View source for Religion:Acceptance of evolution by religious groups

{{short description|General review of religious attitudes towards evolution}}
Although biological [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]] has been [[Unsolved:Rejection of evolution by religious groups|vocally opposed]] by some religious groups, many other groups accept the scientific position, sometimes with additions to allow for theological considerations.  The positions of such groups are described by terms including "[[Religion:Theistic evolution|theistic evolution]]", "theistic evolutionism" or "[[Unsolved:Evolutionary creation|evolutionary creation]]".  Of all the religious groups included on the chart, Buddhists are the most accepting of [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]]. <ref>{{Cite web|last=Mowe|first=Sam|date=2011-03-24|title=Buddhists and Evolution|url=https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/buddhists-and-evolution/|access-date=2022-02-22|website=Tricycle: The Buddhist Review|language=en}}</ref> Theistic evolutionists believe that [[Philosophy:Existence of God|there is a God]], that God is [[Religion:Creator deity|the creator]] of the [[Physics:Matter|material]] universe and (by consequence) all life within, and that biological evolution is a [[Earth:Nature|natural process]] within that creation. Evolution, according to this view, is simply a tool that God employed to develop human life. According to the American Scientific Affiliation, a [[Religion:Christians|Christian]] organization of scientists:

{{quotation|A theory of theistic evolution (TE) — also called evolutionary creation — proposes that God's method of creation was to cleverly design a universe in which everything would naturally evolve. Usually the "evolution" in "theistic evolution" means Total Evolution — astronomical evolution (to form galaxies, solar systems,...) and geological evolution (to form the earth's geology) plus chemical evolution (to form the first life) and biological evolution (for the development of life) — but it can refer only to biological evolution.<ref>{{cite web|author=Craig Rusbult, Ph.D.|title=Evolutionary Creation|url=http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/te2-cr.htm|year=1998|publisher=American Scientific Affiliation|quote=A theory of theistic evolution (TE) — also called evolutionary creation * — proposes that God's method of creation was to cleverly design a universe in which everything would naturally evolve.  Usually the "evolution" in "theistic evolution" means Total Evolution — astronomical evolution (to form galaxies, solar systems,...) and geological evolution (to form the earth's geology) plus chemical evolution (to form the first life) and biological evolution (for the development of life) — but it can refer only to biological evolution.}}</ref>}}

According to [[Biography:Eugenie Scott|Eugenie Scott]], Director of the US [[Organization:National Center for Science Education|National Center for Science Education]], "In one form or another, Theistic Evolutionism is the view of creation taught at the majority of mainline Protestant seminaries, and it is the official position of the Catholic church".<ref name="Scott, 271">* Scott, Eugenie C., "[https://www.jstor.org/stable/2952523 Antievolution and Creationism in the United States]", ''Annual Review of Anthropology'', Vol. 26, (1997), pp.&nbsp;263–289.</ref>

Theistic evolution is not a [[Scientific theory|scientific theory]], but a particular view about how the science of evolution relates to religious belief and interpretation. Theistic evolution supporters can be seen as one of the groups who reject the [[Religion:Conflict thesis|conflict thesis]] regarding the [[Religion:Relationship between religion and science|relationship between religion and science]]{{spaced ndash}}that is, they hold that religious teachings about creation and scientific theories of evolution need not contradict, what evolutionary biologist [[Biography:Stephen Jay Gould|Stephen Jay Gould]] called [[Religion:Non-overlapping magisteria|non-overlapping magisteria]].  Christian proponents of this view are sometimes described as Christian [[Biology:Darwinism|Darwinists]].<ref>{{cite book
  | last = Numbers
  | first = Ronald
  | title = The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design, Expanded Edition
  | publisher = Harvard University Press
  | date=2006
  | location = Cambridge, MA
  | isbn = 0-674-02339-0}}
 pp.&nbsp;34–38.</ref><ref name=EvC>Scott, Eugenie C. ''Evolution Vs. Creationism'', Location?: Niles Eldredge, pp.&nbsp;62–63</ref>

