Pope Francis waving during a general audience in Saint Peter's Square in September.
Pope Francis spoke at an assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences this week warning that it is a "grave sin against God the creator" to destroy the environment and saying that scientists have a special responsibility to protect what God has created.
Quoting from the Book of Genesis, the Pope said when God commanded Adam "to name everything and to go ahead through history," it made man "responsible for creation, so that he might steward it in order to develop it until the end of time," that humans have the responsibility of caring for the earth and all its inhabitants.
"Therefore the scientist, and above all the Christian scientist, must adopt the approach of posing questions regarding the future of humanity and of the earth and of being free and responsible, helping to prepare it and preserve it, to eliminate risks to the environment of both a natural and human nature."
The Pope also told the gathering that the theory of evolution did not contradict the Bible as creationists claim. "God is not a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life. Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve...so creation continued for centuries and centuries, millennia and millennia, until it became which we know today."
The scientific Big Bang theory, he said, is consistent with biblical teachings and essential to our understanding of God.
"When we read about the Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician with a magic wand able to do everything--but that is not so. He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment. He gave autonomy to the beings of the universe at the same time at which he assured them of his continuous presence."
First the Pope disparaged the Republican principle of trickle-down economics. Then he addressed the gay question by asking "Who am I to judge?" Recently he personally performed marriage ceremonies for couples who were already living together (one of the brides already has a child) and others who were previously divorced. Now he says creationism is consistent with biblical teachings and he advocates listening to scientists and protecting the environment.
Republican Catholics like Rick Santorum and Paul Ryan--who have insisted that their anti-poor, anti-gay, anti-evolution, anti-environment principles are based on and backed by their Catholic faith--are not having a good year. I wonder what the penance is for confessing that you don't support the Pope?
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Afterthought: Will Catholic Match be re-designing their advertising?
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