what do you know about ST Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquarious and evolution?

Question

has anyone read what ST Augustine was saying about evolution in the 4th centuary his views are amazingly close to those of Darwins, whats more did you know that it wasnt until Saint Thomas Aquarious gave genesis official approval in the 13th centuary that the book of genesis was officialy taken literaly as the only acceptable view of Creation the main reason being that the earliest views on evolution had been proposed by aristotle the works of whom had become popular in Islamic countries the christian leaders were bitterly opposed to. i think its amazing how long it took for evolution to become commonly accepted. its also funny when you read a christian from the fourth century saying genesis is not meant to be taken as literal fact and putting forward a fairly good discription of evolution in the fourth century. when sixteen hundred years later with all the evidence we have some christians are denying its existance and taking genesis literally. i recommend anyone to take a look.

Answer 1

This is how it works:

When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of St. Thomas "Aquarious"...

Answer 2

Saint Thomas AQUARIOUS? What about Saint John Capricorn or Saint Bridgitte Gemini?

Seriously I think the writings of St Augustine give support to a view that Genesis need not be taken literally in order to be a Christian by showing an example of someone who:
1 Cannot be denied to be Christian
2 Did not think Genesis should be taken literally.

This is, of course, what the vast majority of Christians around the world believe - only a small group of creationists make a lot of noise! Its interesting that you say that Aquinas sought, and got, official approval of literality of Genesis as the only acceptable view. Its certainly NOT the case now in the Catholic Church (Aquinas was Catholic). It'd be interesting to see a reference.

[Edit] King Kong Jnr: what has "City of God" got to do with it? Surely if you wanted to know St Augustine's views on a literal interpretation of Genesis you'd be best off reading not the "City of God" but his work entitled...er.."On the literal interpretation of Genesis"?

Answer 3

Nice opinion, but it is not true.

St. Augustine believed that God did not need to take 6 days to create the world, that He should rest, and that He would make man any different than he is (that is immortal to mortal). He simply believed that the entire world and universe were made in one brief moment and that the Genesis story is simply provided to teach a lesson.

St Augustine was a strong supporter that man had been around for only a short time, as the Bible reasons too.

"Let us, then, omit the conjectures of men who know not what they say, when they speak of the nature and origin of the human race. For some hold the same opinion regarding men that they hold regarding the world itself, that they have always been... They are deceived, too, by those highly mendacious documents which profess to give the history of many thousand years, though, reckoning by the sacred writings, we find that not 6000 years have yet passed."

But because Jesus himself quoted Genesis pertaining to the creation of men I believe it substantiates that it is literal and truth.

Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female

Answer 4

Well, I know that this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Many people don't know that the signs of the Zodiac were named after Christian Saints. My favorite was St. Roger Capricorn, who said, "Go unto the Lord, but bring some pie. The Lord likes pie." Then there was St. Elroy Pisces, founder of Episcepaleontologism, who said, "If Heaven is for eternity, wouldn't it get boring after a while?" Don't forget about St. Percival Scorpio, who was famous for his wonderful banana bread, and whose most famous quote was, "Go and sin no more,... well, okay, just for a little while longer." But the most controversial was St. George Sagitarrius, who said, "The Lord is my Shepard. Baaaaaaaa!"

Answer 5

That is St. Thomas Aquinas, my friend. Yes, some forms of Christianity have taken an intellectual nose dive, such as the Baptists and the strictly literalistic non-denoms.

But those two saints were Catholics, and the Catholic church and mainstream Protestants (like Lutherans and Anglicans) still maintain a fairly intellectual theology that admits that the stories of the early chapters of Genesis are more allegorical than historical.

Answer 6

St Augustine ruined Britain...

Answer 7

Religious suppression of scientific truth is shocking, but only to modern, freethinking, educated folk. Remember, the common masses were illiterate, education was rare and selective,Popes, Kings and Queens,and many greats, were totally illiterate, most of the Biblical characters were illiterate - compared to an average modern day pub quiz winner!

Answer 8

The genesis has nothing to do with History. The Genesis is allegorical in a completely different manner. It no record of the past, it is allegorical for something that is inward in mind and being.

Answer 9

Google Theistic Evolution.

Answer 10

Have you read "CITY OF GOD' by augustine. Very interesting.

Don't read to prove preconceived opinions.

6-24 hours days are not believed by many, but that alters nothing.