In 1677, Robert Plot published the first image of a dinosaur bone in the Natural History of Oxfordshire. Since no one was talking about dinosaurs, he figured the massive bone must have come from a giant. William Buckland’s study of similar fossils in 1824 provided compelling evidence that gigantic reptiles had once lived on Earth but were now extinct. The discovery of extinct prehistoric animals created consternation among some Christians who read Genesis in a strictly literal way. If God had declared creation “very good,” how could entire species disappear forever? To many observers, another chapter of the supposed conflict between faith and science had begun.
From a religious point of view, not all Christian denominations viewed this the same way. The Catholic Church never seems to have considered the existence of fossils to be a major obstacle to biblical faith. Pope Pius XII advanced this dialogue in Humani Generis (1950), distinguishing between the scientific investigation of human origins and the theological truths concerning the human person. Reflecting on Humani Generis, John Paul II later observed that Pius XII had already clarified “that there was no opposition between evolution and the doctrine of the faith about man and his vocation” (Pope St. John Paul II, “Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on ‘The Origins and Early Evolution of Life’”, 22 October 1996).
The Popes were open to considering evolution a serious possibility, as long as researchers were not making claims from outside their realm of expertise about the meaning of life or revelation. Pope St. John Paul II advanced the conversation further by emphasizing the proper relationship between scientific inquiry, philosophy, and theology.
“More Than a Hypothesis”
When he met with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, John Paul stated that 150 years later, he had to consider evolution to be “more than a hypothesis”. This statement sent shock waves throughout the scientific community and among more conservative Christian circles. Had the Pope accepted evolution as a fact? Did this mean that he was rejecting the value of Revelation? Of course not, and a closer reading of his discourse makes that easy to understand.
As a philosopher, John Paul II recognized that beyond the given data, there are different possible interpretations of the data, identifying the materialist, reductionist, and spiritualist tendencies off the bat. Faith and reason don’t have to collide, especially when they are responding to different questions.
Characteristically, Karol Wojtyła’s first concern is with the human person, hearkening back to his fascination with Gaudium et Spes 22 that he expressed so eloquently in his first encyclical Redemptor Hominis. Here, it takes the following form.
The Church’s Magisterium is directly concerned with the question of evolution, for it involves the conception of man. Revelation teaches us that he was created in the image and likeness of God (Pope St. John Paul II, “Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on ‘The Origins and Early Evolution of Life’”, 22 October 1996).
Unique Value of Man
Man is the only creature on earth willed for his own sake. God could employ evolutionary processes in preparing the material conditions for humanity while directly creating each spiritual soul. The existence of dinosaurs or countless extinct species poses no theological difficulty. They belong to the richness of creation, whose ultimate purpose is fulfilled in the appearance of creatures capable of knowing and loving their Creator.
Only man can live in communion, solidarity, and self-giving with his peers. This sets him apart from the rest of creation. His likeness to God comes especially through his capacity to know truth freely and to love. He is called to a relationship of knowledge and love with God himself, a higher vocation than any of the animals of creation enjoy. Along with biblical revelation, this leads to one of the basic tenets of Christian faith, the spiritual soul.
Answering Evolution
Theories of evolution become incompatible with Christianity only when they are transformed into a philosophy that denies the spiritual soul or reduces the human person to nothing more than another rung of the evolutionary process. Pope John Paul II’s philosophical distinction makes clear that this debate is not scientific but philosophical.
His confidence in the harmony of faith and reason explains why he welcomed scientific inquiry rather than feared it. Already in the Gospel, Jesus had said, “the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:32).
Facts and Interpretation
To understand Karol Wojtyla’s thought on the matter, we have to understand the difference between facts and interpretation. There are certain facts: dinosaur bones exist, there is some sort of evolutionary process, and not all species last forever. These are facts, and there is no reason to dispute them. The interpretation matters immensely, however. If someone argues that evolution therefore proves the human person is nothing more than an advanced animal, science has ended and philosophy has begun.
As there should be a continuous deepening of human knowledge through scientific investigation, faith and religion can offer a purifying influence, making sure that the desire to investigate human subjectivity does not lead men and women to forget that they “are always called to direct their steps towards a truth which transcends them” (Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, 5). His natural love for the truth made it impossible for the Pope to fear scientific discovery. He just wanted to make sure that it would be interpreted in a way that did not threaten the good of human beings.
Dinosaur fossils, genetics, and evolutionary biology tell us much about how life has developed. They cannot answer why the human person exists or what destiny ultimately awaits him. Those questions belong to philosophy, theology, and ultimately divine revelation. John Paul II never feared scientific discoveries because he believed that authentic science and authentic faith are allies in the search for truth.
Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth (Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio).
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