Expert: Fr. Michael - 12/28/2009

Question
I have a theological question:  For Christians, Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant, who accept as valid the scientific general theory of evolution:  How is the fall of man (traditionally an historical Adam and Eve) and the consequent ‘original sin’ (or, as the Eastern Orthodox like to call it, ancestral sin) reconciled, harmonized, understood, integrated, etc into the evolutionary view of man as evolving over long periods of time from a population of hominid ancestors? Of course, in every young earth creationist writing I have read and dialogue I have had they say these two things are mutually exclusive, and is one of the main reasons given for the denial of evolution and an earth older than approx 6-7,000 years.

Answer
They are not mutually exclusive.  St. Augustine in both "De Genesi ad Litteram Libri Duodecim" and "De Genesi contra Manichaeos Libri Duo" disputed a "literal" interpretation of Genesis, such as Fundamentalist Protestants today proclaim.

Pope Pius XII's Encyclical "Humani Generis" exhibits a very prudent approach to the question of the theory of evolution, as well as all scientific theories.  Both religion and science are founded in truth; therefore, true religion and true science can never be in contradiction.  "Thus, the teaching of the Church leaves the doctrine of evolution an open question, as long as it confines its speculations to the development, from other living matter already in existence of the human body.  In the present state of scientific and theological opinion, this question may be legitimately canvassed by research, and by
discussion between experts on both sides."