.
Anyway, our God calls and material reality “takes on form” in answer to his call: the Vocational Being of informed matter.

John Martin