Evolution and Divine Providence: Are they really compatible?
WHEN: Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 8:00 PMWHERE: York Hall Room 2722 on Revelle Campus
The speaker is John Haught a Distinguished Research Professor of Theology at Georgetown University.
Darwin challenges religious trust in a providential God who purposefully creates, influences and eternally cares for the world. Our religious ancestors did not have our knowledge of biological evolution, although they were certainly aware of the suffering of humans and other living beings. Darwinian science, however, vastly extends the story of life's suffering (and creativity as well) beyond that of traditional theological awareness. In what sense, then, after Darwin, might we still trust in divide providence, if at all? Is it possible taht eveoluationary portraits of life open up fresh ways of thinking about God and cosmic purpose? After Darwin can we have a plausible understanding of God that is consistent with both traditional belief and contemporary biology?
