Description
What reviewers are saying about A Catholic Assessment:
“For those uninitiated in the origins science debate, this book by John Wynne will literally blow you away. You will be fast tracked into an area of debate, gaining insights where you thought none existed. You’ll never look at theistic evolution in the same light again after reading through some of the many points made in this book.”
– Daylight Origins Society posted on Catholic Online June 17, 2013
Read A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory to see why the evidence from natural science conforms with historical Catholic teachings such as the following:
“…we must hold that the body of Adam was immediately produced or formed by God alone…the thesis we affirm is Catholic doctrine; it is taught by St.
Thomas in I. 91. art. 2, where he proves it from Ecclus. 17, 1—God created man of the earth. In this concur the other theologians and Fathers.”
– Francis Suarez, the Eximious Doctor, (1548-1617)
“We record what is to all known, and cannot be doubted by any, that God, on the sixth day of creation, having made man from the slime of the earth, and having breathed into his face the breath of life, gave him a companion, whom He miraculously took from the side of Adam when he was locked in sleep.”
– Pope Leo XIII, 1880
Some Q&A with author, John Wynne
Q. What is the basic thrust of A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory?
A. The book explains that the evolutionary claims commonly taught in high school and college text books are discredited in the scientific literature. Further, the case is set forth that, based on permanent Catholic doctrine, it is impermissible to depart from the special creation of mankind and to embrace most types of theistic evolution. By the end of the book, the reader will see that the harmony of truth in the domains of science, theology, and philosophy all point to the acceptance of special creation to the exclusion of human evolution. The theological case set forth considers the unanimous teachings of the Church Fathers and Doctors, many Magisterial statements, and Catholic guidelines for interpreting Sacred Scripture. Given the devastating historical consequences of evolution theory, there is a moral obligation for Catholics to teach the full Church doctrine on creation and to help restore truth to the science classroom.
Q. Has this been used as a textbook at any Catholic College?
Yes, A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory has been used as an upper level textbook at Christendom College.
Q. But isn’t the issue of origins a matter of science, not faith?
A. Consider that when someone states that origins is a matter of science not faith, they are revealing a pre-supposition that humans and the animal kinds emerged through natural processes and natural laws. But if God supernaturally created mankind and the animal kinds using supernatural means, then origins is a matter of historical theology as it involved a historical event resulting from Divine actions that are beyond the natural laws of science. The real question for those open to truth is whether there is any reason to depart from the obvious and straight- forward meaning of Genesis, which clearly suggests the supernatural origins of mankind and the animal kinds. Readers will see that all Darwinian claims fail and there was never a reason to depart from the historical Catholic teachings on origins.
Q. I’m Catholic, but why should I care about Church doctrine on Creation and origins?
A. You should care because only 16 percent of Catholics born after Vatican II attend Mass regularly in the U.S.; the figure is even lower in Europe. Behind these statistics is a war of worldviews between Christendom and the evolution-based philosophies of humanism, post-modernism, the New Age, and Unorthodox Christianity (usually in the form of neo-modernism). There is great strategic value in exposing the claims for evolution theory as baseless, for it is wide acceptance of Darwinism that falsely appears to provide the intellectual justification for these non-Christian worldviews.
Many Catholics immediately dismiss valid arguments against evolution theory from science or Scripture because such arguments are viewed as coming from an overly literal interpretation of Scripture by Protestants. A Catholic Assessment approaches the issue from a completely Catholic perspective and will be a useful way to allow your Catholic friends to see the relevance of the origins debate and that Catholics should be front and center in the battle for the restoration of truth. Your own confidence in the truth of special creation will also be bolstered by studying the teachings of the Church Fathers, who recorded the teachings of the Apostles during the early centuries of the Church.
Q. Are you Catholic?
A. Yes, I am a Catholic as is the co-author of Repairing the Breach, Stephen Wynne.
Q. I’ve read the 1959 book by Cardinal Ernesto Ruffini, The Theory of Evolution Judged by Reason and Faith. Is A Catholic Assessment similar to Cardinal Ruffini’s book?