== Acceptance ==
This view is generally accepted by major [[Religion:Christianity|Christian]] churches, including the [[Organization:Catholic Church|Catholic Church]], Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Episcopal Church (United States), and some other mainline Protestant denominations;<ref name="Scott, 271"/> virtually all [[Religion:Judaism|Jewish]] denominations; and other religious groups that lack a [[Religion:Biblical literalism|literalist]] stance concerning some holy scriptures. Various biblical literalists have accepted or noted openness to this stance, including theologian B.B. Warfield and evangelist Billy Graham. A 2007 poll showed that acceptance among American Buddhists, Hindus and Jews was higher than among any Christian groups (graph below). One recent survey, conducted by physicist [[Biography:Max Tegmark|Max Tegmark]], on "of how different US faith communities view origins science, particularly evolution and Big Bang cosmology". Although "Gallup reports that 46% of Americans believe that God created humans in their present form less than 10,000 years ago", it found "only 11% belong to religions openly rejecting evolution."<ref>Max Tegmark, Eugena Lee, and Meia Chita-Tegmark, "[http://space.mit.edu/home/tegmark/survey/survey.pdf The MIT Survey on Science, Religion and Origins: the Belief Gap"], Feb. 11, 2013,, p. 1</ref>

With this approach toward evolution, scriptural creation stories are typically interpreted as being allegorical in nature.
Both Jews and Christians had considered the idea of the [[Religion:Allegorical interpretations of Genesis|Genesis creation history as an allegory]] (rather than as an historical description) long before the development of Darwin's theory. An example in Christianity would be the earlier writings by [[Biography:Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]] (4th century),<ref>
[https://books.google.com/books?id=LgD_jwEACAAJ ''The Literal Meaning of Genesis''], written by Augustine in 415.
</ref>
though he later rejected allegory in favor of literal interpretation.{{cn|date=September 2023}}  By this Augustine meant that in Genesis 1 the terms "light", "day", and "morning" hold a spiritual, rather than physical, meaning, and that this spiritual morning is just as literal as physical morning.  Augustine recognizes that the creation of a spiritual morning is as much a historical event as the creation of physical light.<ref name="PSCF3-88Young.html">[http://www.asa3.org/aSA/PSCF/1988/PSCF3-88Young.html Davis A. Young, "The Contemporary Relevance of Augustine's View of Creation" from ''Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith'' 40.1]</ref> [In later work, Augustine said that "there are some who think that only the world was made by God and that everything else is made by the world according to his ordination and command, but that God Himself makes nothing".<ref>Taylor, JH (trans) (1982) "St. Augustine. The Literal Meaning of Genesis", Paulist Press, New York, p171</ref>]  Three noted Jewish examples are that of the writings of Philo of Alexandria (1st century),<ref name="book2.html">{{cite web|url=http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/yonge/book2.html |title="Allegorical Interpretation, I" from ''The Works of Philo Judaeus'', translated by C.D. Yonge |access-date=2013-06-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515164341/http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/yonge/book2.html |archive-date=2013-05-15 }}</ref> [[Biography:Maimonides|Maimonides]] (12th century) and [[Biography:Gersonides|Gersonides]] (13th century).<ref>''The Guide for the Perplexed'' 2:17</ref><ref>''Milchamot Hashem'' 6:8</ref>

Theistic evolutionists argue that it is inappropriate to use [[Religion:Book of Genesis|Genesis]] as a scientific text, since it was written in a pre-scientific age and originally intended for religious instruction; as such, seemingly chronological aspects of the creation accounts should be thought of in terms of a [[Religion:Framework interpretation (Genesis)|literary framework]].  Theistic evolutionists may believe that creation is not literally a week-long process but a process beginning in the time of Genesis and continuing through all of time, including today.  This view affirms that God created the world and was the primary causation of our being, while scientific changes such as evolution are part of "creatio continua" or continuing creation which is still occurring in the never ending process of creation.  This is one possible way of interpreting biblical scriptures, such as Genesis, that seem otherwise to be in opposition to scientific theories, such as evolution.<ref name=Peters>''Can You Believe in God and Evolution'', Ted Peters and Matrinez Hewlett</ref>

