Science and Faith: Catholic Contributions to Scientific Discovery

As a practicing conservative Catholic, I find that most people take a hard-line when discussing ideas such as the Big Bang Theory. It appears today that there are only two arguments from which one feels compelled to debate. The first, usually made by the Fundamentalist Christian community, who believe that the bible alone explains the origins of Man, argue that God alone created this vast universe. The second faction, secularists (atheists) and the Scientific Community, who search for answers of natural phenomena by way only of natural causes. Thus, the Big Bang Theory previously mentioned, appears to be a source of consternation for all persons wishing to understand the complete controversy.

We, as Catholics, believe that both arguments are valid. We believe that there can be a mutual understanding of both arguments and that both science and faith provide the answer to the question of the origin of the universe. I put to the reader a question in its simplest form: Isn’t it possible that man, with his limited intellect, explains in scientific terms what he understands to be the cause of the genesis of the universe while at the same time, understanding that the unexplainable could be caused by God? Isn’t it possible that God created the universe and man explains this creation in human terms like “the big bang”? Catholics have always believed that faith and science can coexist in such a forum. Due to the understanding of this symbiotic relationship, Catholics have always been at the forefront of scientific discovery.

Pop culture history today explains that Galileo was excommunicated by the Catholic Church for his belief that the earth was not the center of the universe. In fact, Galileo, an astronomer, a physicist and mathematician, was excommunicated after announcing his discovery to the Pope. The Pope, concerned that such information would have a negative impact on the population should his discovery prove inaccurate, advised him to continue his research before making his discovery public. Galileo, a Catholic priest who took a vow of obedience as do all priests, challenged the authority of the Pope and made his discovery public in a very disobedient manner (he called the Pope a pile of dung) thus breaking his vow of obedience.

Likewise, Copernicus, twenty years earlier and himself an astronomer, a physicist and mathematician as well as a Catholic priest of the religious order of Jesuits, found himself in the same situation. He too met with the same fate.

  

Christopher Columbus was a member of a religious order of laymen known as the Third Order of Franciscans, today known as the Secular Franciscan Order. When he landed on the beaches of the island which he named El Salvador (Spanish: The Savior), he was carrying the White flag bearing a green cross-the flag of the Catholic Church.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a Paleontologist, a historian and a Catholic priest. He was a popular professor at French universities. In 1929 he was punished by his Benedictine order in France for his views on evolution. He was sent to remote areas of China to study fossils. While in the area of Peking (today known as Beijing), he headed a team of scientists looking for certain hominid fossils when he discovered a skull of a potential ancestor to man. This skull, known as Peking Man, provided the basis for what today many call “the missing link”. Years later, the Catholic Church apologized for the treatment he received at the hands of his superiors and lauded the scientific discoveries he made. Peking Man was lost during transfer to a French laboratory. Later Teilhard de Chardin’s ideas  would be disproven but his discoveries remain as some of the foremost scientific research of modern times.

   Monsignor Georges Lemaitre with Albert Einstein

Finally on to the story of the Big Bang Theory. Georges Lemaitre (pronounced Lay-mate) was a Belgian who studied Civil Engineering at a Jesuit university prior to World War I. He served in the military and was completely disillusioned about humanity after witnessing the devastation the war had caused. He returned to the university where he received doctorates in mathematics, astronomy and physics. In 1927, he proposed the Big Bang Theory and an ever-expanding universe. His very best friend, a physicist himself, publicly argued against an expanding universe and said Lemaitre was wrong. His friend was quoted: “Your math is correct, but your physics is abominable."(A Day Without Yesterday:Georges Lemaitre and the Big Bang). Three years later and in front of a public forum of scientists, his best friend publicly acknowledged that Lemaitre was completely correct and should be honored for his findings. That best friend was none other than Albert Einstein. Two years before his Big Bang Theory proposal, Georges Lemaitre was ordained a Catholic priest after several years of seminary studies-all while he was earning his several Ph.D.’s.

Today, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences is one of the world’s premier scientific institutions leading the way in many fields. Founded in 1936, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences offers programs in many areas of scientific study. I am encouraging my own daughter, Alyxandra, to attend the Pontifical Academy of Archaeology to  earn her Ph..D when she finishes her undergraduate degree.

