Magisterium on Evolution

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I am teaching a high school biology class in a Catholic school and we are devoting one unit to evolution.

I want to put together a supplementary reading packet for my students that includes the full texts of all the fundamental magisterial documents on the subject of evolution.

What documents should I include?
 
Apollos said:
I am teaching a high school biology class in a Catholic school and we are devoting one unit to evolution.

I want to put together a supplementary reading packet for my students that includes the full texts of all the fundamental magisterial documents on the subject of evolution.

What documents should I include?
Click to expand...
I haven’t yet read any documents but I just finished reading a classic on Evolution put out by the church. The title is “The Theory of Evolution Judged by Reason and Faith” by Cardinal Ruffini. It was written in 1959. He was something of a prodigy, especially in the field of science and taught Sacred Scripture at the Roman Seminary for about 30 years. He lays out the theory in the opening chapters and comments on each aspect of it. It’s still valid today because his arguments have not been answered and, in many ways, has become more insurmountable. The book is back in print for $19.95.
 
Apollos said:
What documents should I include?
Click to expand...
  • Vatican I (24 Apr 1870)
  • Leo XIII, Providentissimus Deus (18 Nov 1893)
  • Catholic Encyclopedia, “Catholics and Evolution” and “Evolution (History and Scientific Foundation)” (1911)
  • Pius XII, Humani Generis (12 Aug 1950)
  • John Paul II, Message to the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences (22 Oct 1996)
  • CCC 279-324 (15 Aug 1997)
…anything else? I want to start with a complete list and then carefully select only the most relevant documents and excerpts, and I don’t want to leave anything important out.
 
The two documents most people point to as expressing the Church’s current view on evoluton are Pope John Paul II’s 1996 Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which is available here:

newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02tc.htm

And Humani Generis, which is here:

vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12081950_humani-generis_en.html

Another important document is the International Theological Commision Statement, which is available here:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html

That statement was approved by Pope Benedict while he was the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, so it likely reflects his views. The gist of all of them is that the theory of evolution is not incompatible with Catholic faith, which addresses the who and why of human origins, not the how or when. Pope Benedict has also spoken out several times on evolution in various sermons and addresses, basically saying the same thing. You can probably find those statements on Zenit or just by googling.
 
Apollos said:
  • Vatican I (24 Apr 1870)
  • Leo XIII, Providentissimus Deus (18 Nov 1893)
  • Catholic Encyclopedia, “Catholics and Evolution” and “Evolution (History and Scientific Foundation)” (1911)
  • Pius XII, Humani Generis (12 Aug 1950)
  • John Paul II, Message to the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences (22 Oct 1996)
  • CCC 279-324 (15 Aug 1997)
…anything else? I want to start with a complete list and then carefully select only the most relevant documents and excerpts, and I don’t want to leave anything important out.
Click to expand...
I don’t know any more authoritative documents but you may pick up something (the name of another document, etc or other ideas) by reading some of Robert Sungenis’ articles on evolution at catholicintl.com/articles.html Scroll down to “Evolution” near the bottom. I know he’s in touch with the Pontifical Academy and is ultra-conservative on this matter.
 
Apollos said:
I am teaching a high school biology class in a Catholic school and we are devoting one unit to evolution.

I want to put together a supplementary reading packet for my students that includes the full texts of all the fundamental magisterial documents on the subject of evolution.

What documents should I include?
Click to expand...
Basically, evolutionary theory can apply to non-human living organisms.

Catholicism holds that there are two, sole, real, true, fully complete parents of the human species. Human nature is rational/corporeal, soul and body. To understand what all that means, one should include the following:

Basic Catholic teaching regarding Adam and Eve is found in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, ISBN: 1-57455-109-4
Paragraphs 355-421.

The good news of Jesus Christ follows in Paragraph 422, etc.

One can put the word paragraph and its number in the Catechism’s search bar in link www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
Entering topics, like Adam, is also very useful.

When you enter a paragraph number, like “paragraph 355”, and then click on the opening line, CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 355 you will see the following under the paragraph:

»
»
»
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Depending on the text being used, you may be interested in this thread. Post any question you have. “How does the nitty-gritty of methods and materials of science research contribute to the various theories of [human] evolution?” in Back Fence Forum.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=478146

Blessings,
granny

The quest for truth is worthy of the adventures of the journey.
 
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