With the bloody massacre of fetuses on display on Hayden Lawn in support of pro-life issues, along with picketing pro-choice supporters not far behind, the debates between the two often descended into arguments of religious ideology and the Bible. This of course brought me to think of a recent instance when religion was reasonable and not based solely on the Bible.
This year, Pope Benedict XVI, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Roman Catholic Church's doctrinal hard-liner, presided over the Catholic Church's International Theological Commission.
There, a document was produced concerning evolution and the big-bang theory.
In the states there has been much debate over intelligent design being taught in schools alongside Darwinian evolution. But the Catholic Church has taken a position that actually supports evolution, contrary to the beliefs of some Protestants who interpret the Bible literally.
Taking into consideration Pope Benedict's history for rigorous orthodoxy, the document is a remarkable step for him and the Catholic Church as a whole.
In the document it is acknowledged that the universe is theorized to have begun some 15 billion years ago, and that the earth formed some 4.5 billion years ago.
It of course references the big-bang theory. The document speaks about the beginning of the universe and the development of man in scientific terms.
The text also includes a critique of the imago Dei, the belief that man is created in the image of God, a tenet that has been problematic for some in the light of evolutionary theory.
This document of course, was not the beginning of acceptance of evolution within the Catholic Church -- the late Pope John Paul II said that evolution appeared to be "more than a hypothesis." This would be a more marked and official approach to tackling evolution today.
However, the document is very clear in not removing God from the equation.
The text promulgates theistic evolution, or that God is still the "causer of causes."
So no, the Catholic Church, while being very reasonable in its acknowledgment of scientific discovery, has not started promoting atheism.
What is great is that the Catholic Church is becoming more adaptable and is able to incorporate what has been learned into the belief system. Science and faith need not always be diametrically opposed.
It is very encouraging that there has been progress within the Catholic Church, and that the mother of institutionalism does not attempt to answer all scientific inquiry on its own. It would be folly to do otherwise... Galileo anyone?
Even though biblical literalism has been dismissed in this case (sorry Adam and Eve), there is still a lot of progress to be made. Still, the steps made to bridge a seemingly insurmountable gap between Christianity and the scientific world are invaluable.
Perhaps the two can at least be brought into the same room together for some dialogue, in contrast to our pro-life/pro-choice friends.
If a staunch figure such as Pope Benedict XVI can see reason in science, then anything is possible.
Rick Beitman is a political science and French junior. He can supposedly be reached at Richard.beitman@asu.edu but ASU e-mail sucks.
