A while ago, I made
a detailed post explaining that the Church no longer seems to teach monogenism. Nobody has commented or attempted to refute it. I still wonder why the Pontifical Academy of Sciences made these assertions in apparent contradiction to Church teaching unless the Church has reversed her opinion on this in the face of scientific research.
Thank you for your link in post 228 above.
I have started checking references in your post and noticed a slightly different wording in the translation of Pope John Paul II address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, October 22, 1996. Because of traveling to spend Mother’s Day with kids, I will need to postpone my research.
For now, if you would kindly go down to section 5, in this same address, you will find the continual emphasis on monogenism. “Consequently, theories of evolution which, in accordance with the philosophies inspiring them, consider the spirit [soul] as emerging from the forces of living matter or as a mere epiphenomenon of this matter, are incompatible with the truth about man. Nor are they able to ground the dignity of the person.”
Ah, one says. It doesn’t seem like monogenism is being taught. Actually, it is. One needs to remember that this address is directed to scientists who already know what monogenism means just as they understand the basis of science and how it applies to living organisms. It is also a common understanding that the realm of the Academy of Sciences is the material/physical world. The realm of Catholicism is faith and morals – what is necessary for us to reach our intended end of living eternally in complete joy and peace with God.
Pope John Paul II is not there to instruct scientists in strictly scientific matters. He is there to demonstrate where scientific information intersects with Divine Revelation as taught by the Catholic Church. In section 3, the Pope says: “Before offering you several reflections that more specifically concern the subject of the origin of life and its evolution, I would like to remind you that the Magisterium of the Church has already made pronouncements on these matters within the framework of her own competence.” Key points are 1. several reflections. As individuals, anyone including the Pope, can offer opinions, speculations, conclusions, reflections, etc. about science. These cannot be confused with the Catholic Deposit of Faith. 2. the Magisterium of the Church has already made pronouncements. This indicates clearly that the Pope is upholding the traditional Catholic position of two sole parents of the human species.
Skipping briefly to the last quoted section where a sentence is highlighted. It looks like that is the conclusion to the opening statement “According to the widely accepted scientific account…” This paper was written by a committee who were commenting on current science. It is not a direct teaching from the Catholic realm of faith and morals. To understand this, one needs to go back to the October 22, 1996 address, section 5, for ways of separating “living organisms” into two general categories: 1. non-human organisms having a material nature and 2. the unique and distinct human organism whose nature is an unification of spirit/matter, rational/corporeal, soul and body.
Unfortunately, “evolution” has become a generic word which leads to a great deal of confusion unless people put sound bite statements back into context.
Blessings,
granny
The human person is worthy of profound respect from the moment of conception.
