Evolution is the popular name for a set of
scientific theories which aim to explain the apparent
similarity of different species and the appearance of
complex species later in the fossil record. In short,
evolution means that all life on earth shares a common
ancestry which can traced back to a single species.
Orthodox Christians have divergent views on how to react
to this development in science.
In
general Orthodox responses can be grouped into two large
categories, which we might label Compatibilism and
Incompatibilism.
Compatibilists hold that science and theology are
compatible and view them as complementary revelations of
God. As God is the source of both his specific
revelation of himself in the Christian faith and the
source of the general revelation of himself in nature,
the findings of science and theology cannot really
contradict; the contradictions must be merely apparent
and a resolution possible which is faithful to the truth
of God's revelation.
Incompatibilists hold that science can be incompatible
with faith. They usually argue either that science is
philosophically based on a kind of naturalism or that
God's specific revelation is infallible and therefore
trumps the findings of human reason in the case of any
conflict between them. This is often based on a
suspicion of human reason to arrive at reliable
conclusions in the first place.
The
development of modern science dates to the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, so no
ecumenical council has ever addressed how to
integrate it with divine revelation in a coherent and
consistent worldview. As a result, there is not a
dogmatic treatment examining how to resolve conflicts,
whether apparent or real, when scientific findings
appear to contradict divine revelation. Many early
fathers were happy to use the primitive science of their
day to divine purposes, perhaps suggesting to modern
Christians a compatibilist resolution to the question.
Other fathers, however, clearly see conflicts and
contradictions which they resolve in favor of their
understanding of Christian revelation.
==================================================
Books
-
—
According to the review by Fr. Hans Jacobse, editor
of OrthodoxyToday.org, the author writes that the
structures of philosophical materialism
(evolutionary theory and its flip-side, scientific
creationism), both miss the point; that Genesis
reveals that the creation is logo-centric --
it was created by the Word of God, and it is held
together by the Word of God's power. The word of
Scripture, then, is primarily a literary text, not
history (itself a narrative) or a scientific tract.
-
Rose, Fr Seraphim,
Genesis, Creation, and Early Man — Contains a
detailed examination of Patristic teaching related
to the discussion of evolution and argues along the
lines of modern creation science. Incompatibilist
-
Woloschak, Gayle, Beauty and Unity in Creation:
The evolution of life. (Minneapolis: Light and
Life, 1996) — Primer on the relationship between
evolutionary biology and Orthodoxy by a scientist.
ISBN 1880971275 Compatibilist
Articles
Compatibilist
-
Boojamra, Dr. John,
"The Orthodox Idea of Creation" The Word, June
1999, pp.31-34 An overview of Orthodox cosmology,
intended for teachers and youth leaders as a
background for discussion of various educational
segments related to creation. Concise and useful for
a general understanding of Orthodox cosmology.
-
Breck, Archpriest John V.
"Ex Nihilo" Life in Christ, February 2008 #1.
-
Fritts, Kevin Basil,
"On the Dogma of Creation" The author is a
contributor to this OrthodoxWiki article.
-
Hallam, Fr. Gregory,
"Orthodoxy and Creationism"
-
Kalomiros, Dr. Alexandre,
"The Six Dawns"
-
Kuraev, Fr. Deacon Andrey,
"Can an Orthodox Become an Evolutionist?"
-
Kuraev, Fr. Deacon Andrey,
"Orthodoxy and Creationism"
-
Maletis, John P.,
"Let There Be Light: An Orthodox Christian Theory of
Human Evolution for the 21st Century".
Theandros Vol. 5 No. 3.
-
Metallinos, V. Rev. Prof. Dr. George,
"Faith and Science in Orthodox Gnosiology and
Methodology" Very briefly mentions evolution,
but overall states the traditional Orthodox position
of separation between divine and earthly knowledge.
-
Mileant,
Bishop Alexander of Buenos Aires and South
America (ROCOR).
The Origins of the World and Mankind: An Attempt to
Reconcile the Biblical Account with Scientific
Discoveries. Transl. by Karyn and Michael
Grigoriev. Ed. by Natalia Semyanko. Holy Trinity
Orthodox Mission, La Canada, California, 2004.
-
Nicozisin, Fr. George,
"Creationism versus Evolution"
-
Smith, Allyne,
H. Tristram
Engelhardt, Jr., Edward Hughes, and J. Henry,
"Orthodoxy", in The History of Science and
Religion in the Western Tradition (2000):
268-273.
-
Theokritoff, George, with Elizabeth Theokritoff,
"Genesis and Creation: Towards a debate" (PDF) —
Review of Seraphim Rose, Genesis, Creation and
Early Man: The Orthodox Christian Vision, in
St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, Volume 46,
Number 2 (2002). George Theokritoff is a
paleontologist and Elizabeth is a theological
scholar, author and editor of The Cambridge
Companion to Orthodox Christian Theology (ISBN
0521683388).
-
Voino-Yasenetsky, St Luke,
"Science and Religion"
-
Ware, Metropolitan Kallistos,
"Orthodoxy and Evolution", video: answer to a
question asked in a forum at Seattle Pacific
University.
Incompatibilist
-
Bensusan, Ephrem Hugh,
"Orthodox Christianity and the Post-Christian
Intelligentsia: A Response to Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo):
Part 1" Bensusan deals with the Archbishop's
acceptance of evolution.
-
Bufeev, S. V,
"Why an Orthodox Christian cannot be an
evolutionist"
-
Christensen, Fr. Damascene,
"Interview with Fr. Damascene" Hieromonk
Damascene speaks about creation with reference to
patristic literature.
-
Gascoigne, Fr. Serafim
"Evolution" A New Fundamentalism" from
OrthodoxNorth.net
-
Rose, Fr. Seraphim,
"Genesis, Creation and Early Man: The Orthodox
Christian Vision" This page presents several
chapters from Fr. Seraphim's book on creation.
-
Rose, Fr. Seraphim,
"Genesis and Early Man: The Orthodox patristic
understanding"
-
[Old Believing -- Orthodoxy and Creationism]
[1] an Orthodox blogger has compiled Patristic
quotes pertaining to timelines and chronologies in
the Old Testament, as well as the witness of modern
Orthodox Saints and Holy Elders about evolution and
Genesis
-
[Old Believing -- Genesis, Creation, and Early Man][2]
an Orthodox blogger offers a critique of George
Theokritoff's review of Fr. Seraphim Roses's
Genesis, Creation and Early Man, which is linked
above, in the compatibilist section.
-
[Old
Believing -- the Entire Creation was Created
Incorrupt]
[3] an Orthodox blogger offers a compilation of
quotes demonstrating that the entire creation was
created incorrupt, and not only man.
-
[Old
Believing -- Adam and Eve were literally the first
people and were created uniquely from all other
creatures and subsequent people[
[4] an Orthodox blogger offers a compilation of
quotes demonstrating that Adam and Eve were
literally the first people and that they were
created in a manner unique from the rest of creation.
See also
External links
Orthodox
Non-Orthodox
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