Article - One Orthodox Person's Opinion on Evolution

[jckstraw72]

everbecoming2007,

the author of what you found (deacon Kuraev) has been heavily criticised for these writings on the matter and his private view is way different than the Church's. Unfortunately I can't give the materials in English language...

Let's just say that evolution is not under any means compatible with the Church Fathers. Check Fr. Seraphim Rose's book "Genesis, Creation and the early man" - it will tell you everything you need to know.

i was at the pilgrimage for the 30th anniversary of the repose of Fr. Seraphim, and present there was Bp. Daniel of the Bulgarian jurisdiction in America. He spoke about how when Communism fell in Bulgaria and many people were coming to the Church, they were reading Fr. Seraphim. He noted that they were especially grateful for his critique of evolution.

 

[jckstraw72]

On the other hand, Fr Seraphim is simply flat-out wrong about the age of the earth, so his views should also be discounted.

and what does he say about the age of the earth?

 

[gzt]

He agrees with the synthesis of patristic views he compiled.

 

[jckstraw72]

He agrees with the synthesis of patristic views he compiled.

but do you recall what he actually teaches about the age of the earth?

 

[gzt]

I don't recall the details, but it surely conflicts with a billions of years old Earth which we can, in principle, observe information from all eras of.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Eating plants does not necessarily lead to their death. Fruits and grains and leaves can all be consumed without damage or death to the plant. To some extent roots and tubers (some animals do this and purposely keep the plants alive). There are actually fewer cases where eating plants leads to their death. Often it serves them in a beneficial sense, but I am not saying that would necessarily be true in a paradisical existence.

Also, the idea of carnivores being fitted to eat vegetation is not unheard-of in Scripture.

Is 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Fairly minor points, but what I mean to say is that these are not stumbling blocks either way.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Does St. John say that everything was created with a perfection proper to it in God, or that everything was created perfect as such?

he only said that it was created perfect, and I don't see the difference.

 

[Cappadocious]

he only said that it was created perfect, and I don't see the difference.

Something created with a perfection means that something is created with a form at work in it, "moving" it toward perfection as a telos; this is in contrast to something which is perfect as such; something which has reached stasis in full actualization.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Something created with a perfection means that something is created with a form at work in it, "moving" it toward perfection as a telos; this is in contrast to something which is perfect as such; something which has reached stasis in full actualization.

well, only God is truly perfect, and He is eternal. so perfection for a creature is to be eternally perfected. I don't understand what you are asking Capp.

 

[jckstraw72]

it seems to me he's getting at the idea that while Adam and Eve were created sinless and possessing every virtue, they were still called to grow "more" perfect, and raise up all of creation with themselves. i think of it like degrees of infinity - but degrees of perfection.

 

[ArmyMatt]

it seems to me he's getting at the idea that while Adam and Eve were created sinless and possessing every virtue, they were still called to grow "more" perfect, and raise up all of creation with themselves. i think of it like degrees of infinity - but degrees of perfection.

I know and I agree, hence the perfect creature is the one always perfected. that growth never ends.