From the Pope
The theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real and God is not “a magician with a magic wand”, Pope Francis has declared.
Speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Pope made comments which experts said put an end to the “pseudo theories” of creationism and intelligent design that some argue were encouraged by his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
Francis explained that both scientific theories were not incompatible with the existence of a creator – arguing instead that they “require it”.
“When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,” Francis said.
He added: “He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfilment.
Thanks to Montchiloff and kukla on Facebook.
Feminist Philosophers 
The notion that Benedict XVI (or JPII for that matter) was a proponent of Creationism and/or Intelligent Design is ludicrous.
When American fundamentalists take this line, then we will have gotten somewhere. European Catholic countries can have wonderful museums of human evolution like the one in Burgos in Spain, but in America, not a chance.
While welcome, I can’t see how Francis’ proclamation changes much. The majority of adults (in the US, anyway) accept some version of evolution. The hold-outs reside predominately in evangelical circles, so I don’t anticipate Francis changing many of those minds (http://www.pewforum.org/2013/12/30/publics-views-on-human-evolution/). Still, it is nice to hear an public and unequivocal endorsement of evolution, and condemnation of ID and creationism.
I think that there are some factors that make it really significant, even though I may well have been initially over enthusiastic. For one thing, this is a very major figure in, as it is said, the Judeo-Christian tradition who clearly rejects what’s called “young earth creationists.” There’s also a ratification of science. That emphasizes that the j-c tradition can accommodate science. Will the evanglicals be changed? I care less about that than about the rhetoric employed in imposing their beliefs on us.
Margaret, we do have the Smithsonian
Anne, the Smithsonian caved over the Enola Gay exhibit. Have they stood up to Fundamentalists on evolution? (I haven’t been there in years)
Margaret, the Enola Gay exhibit was distressing. But they are holding the line on evolution, as far as I can see.
The fact is, the kind of people who are deeply committed to Creationism in this country are also the kind of people who think the Pope is the Antichrist. (By the way, the door was officially opened to evolutionism in the Catholic Church way back in 1950.) The Catholic Church is many things, not all of them good (obviously), but fundamentalist it is not.
I beg the Smithsonian’s pardon and am also relieved. I guess I was overr-influenced by the shiny new splendors of the Burgos museum to think, this could never happen here.
Margaret, apparently the Smithsonian is now very, very big and divided into non-communicating depts. I’m not sure there is an it whose pardon you can beg. We certainly shouldn’t worry about what it thinks.
I shouldn’t have said they are holding the line, though some part is..
Alas, it appears that the Pope was scooped by Aubrey Moore more than a century earlier.
“Currently, I see in Germany, but also in the United States, a somewhat fierce debate raging between so-called “creationism” and evolutionism, presented as though they were mutually exclusive alternatives: those who believe in the Creator would not be able to conceive of evolution, and those who instead support evolution would have to exclude God. This antithesis is absurd because, on the one hand, there are so many scientific proofs in favor of evolution which appears to be a reality we can see and which enriches our knowledge of life and being as such. But on the other, the doctrine of evolution does not answer every query, especially the great philosophical question: where does everything come from? And how did everything start which ultimately led to man? I believe this is of the utmost importance.” -Benedict xvi