Which denominations in Christianity accept the scientific Theory of Evolution, and why?

Question

granted, these denominations would be accepting "Theistic Evolution" and not the undirected "Darwinian Evolution".

I don't mean for this question to be a debate about Evolution itself, merely asking which denominations incorporate some form of Evolution - that is - not the "Creation story" of 6 days and God making the human being out of dust and clay.

The question is also asking "WHY" do those denominations accept this scientific theory (or some form)

Answer 1

Catholicism is one of them, I bet there are others.
Because the method of creation is not important and we don't take the Bible literally.
If you want to know more and are ready for a serious book try to read some of Pierre Teilhard de Chardrin's writing.

Answer 2

Pretty much all of them do, including the Orthodox and Roman Catholics (that's 2/3 of all the Christians in the world), the Anglicans, Unitarians, Congregationalists, Methodists, Lutherans and the Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland, the Maronites, the Nestorians and so on.

The people who don't accept evolution are the fundamentalists, ie those Christians who think their Bible should be interpreted literally. Such people are scattered among various Protestant denominations. Some can be found among Anglicans, Lutherans and Presbyterians but %wise they are most common among Baptists. They are dominant only in a few sects of churches like the 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Pentecostalists.

Evolution is almost universally accepted by Christians in over 99% of the countries of the world, the only substantial exception being the United States.

It's accepted because science says it is so and most Christians find no theological reason to dispute it. Most Christians say "God created the world" and "God created Man in His own image" and would happily agree with the proposition that "God is in charge of evolution". They interpret the Book of Genesis as using a figure of speech when it says "six days" -- meaning "six periods" or "six phases" -- and note that the SEQUENCE of events in Genesis is the same as science says it was.

Answer 3

"these denominations would be accepting "Theistic Evolution" and not the undirected "Darwinian Evolution"."

I disagree. Indeed, Darwin's writings presuppose a god who allows an undirected evolution, whereas theistic evolution is generally just intelligent design.

Buut, denominations:
Catholicism. It is taught in every Catholic college biology course like the fact it is.

Answer 4

Catholics, for one, accept the scientific theory of evolution. I cannot fully answer the question of why? Part of the reason is that Catholicism does not consider the Bible to be a time line or a science textbook.

Catholic educational institutions award academic degrees in fields such as history, biology, anthropology, etc.

Answer 5

I don't know why people keep saying evolution didn't happen. Ok, I'm a Christian, and I know the Bible is God's word, but I don't think it says that evolution couldn't have happened. I mean, there's lot of evidence and it just makes sense. Those people who keep using God to say evolution doesn't happen need to pick up a science book and understand that God uses science too!

That's just so dumb! Like, they don't even try to learn about how our world works UNDER THE DIRECTION OF GOD.

Answer 6

Theory is theory.... an educated guess!
Many enlightened Christians look at the Bible as a book made up of many literary forms, e.g., allegory, tales to enlighten, historical, metaphors, and true examples of faith, miracles, and hope.
Many enlightened Christians also recognize that early man did not have the modern concept of time, travel, and science and could only conceptualize via limited knowledge, oral history, and a tribal culturalism. Was the earth formed in 6 days, probably not. It probably took millions of years. But, who is to say that there was not a divine hand involved. Did Methusalah live to be 900 yrs old? Probably not, what was a 'year' to the ancient people. Did it equate to our 'month?' Can we say that God does not exist just because we are comparing ancient texts and beliefs against todays knowledge base. NO!

Answer 7

I don't think any denominations as a whole accept it. But there are people in each group who do. I personally know a Catholic and a Mormon who know how to take the Bible with a grain of salt and not deny scientific evidence.

Answer 8

The Roman Catholic Church comes pretty close. Fifty years ago Pope Pius XII said something like that in the encyclical Humani generis:

"The Teaching Authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, insofar as it inquiries into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter."

Basically, certain evolutionary processes are not incompatible with faith

Answer 9

The Catholic Church announced they accept evolution. Of course any organization which today comes out and rejects evolution simply makes people think they are a bunch of imbeciles. The evidence for evolution is so overwheming that to dispute it makes one look either uneducated or moronic.

A few decades ago the Catholic Church also came out and accepted the orbit of the earth around the sun.

Answer 10

I'm not sure who, but why...

They don't have enough faith to accept the truth and want to conform to society. We don't understand completely(or even in small portion) how God created the universe. Some people choose to try to explain how He did it by the THEORY of evolution. There might be a spark of truth in this THEORY, but we don't know.

I hope I will be gifted with this knowledge when I meet my Heavenly Father.

Hope with action=faith.