Science and faith do not have to oppose each other. We as finite human beings should be able to view the universe with our own limited minds to better understand what God himself created. In so doing, we not only better understand ourselves, but we can more easily contemplate this beautiful and majestic universe God has so graciously gifted to us, his creation.

A Day Without Yesterday: Georges Lemaitre and the Bing Bang

The Galileo Controversy

The American Teilhard Association

The Teaching Authority of the Church

The Church's faithful believe that the teachings of the Church are correct. From where does such belief originate? How can one know with confidence that Church teachings are true? The answer lies with the head of the the Catholic Church, the Pope, in unison with all the Bishops of the  church. Together they form the teaching authority of the Church. The Pope and the Bishops act together to formulate teaching that the faithful can be assured is correct. This congregation of Pope and bishops form what is known in the Catholic community as the Magisterium.

The Magisterium has its basis for authority in Christ himself. Christ charged his diciples with spreading God's word. Christ assured them they would speak with the authority granted by God Himself:  "He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects your rejects me, he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me" (Luke 10:16). Through the ensuing centuries, the fathers of the Church have come to understand this charge which Jesus made allows them to speak with His authority. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church leaders speak without error. This is known as infallibility.

There are several different technical definitions of the Magisterium. The Extaordinary Magisterium refers to the Pope, in Unison with all of the Church's Bishops, making an official pronouncement of Church teaching. When the Pope and the Church's Bishops come to an agreement regarding specific doctrine without making an official pronouncement, they are conducting church authority as the Ordinary Universal Magisterium. When the Bishops return to thier own local diocese, they are charged with the obligation to teach their flock. The  local Bishop teaches locally the infallible doctrine of the Church. The authority of the individual Bishop  to teach the faithful of his diocese is known as the Ordinary Magisterium.

For about two-thousand years, the obligation to educate the faithful about Christ's teachings have fallen on the shoulders of the Church's leadership. The Bishops, in unison with the Pope, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, make definitive pronouncements regarding the teachings of the Church. Under such circumstances, the Bishops and Pope, speak without error. The faithful can be assured that these teachings made offical can be followed and instituted knowing that it is God Himself that teaches. Through the Magisterium, the faithful know that God's word is come from Him directly just as Jesus taught us those many centuries ago.

Notes:

For further reading, read the Church's official document:

Dei Verbum: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation.

It can be found on the Official Vatican website at:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

A printable version can be found at:

 http://www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/V2REVEL.HTM

The Apologetic Catholic

Recently a friend posted on his Facebook page his anger at the Catholic Archdiocese for its ban of a 'Gay Mass' which was to be held June 19,2011 as part of Boston's Celebration of Gay Pride month. The "All are Welcome" liturgy was cancelled when conservative Catholics complained that the scheduled liturgy appeared to sanction Gay Pride Month.

Now, this friend is a homosexual and I am sure he is rather upset with the attitude of those individals who complained. Being raised a Catholic himself suggests that he is angered that his Church has made him feel as an outcast. He is a friend however, and as such I love him no matter what our differences in our moral beliefs.

It was some of the comments to his post that concerned me. One comment referred to the Pope as "Pope Benedict Arnold". The same commentator called the Pope "Cardinal Nazinger". Another comment likened the Church's treatment of the homosexual community to the "600 years of torture during the Church's Inquisition".

As I read the post and the comments, I saw not only the anger and animosity aimed at the church for it practices and beliefs, but  anger brought about due to the half-truths propagated by those that would prefer to weaken the Church.

It is for this reason I decided to create a blog which would promote the Catholic faith, dispel the vast number of rumours regarding the Church and hopefully bring the Good News of Christ to those that have an open ear and a warm heart who might wish to seek out thier own answers to life's questions.

For those readers believing this to be a blog that would apologize for the actions of the Church one would be sadly mistaken. The title of this blog, The Apologetic Catholic, refers to the formal definition of the word 'Apologetic' rather than the popular contemporary definition in use today. The word 'apology' is derived from the classical Greek word 'apologia' which refers to 'defending one's position'. It is in this spirit that I offer this blog.

It is the intention of this author to examine, in the venue of this blog, those questions and controversies regarding the faith and morals espoused by the Church. Perhaps in the future readers might find articles on contraception, homosexuality, abortion, marriage. One might find blogs on the Customs and Sacred Tradition of the Catholic faith. This author encourages readers to suggest topics that should be considered and of course  opine on the articles.

I loook forward to hearing your thoughts on this endeavour.