2007-07-12 11:27:44 · 17 answers · asked by whonotme8181 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When I say how old is the earth, I mean when God created the world in 7 days Adam and eve etc.
2007-07-12 11:38:44 · update #1
The Catholic Church is not a scientific organization and makes no claims on the age of the Earth.
The Catholic Church does not take the stories of creation in the Bible literally. Catholics believe the book of Genesis tells religious truth and not necessarily historical fact.
One of the religious truths is that God created everything and declared all was good.
Catholics can believe in the theory of evolution. Or not. The Church does not require belief in evolution.
On August 12, 1950 Pope Pius XII said in his 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, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter - for the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.
Here is the complete encyclical: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12081950_humani-generis_en.html
The Church supports science in the discovery of God's creation. At this time, the theory of evolution is the most logical scientific explanation. However tomorrow someone may come up with a better idea.
As long as we believe that God started the whole thing, both the Bible and modern science can live in harmony.
With love in Christ.
2007-07-12 16:40:14 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
why would you ask this, you just want a rise. Catholicism doesn't believe the world was made in a week, or that the earth is 4000 years old. I don't know why people feel God can't work through science and everything he does has to be some phenomena.
2007-07-12 11:36:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Traditionally the earths age was about 6,000 years old. This changed in the 1980's under Pope John Paul II when he declared that the scientific evidence of the earths age was too great to ignore and that the church accepted the estimate of science of 4.5 - 5 billion years old.
His take on the Biblical numbers is the age of humanities soul. That is God gave mankind its soul at the time of Eden and this was the beginning of modern man. The creation of mankind happened when man received his soul and conscience.
2007-07-12 11:35:15 · answer #3 · answered by my_iq_135 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The father of the big bang theory was a belgian priest, Georges Lemaitre.
Scientists at the moment think the eart is around 4,55 bill years.
I am sure that pope B26 will "actualise" the view of his church on this matter soon.
Please enjoy your day.
2007-07-16 20:05:32 · answer #4 · answered by kwistenbiebel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Please do not confuse us Catholics with every other Christian religion. We are NOT the mindless Bible thumpers!
Actually, it was a Catholic priest, Georges Lemaitre, who first proposed the Big Bang theory (see reference below).
And this from Father George Coyne of the Vatican Observatory:
"The Catholic Church has long accepted an evolutionary worldview, complete with descent from apes and a big bang beginning. John Paul in particular has championed science and lent his personal support to 'Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action,' " (wired article on 2nd link)
2007-07-12 11:57:27 · answer #5 · answered by Mark in Time 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because she is the mother of God. She is the closest thing we've got to a Goddess so I really wish people would just shut up about it. I always preferred praying to her over God. Mary never mass murdered anyone nor did she order that women be stoned for showing some ankle.
2016-05-21 00:23:34 · answer #6 · answered by jennefer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholicism does not ever mention how old is the earth.
2007-07-12 19:26:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends upon the Catholic. Some are quite conservative and take the age-old belief of about 6000 years. Others are modernists indistinguishable from the geology professors in any American university. I'm sure most Catholics are the latter than the former.
2007-07-12 11:31:36 · answer #8 · answered by Caesar 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catholicism teaches faith and morals, not science. There is no teaching on the age of the earth.
2007-07-12 11:31:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was raised Catholic, though I am not currently practicing.
I think the earth is extremely old, I believe in evolution and dinosaurs, and I find no discrepancy in feeling that God created everything to run on the laws of nature which He/She created.
I have no trouble reconciling science and faith. :)
2007-07-12 11:31:57 · answer #10 · answered by Calliope 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