{{bar box
|title=Religious Differences on the Question of Evolution (United States, 2007)<br><small>Percentage who agree that evolution is the best explanation for the origin of human life on earth</small> <br>Source: Pew Forum<ref>[http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=392 Religious Groups: Opinions of Evolution], Pew Forum (conducted in 2007, released in 2008)</ref>
|width=450px
|barwidth=200px
|bars=
{{bar percent|Buddhist|silver|81}}
{{bar percent|Hindu|grey|80}}
{{bar percent|Jewish|silver|77}}
{{bar percent|Unaffiliated|grey|72}}
{{bar percent|Catholic|silver|58}}
{{bar percent|Orthodox|grey|54}}
{{bar percent|Mainline Protestant|silver|51}}
{{bar percent|Muslim|grey|45}}
{{bar percent|Hist. Black Protest.|silver|38}}
{{bar percent|Evang. Protestant|grey|24}}
{{bar percent|Mormon|silver|22}}
{{bar percent|Jehovah's Witnesses|grey|8}}
{{bar percent|Total U.S. population|silver|48}}
}}

== Spectrum of viewpoints ==
Many religious organizations accept evolutionary theory, though their related theological interpretations vary. Additionally, individuals or movements within such organizations may not accept evolution, and stances on evolution may have adapted (or evolved) throughout history.  There is considerable variance in overall acceptance of evolution between different countries, with studies showing that acceptance of evolution is lower in the United States than in Europe or Japan (only [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]] had a lower rate in the 34 countries sampled),<ref name=miller-et-al>{{cite journal|doi=10.1126/science.1126746|title=SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: Public Acceptance of Evolution|year=2006|last1=Miller|first1=J.D.|journal=Science|volume=313|issue=5788|pages=765–6|pmid=16902112|last2=Scott|first2=EC|last3=Okamoto|first3=S|s2cid=152990938}}</ref> and attitudes within religious groups may differ somewhat between countries.

=== Buddhism ===


Buddhism is generally accepting of modern scientific theories about evolution, and more broadly [[Astronomy:Big Bang|the formation of the universe]]. This can be argued either from the standpoint that it simply does not matter, or from an interpretation of the Agañña Sutta favoring the notion that it describes the basic concept of evolution.<ref>{{cite book |last=Williams |first=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zuoMLtQoMJcC&q=Agga%C3%B1%C3%B1a+Sutta+evolution&pg=PA102 |title=Buddhism |publisher=Routledge |year=2004 |isbn=0-415-33228-1 |pages=102}}</ref> In the [[Religion:Aggañña Sutta|Aggañña Sutta]], the 27th Sutta of the Digha Nikaya collection that can be found in the Pali Canon, the Buddha gives a highly detailed answer to this question of evolution. The Buddha, speaking to the monk Vasettha, a former Brahmin, states the following, an allegory for the Buddha's teaching that one's social class does not make them better than any other:

{{blockquote|‘There comes a time, Vasetha, when, sooner or later after a long period this world contracts. At a time of contraction, beings are mostly born in the [[Philosophy:Buddhist cosmology#Ābhāsvara worlds (second dhyana)|Abhasara Brahma world]]. And there they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self luminous, moving through the space, glorious—and they stay like that for a very long time. But sooner or later, after a very long period, this world begins to expand again. At a time of expansion, the beings from the Abhasara Brahma world, having passed away from there, are mostly reborn in this world. Here they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious— and they stay like that for a very long time.

At that period, Vasetha, there was just one mass of water, and all was darkness, blinding darkness. Neither moon nor sun appeared, no constellations or stars appeared, night and day were not yet distinguished, nor months and fortnights, nor years and seasons; there was no male and female, beings being reckoned just as beings. And sooner or later, after a very long period of time, savory earth spread itself over the waters where those beings were. It looked just like the skin that forms itself over hot milk as it cools. It was endowed with color, smell, and taste. It was the color of fine ghee or butter and it was very sweet, like pure wild honey.<ref>[http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/AggannaSutta.pdf Aggañña Sutta]</ref>}}The idea of evolution is consonant with the teachings of the [[Biography:Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] and is quite acceptable to the Buddhist; the findings of science fit in and do not contradict the fundamentals of his religion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddhism and Darwin's Theory of Evolution {{!}} Buddhivihara.org|url=https://www.buddhivihara.org/buddhism-and-darwins-theory-of-evolution/|access-date=2022-02-22|language=en-US}}</ref> No major  principles of [[Religion:Buddhism|Buddhism]] contradict it, many Buddhists tacitly accept the [[Biology:Evolution|theory of evolution]]. Questions about the eternity or infinity of the universe at large are counted among the 14 unanswered questions which the Buddha maintained were counterproductive areas of speculation. As such, many Buddhists do not think about these kinds of questions as meaningful for the Buddhist goal of relieving oneself and others from suffering.

