Well, the debate over 'Creationism Vs Science' continues to hot up on BBC. As a Catholic I find this debate so tedious it is spinning my head out. The real confusion is for atheists who purport that just because Sacred Scripture says the World was made in 6 days (and the inference that it all occurred 8,000 years ago) that the author, who was most definitely guided by the Holy Spirit, meant all of this literally. Then, on the other hand, 'Bible Christians' have a few problems in this argument too, because due to their lack of Holy Tradition, they have not understood the full depths of the Book of Genesis, and are reading it literally also. In some ways, you cannot blame the scientists fury!
As any scientist worth his salt would tell you that if the Book of Genesis went into a literal discussion of how the World and the Universe was formed, not only would the Large Hadron Collider have been unnecessary (someone explain to me its necessity!) but the story of Creation would be incredibly, incredibly dull, describing particles, atoms and protons etc.
It is told as a story because only in this context do the spiritual truths of the Creation of the World and Man's place in it make any real sense at all, whether it is recounted to believers or to unbelievers. We Catholics have a healthy respect for science. Scientists clearly don't always have that much a healthy respect for God or Man as demonstrated by their decision to risk creating a small black hole which could turn us all into goo.
On a moral and spiritual basis, how and how long it took is not the point here. We are given an allegory of Creation, that God, out of nothing made everything. We are told that God made the Heavens and the Earth and He saw that it was good. So far, so good. No scientist can disprove this theory! Now at some point, somehow the First Man and the First Woman came into existence. How this occurred, I am happy to leave to the imaginations and studies of scientists, so long as in discovering it, do not turn us into goo. Yet Man is described as 'very good.' In other words, God was thrilled to bits when He created us, evolved or not.
If you are an atheistic scientist, this is where you have to suspend your disbelief for a little while. We Catholics believe that the first Man and first Woman, named in Genesis as Adam and Eve enjoyed intimacy and friendship with God. We are told that the union between them and the Creator was so close that God 'walked with them in the Garden'. The point is that 'in the beginning' everything was perfect. But through their disobedience the human race inherited Original Sin. We Catholics do bang on about Original Sin because it speaks much about the way we are, about the cause of human suffering and the salutary reality of death. This is described as the result of the sin of our first parents. The main point is that in truth the story of Creation is about us. Adam and Eve represent us, men and women today.
I mean, look at the picture and ask yourself if it does not in some way portray our frail human condition.
God looks down, saying, "What have you done?"
Adam (crapping himself) says, "It wasn't me Boss, it was her fault. She tempted me."
Eve looks at the serpent and says, "Well, it wasn't me, the serpent tempted me."
The serpent we assume, says, "It was the err, tree? Look over there its a helicopter!" and probably tries to make a quick get away.
We have no idea whether our first parents really took an apple from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But that would not be the point. The point the author is making is one about our fallen human nature. This is about why sin came into the World. This is about our moral disobedience, our guilt, our shame and then defiance in the face of our Maker, who of course, speaks to Man in the depths of his Conscience. It is also, of course, about God. In the Catholic Church, we believe that Our Blessed Lord is the New Adam and Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the New Eve. Man, though inheriting a frail, fallen, human nature has been redeemed at a very high cost; the suffering and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
You may argue that atheists have to suspend disbelief on the Incarnation, Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascenscion of Christ and the Immaculate Conception and Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as her Assumption Body and Soul into Heaven. However, you have to admit, that as far as theology goes, it does hold together better than Higgs Boson and believing in the Catholic Church's Doctrine of Original Sin and the Redemption of the World will never turn you into goo.
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