Evolution in the Light of Augustine and Aquinas

[Dale]

Catholic creationist John Larson:

"It should also be carefully noted that the rationes seminales of Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas have nothing to do with evolution, and are diametrically opposed to it."

Also:

<< This absolutely negates the “evolution” of one substance into another, and entails that no living species could undergo any sort of mutation which would generate a different “kind”.
There is, in other words, no way in which Thomas [Aquinas] can be used to endorse evolutionary theory. >>

Link:
Part XIV: Receiving the Kingdom of God as a Little Child | The War Against Being
The quotes are about sixty paragraphs or eight pages into this article.


These views are not shared by most Catholics or by students of Aurelius Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.

From a Dominican website:

<< Thomas [Aquinas] notes that the view that the world developed over six ordinary days “is the more common position and seems more consonant with the letter [of the text] on a superficial level.” But he judges that St. Augustine’s understanding of the six days as signifying different orders of creatures but not different periods in time “is more rational and better defends sacred Scripture against the mockery of unbelievers.” >>


Also: "At times quoting Augustine explicitly, Aquinas speaks of seminal essences or principles given in creation that blossom into full form later. Obviously he is not thinking of Darwinian evolution, but his thought is not incompatible with what modern science appears to confirm."

Link:
Interpreting Genesis 1 with St. Thomas Aquinas | Thomistic Evolution

From another article on the same site:

" ... the perceived problem of reconciling a changing world and a non-changing God who are in relationship with each other is a non-starter. The created order is an evolving one precisely because God who does not evolve knows it as evolving and gives it existence precisely as such."

Link:
How does God create through evolution? | Thomistic Evolution

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

Catholic creationist John Larson:

"It should also be carefully noted that the rationes seminales of Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas have nothing to do with evolution, and are diametrically opposed to it."

Also:

<< This absolutely negates the “evolution” of one substance into another, and entails that no living species could undergo any sort of mutation which would generate a different “kind”.
There is, in other words, no way in which Thomas [Aquinas] can be used to endorse evolutionary theory. >>

Link:
Part XIV: Receiving the Kingdom of God as a Little Child | The War Against Being
The quotes are about sixty paragraphs or eight pages into this article.


These views are not shared by most Catholics or by students of Aurelius Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.

From a Dominican website:

<< Thomas [Aquinas] notes that the view that the world developed over six ordinary days “is the more common position and seems more consonant with the letter [of the text] on a superficial level.” But he judges that St. Augustine’s understanding of the six days as signifying different orders of creatures but not different periods in time “is more rational and better defends sacred Scripture against the mockery of unbelievers.” >>


Also: "At times quoting Augustine explicitly, Aquinas speaks of seminal essences or principles given in creation that blossom into full form later. Obviously he is not thinking of Darwinian evolution, but his thought is not incompatible with what modern science appears to confirm."

Link:
Interpreting Genesis 1 with St. Thomas Aquinas | Thomistic Evolution

From another article on the same site:

" ... the perceived problem of reconciling a changing world and a non-changing God who are in relationship with each other is a non-starter. The created order is an evolving one precisely because God who does not evolve knows it as evolving and gives it existence precisely as such."

Link:
How does God create through evolution? | Thomistic Evolution

Evolution issues aren't decided by examining the teachings of the fathers, nor are they decided by examining scriptures, they are decided by examining the evidence God chose to leave us in the stars, the rocks, and the genomes.

 

[Dale]

Evolution issues aren't decided by examining the teachings of the fathers, nor are they decided by examining scriptures, they are decided by examining the evidence God chose to leave us in the stars, the rocks, and the genomes.

I certainly agree that evolution (or direct creation) can't be decided by examining ancient and medieval figures in the church. However, not everyone agrees, so I'm trying to respond to them.

 

[Papias]

"At times quoting Augustine explicitly, Aquinas speaks of seminal essences or principles given in creation that blossom into full form later. Obviously he is not thinking of Darwinian evolution, but his thought is not incompatible with what modern science appears to confirm."

Yes.

In fact, when I saw the thread title, I thought for sure you'd mention this gem from Augustine, which is so relevant in helping creationists see the compatibility of evolution and Christianity. Did you already know of this quote (below)?


“Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience.

Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show a vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn.

The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but the people outside the household of the faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books and matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learned from experience in the light of reason?” - St. Augustine

 

[Papias]

Catholic creationist John ....

It's worth noting how out of step he is with the mother church. Our Holy Church is a big supporter of evolution. In fact, not just a big supporter, but is the largest single force in the world for the acceptance of evolution.

A list showing the RCC acceptance of evolution:

1. Humani Generis, an official papal encyclical by Pope Pious XII which allows evolution.
2. Interpretation of Humani Generis by Pope John Paul II, just in case anyone was unclear that Humani Generis allows for evolution
3. The fact that evolution is openly taught by Catholic teachers to Catholic students in Catholic Universities and Schools,
4. Confirmation of open support of evolution by the Vatican in a commissioned report chaired by Pope Emeritus Benedict, saying evolution is "virtually certain" .
5. Many of the most outspoken evolution supporters are Catholic, such as Ken Miller, Dr. Ayayla, etc.
6. Clear statements from the last three Popes (Francis, Benedict, JPII) in support of Evolution over Creationism.

Note that the list includes at least three popes, an official encyclical, a Vatican commission report, and the actions of thousands of Catholic officials doing their jobs, right now. In fact, perhaps the most striking fact is #3.

That's because the Catholic school & University system is the biggest educational system in the world. The enthusiastic teaching of evolution in all those Catholic institutions means that our Catholic church teaches evolution to more people than are taught evolution by any other organization. Have you seen the floor mosaic at the Catholic University of Notre Dame? Here it is:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Dobzhansky_Evolution_Notre_Dame.jpg

It reads: Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.

In Christ -

Papias

 

[Dale]

Yes.

In fact, when I saw the thread title, I thought for sure you'd mention this gem from Augustine, which is so relevant in helping creationists see the compatibility of evolution and Christianity. Did you already know of this quote (below)?


“Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience.

Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show a vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn.

The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but the people outside the household of the faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books and matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learned from experience in the light of reason?” - St. Augustine

Thanks for the quote. I wasn't aware of that particular passage.
I have read part of Augustine's City of God and I am aware that Augustine was concerned to make Christianity seem reasonable to educated people of the time. This is a strategy far different from the creationists, who go out of their way to say absurd things. Augustine knew that if Christianity went against everything that people believed about the world, it would have no future except as a small, insignificant sect.