Vatican view of Darwinism evolves into a compatible theory
by Richard Owen
The Australian (Australia), p. 11.
February 12, 2009
The Vatican has admitted that Charles Darwin was on the right track when he claimed that man descended from apes.
A leading official declared yesterday that Darwin’s theory of evolution was compatible with Christian faith, and could even be traced to St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas.
‘‘ In fact, what we mean by evolution is the world as created by God,’’ said Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture.
The Vatican also dealt the final blow to speculation the Pope might be prepared to endorse the theory of intelligent design, whose advocates credit a ‘‘ higher power’’ for the complexities of life.