In his book titled, "''The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science And Spirituality"'' the Dalai Lama dismisses the element of randomness in the theory of evolution based on natural selection:{{blockquote| From the Buddhist's perspective, the idea of these mutations being random events is deeply unsatisfying for a theory that purports to explain the origin of life. }}
Donald S. Lopez, a renowned {{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies explains in his book "''Buddhism and Science: a Guide for the Perplexed"'' that in Buddhism, the process of [[Philosophy:Rebirth (Buddhism)|Rebirth]] (into any of a multitude of states of being including a human, any kind of animal and several types of supernatural being) is conditioned by karma (action of consciousness), which explains Dalai Lama's view. Albert Low, a Zen master and author of ''The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution'', (2008) opposes [[Biology:Neo-Darwinism|neo-Darwinism]] and the selfish gene theory as he claims they are [[Philosophy:Materialism|materialistic]]. He also opposes [[Philosophy:Creationism|creationism]] for being dogmatic and instead advocates [[Philosophy:Spiritual evolution|spiritual evolution]]. The Buddhist writer Anagarika Dharmapala even once stated that "the theory of evolution was one of the ancient teachings of the Buddha." However, it has long been taught that indifference to certain matters regarding life and its origins should be practised. This Parable of the arrow has often been used to illustrate the Buddha's teachings that "practitioners who concern themselves with the origins of the universe and other topics are missing the point of their religious practice."

{{blockquote|"Suppose someone was hit by a poisoned arrow and his friends and relatives found a doctor able to remove the arrow. If this man were to say, 'I will not have this arrow taken out until I know whether the person who had shot it was a priest, a prince or a merchant, his name and his family. I will not have it taken out until I know what kind of bow was used and whether the arrowhead was an ordinary one or an iron one.' That person would die before all these things are ever known to him."<ref name="buddhanet">{{cite web|url=http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s16.htm|title=Buddhist Studies (Secondary) The Buddha's Wisdom and Compassion}}</ref>}}

Stephen T. Asma has noted that the Buddha himself largely avoided answering questions about the origins of the universe.

{{blockquote|But the historical Buddha shunned metaphysical speculations. He refrained from spooky conjectures generally, and thought that origin-stories about how the universe started were avyakata (unanswerable), given our empirical constraints. Most Buddhists take all this as an invitation to embrace the sciences.<ref name="asma">{{cite web |last=Asma |first=Stephen |url= http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2011/03/evolution-doesnt-bother-buddhists-.html |title= Evolution doesn't bother Buddhists |publisher= Chicago Tribune|access-date=December 23, 2013}}</ref>}}

=== Christianity ===

Evolution contradicts a literalistic interpretation of [[Religion:Book of Genesis|Genesis]]; however, according to Catholicism and most contemporary Protestant denominations, [[Religion:Biblical literalism|biblical literalism]] in the creation account is not mandatory. Christians have considered allegorical interpretations of Genesis since long before the development of [[Biography:Charles Darwin|Darwin]]'s theory of evolution, or Hutton's principle of uniformitarianism. A notable example is [[Biography:Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]] (4th century), who, on [[Religion:Theology|theological]] grounds, argued that everything in the universe was created by God in the same instant, and not in six days as a plain reading of Genesis would require.<ref name="PSCF3-88Young.html"/> 

