Cardinal Schonborn to moderate "debate" on evolution

[PhilVaz]

The organizers of World Youth Day 2008, which will be held July 15-20 in Sydney, are preparing a debate on creation and evolution which will be moderated by Cardinal Cristoph Schönborn of Vienna. WYD Coordinator and Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney said, "This is a time for the youth of the world to come together and discuss the critical challenges and issues facing society today." ( from http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13094 )

Forums -- "All Creation Groans: The Debate over Creation and Evolution"
Presented by the Archbishop of Vienna Cardinal Christopher Schönborn, O.P.
5:15 pm – 6 pm Wednesday 16 July; Great Hall, Sydney University
( from http://www.arm.catholic.edu.au/wyd08/ )

Full PDF of scheduled events and locations is available at the official site
( from http://www.wyd2008.org/youthfestival )

All I see is a 45-minute talk by Cardinal Schonborn. I'm not sure there is actually a "debate" scheduled yet. But I hope it won't be "young-earth creationist" Catholic vs. "Intelligent Design of Discovery Institute variety" Catholic. If so, both will condemn "Darwinism" and no one will define "Darwinism" so no one will know what they are talking about. I'm hoping it will be more sophisticated than that. I'm guessing it won't be an atheism vs. Catholicism debate, probably an "intramural" thing. And not sure if it's going to be with adults or young people since this is "World Youth Day."

If someone finds out more details, post in here. Several billion young people will probably be there from all over the world (I'm exaggerating) so this is slightly important. But I'm assuming not many there will be really interested in this "debate."

BTW, both Schonborn (Chance or Purpose?) and Pope Benedict (Creation and Evolution: A Conference with the Pope) have recent books on this topic. They concede the facts of evolution is how I interpret them, and don't want to dispute with the science, but argue philosophy with "materialists."

Phil P

[Berthold]

The Catholic Church accepts scientific evidence of evolution, which is not really very new. There is no rule, of course, that Catholics have to accept evolution. Believing in special creation of whatever variant is no sin either.

What Catholicism is dogmatic about is the existence of souls (and supposed traits of them), which it says fall out of the range of science altogether.

[Gamer4Fire]

What Catholicism is dogmatic about is the existence of souls (and supposed traits of them), which it says fall out of the range of science altogether.

Wow, what a gap!

[DrZoidberg]

The Catholic Church accepts scientific evidence of evolution, which is not really very new. There is no rule, of course, that Catholics have to accept evolution. Believing in special creation of whatever variant is no sin either.

What Catholicism is dogmatic about is the existence of souls (and supposed traits of them), which it says fall out of the range of science altogether.

The Catholic church has a long history of supporting scientific research. The reasoning being that studying it is to understand Gods creation and will better. The examples of them obstructing science is actually not that many, they're just very famous instead. And damaging.

[rnrstar]

The Catholic Church accepts scientific evidence of evolution, which is not really very new. There is no rule, of course, that Catholics have to accept evolution. Believing in special creation of whatever variant is no sin either.

What Catholicism is dogmatic about is the existence of souls (and supposed traits of them), which it says fall out of the range of science altogether.
My understanding is that the Catholic church accepts evolution for every animal except man.

[Himantolophus]

Didn't the Pope make the Catholic Church take one step back when he said something condoning creationism a while back?

[PhilVaz]

Himan << Didn't the Pope make the Catholic Church take one step back when he said something condoning creationism a while back? >>

It was Cardinal Schonborn who had the July 2005 editorial in the New York Times suggesting "neo-Darwinian evolution" is "not true" and "not compatible" with Catholic faith, but he has since backtracked on that and said "that's not what I meant." That's what I get out of Schonborn's book (http://www.ignatius.com/chanceorpurpose/) (which is a series of his "catechetical lectures" that followed the NYT editorial), and his talk (http://www.bringyou.to/CardinalSchonbornChancePurpose.mp3) (mp3 audio) earlier this year on Book-TV.

Pope Benedict had the statement "we are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution" in his inaugural address (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20050424_inizio-pontificato_en.html) but he doesn't mean to attack the science. He's talking philosophy about purpose and meaning. On the other hand, if you read portions of his 1986 In The Beginning (http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/p81.htm) book on Genesis it does read like a Behe-like statement on "Intelligent Design." In Benedict's latest book (http://www.ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&Product_ID=3275) he's fully supportive of the science for evolution.

That's why I'm curious what the "two sides" will be in this "debate" that Schonborn is moderating.

DrZ << The Catholic church has a long history of supporting scientific research. >>

Yes, you can read / listen to that in a chapter from How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas E. Woods, Jr. in chapter 5 "The Church and Science" (http://www.bringyou.to/WoodsChurchScience.mp3) (mp3 audio)

Phil P

[Spacetime Inhabitant]

The organizers of World Youth Day 2008, which will be held July 15-20 in Sydney, are preparing a debate on creation and evolution which will be moderated by Cardinal Cristoph Schönborn of Vienna. WYD Coordinator and Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney said, "This is a time for the youth of the world to come together and discuss the critical challenges and issues facing society today."
The next critical issue up for discussion is "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?".
Apart from this "World Youth Day" being as a much of a misnomer as the baseball "World Series", what really is the purpose of it? Just proselytization for the RCs, because this type of topic is of no relevence to modern youth, or to the world.