Creationists Blast Vatican for Not Inviting Them to Evolution Conference

Creationists Blast Vatican for Not Inviting Them to Evolution Conference

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ROME — A Vatican-backed conference on evolution is under attack from people who weren't invited to participate: those espousing creationism and intelligent design.

The Discovery Institute, the main organization supporting intelligent design research, says it was shut out from presenting its views because the meeting was funded in part by the John Templeton Foundation, a major U.S. nonprofit that has criticized the intelligent design movement.

Intelligent design holds that certain features of life forms are so complex that they can best be explained by an origin from an intelligent higher power, not an undirected process like natural selection.

Organizers of the five-day conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University said Thursday that they barred intelligent design proponents because they wanted an intellectually rigorous conference on science, theology and philosophy to mark the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species."

While there are some Darwinian dissenters present, intelligent design didn't fit the bill, they said.

"We think that it's not a scientific prospective, nor a theological or philosophical one," said the Rev. Marc Leclerc, the conference director and a professor of philosophy of nature at the Gregorian. "This makes a dialogue very difficult, maybe impossible."

He denied the decision had anything to do with Templeton's funding for the conference. "Absolutely not. We decided independently within the organizing committee, in total autonomy," Leclerc said.

The Pennsylvania-based Templeton Foundation, which has an estimated endowment of $1.5 billion and awards some $70 million in annual grants, seeks to fund projects that reconcile religion and science.

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I found this article very interesting as it is the first time i hear of this Intelligent design theory. What do they really mean by "Origin from an intelligent higher power"? are the referring to God or ET ?

Over the centuries, the Vatican has always been changing their theories and views to meet that of the current times and the quote bellow proves it

"Vatican teaching holds that Roman Catholicism and evolutionary theory are not necessarily at odds. The church under Benedict has been trying to stress that, along with its overall belief that there is no incompatibility between faith and reason."

I think it is time for the Vatican to make up their mind in what they really believe.

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[edit on 5-3-2009 by rattan1]

Um... I'm sorry, but what would creationists possibly have to contribute to a conference regarding evolution?

They probably weren't invited because they have nothing to do with evolution.

I don't see why they would be offended... it's not like evolutionary scientists go to church mass to pick points with the priest.

It was a conference held on evolution, not creationism.
Hence, they'll be inviting people who have something to do with the study of evolution.



Inviting creationists to a conference on the study of evolution is like hosting a conference on atomic stability, and inviting people who argue atoms are indivisible.

It's absurd.


Basically, the creationists are just whining for the sake of whining. Go sulk somewhere else.

[edit on 5-3-2009 by johnsky]

It seems that the Church has been ramping up its outspokenness on science and ET related issues in the past 3 months. Look at the Vatican Observatory as well... perhaps they know a little more than we do?

I certainly think so.

reply to post by johnsky


You have a good point there. But I guess they have an alternative theory to evolution which might be worth looking at especially the part where they say that some organism are too complex to be explained by just purely natural selection. I hope they can come up with some scientific proofs to back their theory

Originally posted by Iago18
It seems that the Church has been ramping up its outspokenness on science and ET related issues in the past 3 months. Look at the Vatican Observatory as well... perhaps they know a little more than we do?

I certainly think so.

I most certainly agree with you. They do know more than we do. When you look into the past of the church and their coming into power, you will see that it is filled with corruption and oppression. That corruption and oppression has led to the modification and corruption of the belief system. Now they are just trying to fight to remain relevant in today’s world by embracing scientific theories which they so vehemently opposed in the past.

reply to post by rattan1


See, I know a good deal about the Church and I fall on the opposite side of the debate. Frankly, I think that the Church, if there were major developments in the breakdown of civil society, would provide a sense of stability and order.

Likewise, in the event of an ET encounter, the Church would be one of the only Christian sects to be able to adapt and continue with its strength. I think that the Church would even gain members from an ET event.

Examine Fundamentalist Christians and the problems with the rigidity associated with a sola scriptura reading of the Bible in social and moral integration. Compare that to the Church's openness about evolution and intelligent design. I am of the mind that the Church is ready and willing to accept an ET event.

I see them as the Good guys. I could be wrong, but, I'd prefer to think that there is some force out there that is in favor of order that isn't a necessary evil. I realize that there is history to be used on either side of the debate, but we need to look at what's going on in the present.

[edit on 5-3-2009 by Iago18]

reply to post by Iago18


I agree with you on certain points. The church today is completely different from what it used to be and the present is what really matters. However, we should not forget those thousands of people who have lost their lives just because they had a different theory on God and creation. If the church really wants to consolidate its role in today’s world they will have to come clean on their past.

I am not surprised by the Vatican not inviting this group. The Vatican has not changed a bit as they hear only what they want to hear. I will not be surprised if tomorrow they come and say they agree with the theory of the Discovery Institute just to put them into the limelight again.