In his book ''De Genesi ad Litteram'' (''On the Literal Meaning of Genesis''), Augustine says,<blockquote>But at least we know [the days of creation] are different from the ordinary day of which we are familiar.<ref name=":2">{{harvnb|Ronan|1995|p=101}}</ref></blockquote>He goes on to describe a form of [[Religion:Theistic evolution|Theistic evolution]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=How was the Genesis account of creation interpreted before Darwin? - Common-questions |url=https://biologos.org/common-questions/how-was-the-genesis-account-of-creation-interpreted-before-darwin/ |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=BioLogos}}</ref> (different to evolution by natural selection),<blockquote>The things [God] had potentially created... [came] forth in the course of time on different days according to their different kinds... [and] the rest of the earth [was] filled with its various kinds of creatures, [which] produced their appropriate forms in due time.<ref name=":3">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Lucretius |encyclopedia=[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]] |publisher=[[Organization:Stanford University|Stanford University]] |location=Stanford, CA |url=http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lucretius/ |access-date=2014-10-26 |last=Sedley |first=David |date=August 10, 2013 |editor-last=Zalta |editor-first=Edward N |edition=Fall 2013}}</ref></blockquote>Later on, [[Biography:Thomas Aquinas|Thomas Aquinas]], following Augustine described a similar process,<blockquote>On the day on which God created the heaven and the earth, He created also every plant of the field, not, indeed, actually, but 'before it sprung up in the earth,' that is, potentially... All things were not distinguished and adorned together, not from a want of power on God's part, as requiring time in which to work, but that due order might be observed in the instituting of the world.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |last=Waggoner |first=Ben |title=Medieval and Renaissance Concepts of Evolution and Paleontology |url=http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/medieval.html |access-date=2010-03-11 |publisher=University of California Museum of Paleontology}}</ref></blockquote>Modern theologians such as Meredith G. Kline and Henri Blocher have advocated what has become known as the literary framework interpretation of the days of Genesis.

==== Contemporary Christian denominations ====
All of the traditional [[Religion:Mainline Protestant|mainline Protestant]] denominations support or accept theistic evolution. For example, on 12 February 2006, the 197th anniversary of [[Biography:Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin]]'s birth was commemorated by "Evolution Sunday" where the message that followers of Christ do not have to choose between biblical stories of creation and evolution was taught in classes and sermons at many [[Religion:Methodism|Methodist]], [[Religion:Lutheranism|Lutheran]], Episcopalian, [[Religion:Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]], [[Religion:Unitarianism|Unitarian]], [[Religion:Congregational church|Congregationalist]], United Church of Christ, Baptist and community churches.<ref>[http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_060220creationism.shtml Churches urged to challenge Intelligent Design  -20/02/06]</ref>

Additionally, the National Council of Churches United States has issued a teaching resource to "assist people of faith who experience no conflict between science and their faith and who embrace science as one way of appreciating the beauty and complexity of
God's creation." This resource cites the Episcopal Church, according to whom the stories of creation in Genesis "should not be understood as historical and scientific accounts of origins but as proclamations of basic theological truths about creation."<ref>[http://www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/evolutionbrochurefinal.html Science, Religion, and the Teaching of Evolution in Public School Science Classes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819203651/http://www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/evolutionbrochurefinal.html |date=2014-08-19 }} (pdf), The National Council of Churches Committee on Public Education and Literacy, [http://www.ncccusa.org/news/060330evolution.html Teaching Evolution], March 2006</ref>

The positions of particular denominations are discussed below.

===== Anglicanism =====
Anglicans (including the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the Church of England and others) believe that the Bible "contains all things necessary to salvation," while believing that "science and Christian theology can complement one another in the quest for truth and understanding." Specifically on the subject of creation/evolution, some Anglicans view "Big Bang cosmology" as being "in tune with both the concepts of creation out of nothing and continuous creation." Their position is clearly set out in the ''Catechism of Creation Part II: Creation and Science''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://episcopalscience.org/creation-science/ |title=Catechism of Creation Part II: Creation and Science |access-date=2014-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222213843/http://episcopalscience.org/creation-science/ |archive-date=2014-02-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a March 2006 interview, the then [[Religion:Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop of Canterbury]] Dr Rowan Williams expressed his thought that "creationism is, in a sense, a kind of [[Category mistake|category mistake]], as if the Bible were a theory like other theories. Whatever the biblical account of creation is, it's not a theory alongside theories... My worry is creationism can end up reducing the doctrine of creation rather than enhancing it."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/religion/Story/0,,1735404,00.html ''The Guardian'', March 21, 2006]</ref> His view is that creationism should not be taught in schools.