A. A Catholic Assessment reaches similar conclusions but is more comprehensive and assesses current evolutionary claims, so Catholics and others who appreciated Cardinal Ruffini’s fine work will appreciate A Catholic Assessment.
Q. What is the “call to action” in A Catholic Assessment?
A. The call is NOT to eliminate the teaching of evolutionary claims, but to teach the theory objectively and critically, meaning that evidence calling evolutionary claims into doubt should be introduced and considered in all Catholic institutions, including seminaries. This is nothing more than following the instructions in Humani Generis, and only those who have been deceived into believing that the evidence for evolution is so sound that it should be treated as an infallible dogma should be opposed to this reasonable approach. Chapter Eight makes specific recommendations and appeals to parents, teachers, clergy members and the Church leadership. This includes efforts to help restore truth to the public school classroom.
Q. Back Cover Text of A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory:
A. Sixty percent of U.S. Catholics believe that the origin of mankind is best explained by evolution theory; most are unaware of Church doctrine that could preclude such a belief; and most Catholics view the question of origins as settled and irrelevant. So common are these views—even among Catholic clergy and apologists—that it would take an overwhelming case against evolution theory to change the dominant mindset.
A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory provides this case by explaining the relevance of beliefs about origins and by showing that the harmony of truth in science, history, Catholic theology, and Thomistic philosophy unanimously suggests the immediate creation of mankind by God, to the exclusion of any type of evolutionary process. The case developed herein is based on:
- The Critical Study of Evolutionary Claims
- The Writings of Church Fathers and Doctors, including Aquinas’ Summa
- The Creation/Providence Framework of the Fathers and Doctors
- The Sound Application of Scholastic Philosophy
- Catholic Guidelines for Exegesis
Plus multiple Magisterial pronouncements, including those from:
- The 4th Lateran Council / Humani Generis / Vatican I & II
- Providentissimus Deus / the Pontifical Biblical Commission
- Pelagius I / Catechism of Trent / Arcanum Divinae Sapientie
A Catholic Assessment urges the faithful to embrace full Church teachings on Creation and following the Scriptural directives to test all things (I Thess. 5:21) and to expose deceptions (Eph. 5:11)—to help ensure the objective teaching of evolution theory in Catholic institutions and in public schools. If the nation’s moral freefall is to be reversed, the systematic indoctrination of students into the evolution-based worldviews of humanism, post-modernism, and the New Age must be stopped, and exposing Darwinian claims as false must be part of the strategy. The failure to oppose such indoctrination is a sin of silence ultimately impacting public policy, religious freedoms, and views on all moral issues including abortion and the meaning of marriage.
Table of Contents of A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory:
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter One
The Modern Attack and the Flame of Truth
Chapter Two
The Pursuit of Truth? A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory From the Domains of Philosophy and Science
Chapter Three
A Catholic Assessment of the Historical Consequences of Evolution Theory
Chapter Four
Catholic Teachings on Origins, Part I: A Theological Assessment of Evolution Theory From Sacred Tradition
Chapter Five
The Creation/Providence Framework; Uniformitarianism; and the Departure From the Church Fathers
Chapter Six
Catholic Teachings on Origins, Part II: A Theological Assessment of Evolution Theory From Magisterial Teachings
Chapter Seven
Catholic Teachings on Origins, Part III: A Theological Assessment of Evolution Theory From Sacred Scripture
Chapter Eight
An Appeal to Teach the Full Church Doctrine of Creation and to Respond Strategically to the Modern Attack
Epilogue to Chapter Eight
Responses to Common Objections and A Catholic Statement on Human Origins
Appendix A
Human Evolution: The Story, The Legend, and The Myth
Appendix B
The Failure of the Remaining “Proofs” of Evolution
Appendix C
The Creation/Providence Framework and the ‘Days’ of Genesis
