Christianity and Evolution

• Genesis 1, “yom” means literal day: Some Young Earth Creationists, like Calvin Smith of Answers in Genesis Canada, argue that the Hebrew word for Day, yom, in Genesis 1 means a literal 24 hour day, nothing else. Any other definitions added would distort the meaning of God's word, and, thus, Christianity.[4] I respond that it I say it took me a million years to do something, a year means 365.25 days, nothing more, nothing less. But the overall sentence is metaphorical. See the next page for what Genesis 1 is about.

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• What about Noah’s Flood? In Genesis 6:17, it says, “For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.” [NRSV] Some argue that the Bible is clear: the whole world, or Planet Earth, flooded. The original Hebrew word for all Earth is whole [kol] and Earth [erets] just mean the general area, not all of planet Earth as we think today, though. After all, Exodus 34:10 says: “He said: I hereby make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform marvels, such as have not been performed in all [kol] the earth [erets] or in any nation…” [NRSV, Hebrew added by myself]. It is evident that this is talking about the local area, as why would the Bible say every nation if they already talked about the whole Planet? [5] Thus, Noah’s flood was likely a local, symbolic event and not a global event. Whenever reading the Bible, it is important to take into account cultural context and literary genres to deduce the full meaning of the text (CCC §109-110).​​​

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• What about Adam and Eve? It clearly says in Genesis 2: 7-25 that they were the first two people, and Pope Pius XII in Humani Generis §37 clearly says that we are from two people (monogenism), not thousands (polygenism) as Evolution says. I argue that a person is a Homo sapien with a human soul. So, humanity started with 10,000 Homo sapiens [6], evolving into existence, then Adam and Eve got two souls, making them the first people, for God’s demonstration that He knew would be written in Genesis. Then they sinned, and God split their soul like a family tree, and gave a bad soul to every Homo sapien. Therefore, there is biological polygenism, but spiritual monogenism. [7] We, humans, share Adam and Eve’s sin and fall in spirit, not necessarily genetics. While this is unsettled with the Catholic Church, this idea does not contradict core Church doctrines. [7]

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• Why would God put the 7-day creation in Genesis if it is so confusing to people? I respond: Matthew 16: 18-19 says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [NRSV] Jesus (יֵשׁוּעַ) founded the Roman Catholic Church, to guide the Christians to the truth, and settle disputes such as this through their God-guided interpretations. There are hundreds of thousands of words in the Bible, and many ways to interpret it. And, this church affirms that faith, science, and reason never contradict (CCC §159). The Catholic Church is guided by God to find the right interpretation. Thus, the peace of God be with you always.

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• Why interpret the Bible using knowledge from outside the Bible? God is the source of all truth (CCC §2465), and, thus, any truth, including that from correctly-done science, cannot contradict God, as the truth never contradicts itself (CCC §159). It is also well-known that Evolution is, for the most part, a correct theory, and denying the truth can never work in the long-term, as God asks all of His people to live in truth. Thus, these beliefs must be reconciled together, which is why one must interpret the Bible like this. Evidence for Evolution