This presentation explores the biggest challenge to faith experienced by many people, especially in college. Namely, is Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution compatible with faith in God? Or, does evolution make it possible to be an “intellectually fulfilled atheist” (to quote Oxford Professor Richard Dawkins)? This apologetics presentation covers key Catholic Church teachings on God and evolution, as well the concept of evolutionary creation and the origin of genetic information. While you may not have personal doubts about God’s role in the evolutionary process, this session will provide valuable information for discussion with those who do.

First, we discuss the shortcomings of the commonly accepted view of evolution in academia, which holds that life on earth originated and developed without any divine plan or guidance at all, and how we need both science and religion to get the full truth and complete picture. As such, this presentation next explores the concept of evolutionary creation or theistic evolution, which many people see as a reasonable balance between faith and science. This includes looking at the four types of causes (primary, secondary, intelligent, natural) in order to better understand how evolution could have been God’s method of creation. In short, God is the primary/intelligent cause of the universe and all within it. However, God prefers to work through secondary/natural causes (such as natural selection acting on genetic mutations) in the development of the universe and the evolution of life on earth. In closing, we look at how an intelligent cause is a valid explanation for the genetic information found in DNA.

You can watch the presentation as a CMAX.TV subscriber, rent it for $3 for 48 hours, or purchase it for digital viewing for $15.