What is the Church's position on Creation/Evolution

[Nick Moser]

An alt-right guy vs. Orthodox Christian

 

[Barney2.0]

The Church obviously holds to the belief in divine creation just as scripture says.

 

[Nick Moser]

The Church obviously holds to the belief in divine creation just as scripture says.

so we should be creationist? What sort of creationist; young earth, gap, etc.

 

[HTacianas]

An alt-right guy vs. Orthodox Christian

The Church has no official teaching on the subject.

 

[Monk Brendan]

An alt-right guy vs. Orthodox Christian

This is a non-issue.

Whether living beings exist by direct creation, or God working through natural processes He Himself determined, it's still God doing it.

Remember that the Bible is neither a scientific text nor an history book as we understand those disciplines today.

 

[All4Christ]

This should go to St Justin Martyrs.

 

[Kristos]

The first creation narrative in Genesis answer this pretty well - God created everything, nothing exists that was not created by God, and it was good. Evolution is scientific theory and would be better dealt with as such. Making a theological argument against a scientific theory is folly.

 

[Nick Moser]

thanks everyone

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Laura has been here long enough to know the World War III that breaks out over this topic!
Wise lady!!

This should go to St Justin Martyrs.

 

[ArmyMatt]

people believe both.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Not this people!!

people believe both.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Not this people!!

this either, but I am just trying to avoid or postpone the WW3 which always follows this question.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Yeah, I wish people who are curious about this topic would just do a FORUM SEARCH! This topic has been beaten to death harder than Mussolini in here!!!!

this either, but I am just trying to avoid or postpone the WW3 which always follows this question.

 

[Platina]

Nick Moser, if you're interested in what the Church Fathers say about Genesis, please PM. I have a wealth of information I can share with you.

 

[gzt]

Jay Dyer is not even Orthodox and should be avoided.

There are a variety of positions, you can see a summary and several links to articles here: Evolution - OrthodoxWiki

It is wholly legitimate as an Orthodox Christian to believe the earth is old and the broad scientific narrative (the universe is 14 billion years old, life has been around for billions of years, common descent, etc) or to believe that the earth was created a few thousand years ago.

 

[MariaJLM]

Gross, alt-right. Kill it with fire.

As for the OP's question, the church has no official stance. Everything from theistic evolution to YEC is considered valid. I'm thankful for that since if the church took once stance over the other then like half of us would be deemed heretical or something.

 

[Ioannes]

What others said, confirmed to me by my priest on an occasion.
There's no official teaching. Evolution could be real but it would still be a work of God, and the consensus is that Genesis is at times and places (intentionally) poetic, not literal.

 

[MariaJLM]

What others said, confirmed to me by my priest on an occasion.
There's no official teaching. Evolution could be real but it would still be a work of God, and the consensus is that Genesis is at times and places (intentionally) poetic, not literal.

I personally can't stand Biblical literalists. Tradition of the Fathers very clearly tells us that certain parts of the Bible are not meant to be taken literally, but rather as a parable or metaphor. I mean, Jesus Himself was speaking in parables much of the time.

 

[Ioannes]

I personally can't stand Biblical literalists. Tradition of the Fathers very clearly tells us that certain parts of the Bible are not meant to be taken literally, but rather as a parable or metaphor. I mean, Jesus Himself was speaking in parables much of the time.

Have you ever met Orthodox literalists? Legitimately asking. Personally I haven't talked to that many Orthodox people, but my priest was very clear on the subject and I suppose all the folk at my parish were instructed the same way, if this is confirmed by the Church and the Fathers then there's no real issue.
Now if we talk of protestants and some Catholics.. Different story.

 

[RobNJ]

Laura has been here long enough to know the World War III that breaks out over this topic!
Wise lady!!

Don't worry... It's relatively safe until the Fast starts.