Monday, November 20, 2006

Blending science with religion

As unacceptable as it is to Traditional Catholics, the following guide from Vatican Two (The Church In The Modern World) may be the only way to save the Church in the modern world.

“Let them (the faithful) blend modern science and its theories and the understanding of most recent discoveries with Christian morality and doctrine.”

For example, we would say, to deny the theory of evolution is absurd and to continue to do so will mean the virtual end of religion, which would then end the spiritual truths that religion can teach science.

However, to quote Vatican One... “let there be growth...and all possible progress in understanding...but only within proper limits, that is, in the same doctrine, in the same meaning, and in the same purport.”

Saturday, November 18, 2006

From a talk on evolution and religion by Father Coyne

Here is an excellent look at evolution and religion, which begins: “The following is the text of the talk to be delivered by Vatican Observatory Director Jesuit Father George V. Coyne, “Science Does Not Need God, or Does It? A Catholic Scientist Looks at Evolution,” at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 31:

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=18504

And here is an interview with Father Coyne from the Counterbalance Foundation:

A href="http://www.meta-library.net/transcript/coyne-frame.html

Friday, November 17, 2006

The Holy Office On the Writings of Father Teilhard de Chardin

“On June 30, 1962, the Holy Office issued a monitum (warning) regarding the writings of Father Teilhard de Chardin. In 1981 the Holy See reiterated this warning against rumors that it no longer applied. Following is the text of both the monitum and the 1981 statement:”

http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=3160

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Ramakrishna on truth

"It is said that truthfulness alone constitutes
the spiritual discipline of the Kaliyuga.
If a man clings tenaciously to truth
he ultimately realizes God."

Ramakrishna

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Conservatism and Change

I see Conservatism as the middle way between the reactionary and the progressive. Conservatism is not against change, including changes that can help us better understand supernatural knowledge. But Conservatism does insist on taking its slow time in deciding on changes, always keeping in mind practical and even sometimes illogical human life and living.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Beyondism

“Beyondism” is an interesting attempt to create religion from science. I have few problems with Beyondism until it denies the spiritual realm and the cultural developments that come from revealed religion. Religious thinkers have studied the spiritual realm longer than Western science has studied the material realm. I think it may be possible to apply evolutionary thinking to the spiritual realm, even when one affirms Traditional Roman Catholicism. In any case, Raymond Cattell's “A Concise Beyondist Catechism:” is very far sighted and much of it will be applied to the Evolutionary Christian Church. http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/taboos/beyond01.html