Letters

Intelligent design (letter)

Paul MacLeod

Contents - Feb 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Catholic schools: how much accountability? - Michael Gilchrist Cardinal Arinze on the Liturgy: the Mass is not entertainment - Cardinal Francis Arinze News: The Church Around the World Catechesis: Latest research on Catholic school leavers - Michael Gilchrist Education: Catholic Church and her schools face a 'wake-up call' - Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett Liturgical Music: The spiritual impact of Msgr. Richard Schuler's priestly leadership and example - Fr John T. Zuhlsdorf Priestly vocations: the key role of bishops - John Mallon New Age paganism's creeping influence within the Church - Wanda Skowronska Blessed Charles de Foucauld: seeking nothing but God's will - Dr Frank Mobbs The Church of England: beyond satire? - Rev Peter Mullen Letters: Clerical Celibacy (letter) - Fr Adrian Head Letters: All Saints Day (letter) - M & L Morrissey Letters: Ars priests retreat - Fr Robert Markey Letters: Wrong chord? (letter) - John Daly Prayer: The Abandonment Prayer of Charles de Foucauld Letters: Beautiful music (letter) - Josephine Landsberg Letters: Cardinal von Galen (letter) - Denise M. Cameron Letters: Survival of the fittest (letter) - Arthur Negus Letters: Evolutionism - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Intelligent design (letter) - Paul MacLeod Letters: Homilies (letter) - Robert Prinzen-Wood Letters: Catholic magazines needed in India - Fr A. Joseph Letters: EWTN tapes available - Harry and Antoinette Zwaans Books: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: The Pope Benedict Code, by Joanna Bogle - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: For the Life of the World:St Maximilian and the Eucharist, by Fr Jerzy Domanski - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: CATHOLIC FAMILY CATECHISM: Disciples' Edition and Apostles' Edition, Fr Tierney - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Events: Virtus - Retreat for Young Men Events: Lecture on the Compendium of the Catechism - Msgr Peter Elliott Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: The hidden treasure of the Holy Mass - St Leonard of Port Maurice

The current debate over "intelligent design" versus Darwinian evolution is being presented as pitting "faith" against science. Wrong.

Faith is the acceptance as certain of what God has revealed. We know that God created and designed the universe because He has told us so. Science explores what empirical facts can tell us about the origin and nature of the universe.

Between the two falls common sense.

If an astronaut comes across a camera on the surface of the moon, his common sense tells him that someone designed this camera. He would reject as ridiculous any suggestion that the camera "evolved" by itself on the moon.

Likewise, if observation of the complexity of creation - for example, the human eye - suggests a designer, then this is a conclusion of common sense. This is not dependent on religious faith, nor intruding into the proper realm of science.

St Thomas Aquinas long ago showed how human reason can and should arrive at the fact that God exists, without bringing in either faith or science.

Perhaps the present controversy is simply a case of the evolutionists having eyes but being unwilling to see, in case ...

PAUL MacLEOD
Belmont, Victoria

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 1 (February 2006), p. 16