In general, what is the church's thoughts' on astronomy? And even evolution--that we did in fact evolve from primates and what not. Does the christan church refuse to believe any of it?
2007-12-21 10:59:43 · 11 answers · asked by How To Save A Life 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Oh Boy! You realize that there are many churches with different official positions, and then sects within those churches which are opposed, sometimes violently? You can't say "Christian Church." The range of views accepted by various denominations of Christianity vary from those which accept pretty much everything science has revealed, (along with the existence of God), to those which staunchly adhere to the strict literal interpretation of the bible and reject anything which seems to contradict it, like the Big Bang, the age of the Universe, evolution, and the absence of Noah's flood.
The Catholic Church still has a strong central authority and even it has changed significantly over the years. After the Vatican II, under Pope John XXIII, there was a growth of tolerance and acceptance of modern scientific views. During the papacy of Paul VI, many rigid, ancient doctrines were loosened. Believe it or not, about 20 years ago, the New Catholic Encyclopedia had an excellent article on evolution, which ended, "The fact of biological evolution can no longer be seriously disputed."
You do not see that marvelous recognition any more. The biggest resurgance of biblical fundamentalism on scienitific issues is in the United States. Anti-evolution was all but gone and forgotten until it revived again in the mid to late 20th century. Fundies had rich, influential, right wing allies and believers among their company. Still do. They are concerned only with getting their authority into the schools, where they will do their thing for God and try to get everyone else's children to take a giant step backward with them.
Most major religions are at least tolerant of the scientific ideas. They like to keep a space between religion and science. And it is wise to do so. Bullheaded American fundamentalists take science square-on and actually think they can win. They are a growing group, but still a loose aggregation of several different sects.
There are some extremely fundamentalist Muslim sects, and even though I don't know for a fact, I would think their ideas concerning any non-petroleum related science would be at least as backward as American Christian fundamentalists.
2007-12-21 11:39:06 · answer #1 · answered by Brant 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Catholic Church has scientists. It has had scientists for centuries. Even in the early 1600s, there were astronomers (mostly Jesuits) who would spend hours discussing astronomy with Galileo and others.
The Big Bang theory has evolved from a hypothesis called the Primeval Atom, proposed by a Catholic priest-astronomer. The Steady State Theory (the competing theory in the early 1900s) was created by an atheist who was against the fact that the universe could have been created.
Today, Vatican scientists recognise that science is necessary to avoid falling into pagan superstition like 'Bible literalism'.
"The idea that religion and science are competing is a destructive myth." G. Consolmango, Vatican astronomer, 2006.
He added: "Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism -- it's turning God into a nature god," [...]
"And science needs religion in order to have a conscience, to know that, just because something is possible, it may not be a good thing to do."
2007-12-21 12:20:51 · answer #2 · answered by Raymond 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's not the church in general that disavows evolution and the Big Bang...it's a few people who cannot understand that science and religion are two different things that can (and for many people DO) co-exist peacefully.
Not that I'm Catholic or anything, but the official position of the Catholic church is that evolution is okay by them. Pope John Paul II made a statement saying that the so-called "war" between science and religion was fictitious, and that there was no reason for anybody to think that they couldn't believe in God and also accept the findings of scientists as well. I tend to agree. There shouldn't be any conflict.
Still, some religious folk persist. Those people who do dispute the findings of scientists do so of their own accord, however, and not because their religion tells them to. I don't know of any religion that officially refuses to accept the Big Bang theory or the theory of evolution as they now stand. Maybe somebody else does, but I don't. I hope that helps, and good luck to you.
2007-12-21 11:08:55 · answer #3 · answered by Lucas C 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The "Christian Church" is a vague term. Do you mean the Roman Catholics? The Anglicans? The Eastern Orthodox? The Mormons? The Calvinists? The Quakers? The Mennonites? The Baptists? The Evangelicals? One of the other 294750 sects? They all have different beliefs, each one claiming to be the absolute truth based on revealed enlightenment, and to be the truth independent of scientific inquiry. Some of them have beliefs which do not conflict with conclusions of science, or judge scientific questions to be out of their perview. Science and religion answer questions about the universe in profoundly different ways.
2007-12-21 11:15:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Which church? There are many Christian churches (sects) and they don't all have the same views on these (and many other) issues. I don't believe astronomy is particularly controversial (at least, not since Galileo). Some churches don't believe in evolution, some do, and some don't take any official position on it one way or the other.
2007-12-21 11:11:33 · answer #5 · answered by Jeff D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on which denomination you're talking about. Some believe in a literal interpretation of creation and do not accept the theory of evolution while others accept evolution while interpreting the biblical story of creation as figurative or myth.
2007-12-21 11:08:59 · answer #6 · answered by Richard B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the church.
There are New Earth Creationists who deny science.
And OLD Earth Creationists who embrace most of it, and Theological Evolutionists who embrace all of it.
You can accept science and still have faith that a Higher Power is ultimately responsible. That doesn't conflict with any scientific facts.
2007-12-21 11:57:46 · answer #7 · answered by Bob 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, we should ask a priest, a bishop, a Pope, or a scholar on the church.
2007-12-21 11:12:36 · answer #8 · answered by Asker 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea they beleave it they just say god caused the big bang
2007-12-21 11:08:17 · answer #9 · answered by nathan_french@sbcglobal.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well sure it did!
God said it and bang ....it happened.
2007-12-21 13:41:36 · answer #10 · answered by LandOfMisty 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