===== United Methodist Church =====
The United Methodist Church affirms a Creator God and supports the scientific study of evolution.
<blockquote>
"We recognize science as a legitimate interpretation of God's natural world. We affirm the validity of the claims of science in describing the natural world and in determining what is scientific. We preclude science from making authoritative claims about theological issues and theology from making authoritative claims about scientific issues. We find that science's descriptions of cosmological, geological, and biological evolution are not in conflict with theology."<ref>[http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=3082929&ct=6715227] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607070533/http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=3082929&ct=6715227 |date=2011-06-07 }}  The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church – 2008,  The United Methodist Publishing House.</ref></blockquote>

===== Church of the Nazarene =====
The [[Religion:Church of the Nazarene|Church of the Nazarene]], an [[Religion:Evangelicalism|evangelical]] Christian denomination, sees "knowledge acquired by science and human inquiry equal to that acquired by divine revelation," and, while the church "'believes in the Biblical account of creation' and holds that God is the sole creator, it allows latitude 'regarding the "how" of creation.'"<ref name="msnbc.msn.com">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070915141141/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20657204/site/newsweek/ "Can God Love Darwin, Too?" by Sharon Begley, ''Newsweek'', Sept. 17, 2007 issue]</ref>

While [[Biography:Richard G. Colling|Richard G. Colling]], author of ''Random Designer''<ref>''Random Designer: Created from Chaos to Connect with the Creator'', Browning Press, 2004, {{ISBN|0-9753904-0-6}}</ref> and professor at [[Organization:Olivet Nazarene University|Olivet Nazarene University]], received criticism from elements within the denomination in 2007 for his book (published in 2004),<ref name="msnbc.msn.com"/> Darrel R. Falk of Point Loma Nazarene published a similar book in 2004,<ref>''Coming to Peace with Science: Bridging the Worlds Between Faith and Biology'', InterVarsity Press, 2004, {{ISBN|0-8308-2742-0}}</ref> and Karl Giberson of Eastern Nazarene, the first Nazarene scholar to publish with [[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]], has published four books since 1993 on the tensions between science and religion,<ref>''Worlds Apart: The Unholy War between Religion and Science'', Beacon Hill Press, 1993 {{ISBN|0-8341-1504-2}}<br>With Donald Yerxa, ''Species of Origins: America's Search for a Creation Story'', Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2002 {{ISBN|0-7425-0764-5}}<br>With [[Biography:Mariano Artigas|Mariano Artigas]], ''The Oracles of Science: Celebrity Scientist Versus God and Religion'', Oxford University Press, 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-531072-1}}</ref> including his most recently published ''Saving Darwin''.<ref name="msnbc.msn.com"/>

Theologians of note in the denomination whose work on science and religion shows the promise of cooperation include Thomas Jay Oord (''Science of Love'', ''The Altruism Reader'', ''Defining Love''), Michael Lodahl (''God of Nature and of Grace''), and Samuel M. Powell (''Participating in God'').  These theologians see no major problem reconciling theology with the general theory of evolution.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

The Nazarene ''Manual'', a document crafted to provide Biblical guidance and denominational expression for Church members, states: "The Church of the Nazarene believes in the biblical account of creation ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . ."—Genesis 1:1). We oppose any godless interpretation of the origin of the universe and of humankind. However, the church accepts as valid all scientifically verifiable discoveries in geology and other natural phenomena, for we firmly believe that God is the Creator. (Articles I.1., V. 5.1, VII.) (2005)<ref>[http://media.premierstudios.com/nazarene/docs/Manual2005_09.pdf Manual, p.371] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302214359/http://media.premierstudios.com/nazarene/docs/Manual2005_09.pdf |date=2013-03-02 }}</ref>

===== Eastern Orthodox Church =====
The Eastern Orthodox Church is divided in two large categories, which might be labeled as compatibilism and dualism.

