Insisting science and faith can coexist, Pope John Paul II has told scientists that theories on evolution are sound as long as they accept that Creation was God's work.
John Paul cautioned that the Church and the faithful must remain firm on two points: Creation itself is the work of God, and human beings have another dimension beyond the physical.But the statement to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, a lay organization meeting in Rome this week, was the pope's clearest and most comprehensive comment yet in support of Charles Darwin's theories.
Darwin's theory that humankind was the product of a slow, evolutionary process from early forms of life conflicts with the literal biblical account of the Creation, that the world, including humans, was created in six days.
In the statement released Wednesday, the pope said new knowledge has confirmed that Darwin's theory of evolution is "more than a hypothesis."
The fact that he issued the statement to a group of lay scientists added additional resonance to the Vatican's position that evolution and faith in God can coexist.
The pope, who has urged the Vatican to adopt modern communication technologies, has also been keen on acknowledging advancements in science. He often stresses that progress should not overwhelm the "dignity of man" and his spirituality.
By not challenging the evidence supporting evolution, the Vatican places the Roman Catholic viewpoint in stark contrast to that of some fundamentalist Christians, who believe the biblical account of the Creation is literal.
Throughout his papacy, John Paul has paid close attention to science. In 1992, at the end of 13 years of study by the Vatican, he declared that the Church was wrong to condemn astronomer Galileo Galilei.