Recently I have been challenged by questions of the interface of science and faith . This was highlighted in a webinar ‘Spirituality on the Couch’ when I listened with wonder to two ethicists sharing about gene manipulation.
Aware of the disconnect between science and the Word as preached in the Church I often turn to Teilhard de Chardin’s embrace of evolution as the unfolding of God’s revelation.
If the world offered only two opposed paths, science and faith, this Jesuit forged his own third path, in which both science and faith were intertwined.
“Let us take care not to reject the least ray of light from any side. Faith has need of all the truth.” 1
While working in the Archives at Sacred Heart Oakleigh I discovered a book Pope Leo XIII written in 1886 while Leo was still Pope.
I was struck by a quotation from a pastoral while he was Archbishop in Perugia:
See and judge for yourselves. What is there that the Church can desire more urgently than the glory of God and the more intimate acquaintance with the divine Workman, which is acquired by the study of his works.
If the universe is indeed a book, on every page of which are inscribed the name and the wisdom of God it is certain that he will be most filled with love for God, will come the nearest to God, who will have studied this book most deeply and most attentively.
What reason can there be that the Church should be jealous of the marvellous progress our age has made by its studies and discoveries? Is there in them anything which, looked at from near or from far, can do harm to the ideas of God and of faith whereof the Church is the guardian and infallible mistress?
Bacon, so distinguished in the walks of physical science, has written that “a little knowledge leads away from God, but much knowledge leads back to God”. This golden saying is always true. 2
This was written in 1850s when the Church was rejecting Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
When the Pope chose the name Leo, I felt a connect with his predecessor as the writer of Rerum Novarum and the one who had granted approbation of our first Constitutions. I hope that he will also lead and challenge the Church to discover all the truth and come to understand Teilhard.
Every human doing good work was part of this cosmic process–no profession of faith required. Our time on earth is an opportunity to join the good work God is doing and push all of creation toward its fullest realization.
Just as animals and plants evolve over time, so must human consciousness. We are all called to this work of inner evolution. Teilhard called this hopeful, forward-driving movement the Christ Project—all of creation is evolving toward its fulfillment in Christ.3
Mary McInerney has been an Australian RNDM for more than sixty years with experience of mission in education in Australia, member of General Council for twelve years and mission in Kenya. Now living in Melbourne, she is involved in archival work for the Province and has enjoyed opportunities to share her RNDM experience and knowledge of our Constitutions through various on-line programmes.
This is a beautiful reflection, Mary – thank you!