In what may well be considered a landmark bridge between science and Christianity, Pope Francis told a Vatican gathering of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that both the Big Bang Theory and Evolution are consistent with Christian teachings.
His words draw a stark difference between Evangelical Christians who are deeply opposed to both theories for the origins of the universe and man respectively. They favor what has now been called “Intelligent Design” which is a more palatable way of saying God created all things sans evolution & the Big Bang theory.
However, Pope Francis has taken a more prudent position. He stated that God the Father is not a magician in possession of an all-powerful wand which creates things out of nothing. It should be noted that in the Latin translation of the Catholic Bible, John 1:3, which reads “All things were made by him”, has the word “made” translated as “ipso facto”. This term literally means “out of nothing”. As such, the Pope’s teaching represents a step away from the more provincial interpretation of the creation which the church previously held.
The pontiff went on to explain that God created human beings and let them evolve according to laws he defined. Their development proceeded forward with the objective of reaching what he termed was “their fulfillment”. While God created the expanse, he granted to all of his creations autonomy in their respective development, but assures all things of his loving presence. The pontiff strongly emphasized our stewardship over the earth and the need to care for the environment. He called it a grave sin against the Creator to destroy the environment.