On the one hand, compatibilists hold that evolutionary science and theology are compatible and view them as complementary revelations of God. As God is the source of both his specific revelation of himself in the Christian faith and the source of the general revelation of himself in nature, the findings of science and theology cannot really contradict; the contradictions must be merely apparent and a resolution possible which is faithful to the truth of God's revelation.
Nicozisin (Father George) is a compatibilist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/dogmatics/nicozisin_creationism.htm|title = Orthodox Research Institute}}</ref>

On the other hand, dualists hold that evolution can be incompatible with faith. They usually argue either that evolutionary science is philosophically based on a kind of naturalism or that God's specific revelation is infallible and therefore trumps the findings of human reason in the case of any conflict between them. This is often based on a suspicion of human reason to arrive at reliable conclusions in the first place. Their stance is somewhat similar to [[Philosophy:Averroism|Averroism]], in that there is one truth, but it can be arrived at through (at least) two different paths, namely Philosophy and Religion.
Bufeev, S. V, is a dualist, preferring to see the spiritual level above the mechanical, physico-chemical, or biological levels; he attributes discrepancies between spiritual matters and scientific matters to be because of the purely naturalistic views of evolutionists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.creatio.orthodoxy.ru/sbornik/sbufeev_whynot_english.html|title = S.V.Bufeev. Why an Orthodox Christian cannot be an evolutionist}}</ref>

===== Roman Catholic Church =====
The position of the Roman Catholic Church on the theory of evolution has changed over the last two centuries from a large period of no official mention, to a statement of neutrality in the early-1950s, to limited guarded acceptance in recent years, rejecting the materialistic and reductionist philosophies behind it, and insisting that the human soul was immediately infused by God, and the reality of a common descent for all humanity (commonly called [[Biology:Monogenism|monogenism]]). The Church does not argue with scientists on matters such as the [[Earth:Age of the Earth|age of the Earth]] and the authenticity of the fossil record, seeing such matters as outside its area of expertise. Papal pronouncements, along with commentaries by cardinals, indicate that the Church is aware of the general findings of scientists on the gradual appearance of life.  Indeed, Belgian priest [[Biography:Georges Lemaître|Georges Lemaître]], astronomer and physics professor at the [[Organization:Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968)|Catholic University of Louvain]], was the first to propose the theory of [[Astronomy:Expansion of the universe|expansion of the universe]], often incorrectly credited to [[Biography:Edwin Hubble|Edwin Hubble]]. In the 1950 encyclical ''[[Religion:Humani generis|Humani generis]]'', Pope Pius XII confirmed that there is no intrinsic conflict between Christianity and the theory of evolution, provided that Christians believe that the individual [[Philosophy:Soul|soul]] is a direct creation by [[Religion:God in Christianity|God]] and not the product of purely material forces.<ref>{{cite news |title=Catholics and the Evolving Cosmos |first=John |last=Farrell |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703846604575447493644515142 |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=August 27, 2010 |access-date=September 11, 2012}}</ref> {{As of|2013|alt=Today}}, many members of the Church support [[Religion:Theistic evolution|theistic evolution]], also known as ''evolutionary creation''.<ref name="Alberta">{{cite web|url = http://www.lastseminary.com/genesis-modern-science/Evolutionary%20Creation.pdf|title =Evolutionary Creation|quote=Evolutionary creation best describes the official position of the Roman Catholic Church, though it is often referred to in this tradition as 'theistic evolution.'|publisher = University of Alberta|access-date = 2007-10-18}}</ref> Under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the International Theological Commission published a paper accepting the [[Astronomy:Big Bang|big bang]] of 15 billion years ago and the evolution of all life including humans from the microorganisms that formed approximately 4 billion years ago.<ref>"Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God." Vatican: The Holy See. International Theological Commission, 2002. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. ch.3 p.63 <https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html>.</ref>  The [[Organization:Holy See|Vatican]] has no official teaching on this matter except for the [[Unsolved:Special creation|special creation]] of the human soul.<ref>{{cite web|title=Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html|work=International Theological Commission|publisher=La Civilità Cattolica|pages=254–286|date=July 2004}}</ref>   The [[Religion:Pontifical Biblical Commission|Pontifical Biblical Commission]] issued a decree ratified by Pope Pius X on June 30, 1909, stating that special creation applies to humans and not other species.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stenson|first=James B.|title=Evolution: A Catholic Perspective|url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/HUMANITY/EVOLUTN.TXT|work=Catholic Position Papers, Series A, Number 116|publisher=Seido Foundation for the Advancement of Education|location=Ashiya-Shi, Japan|date=March 1984}}</ref>

=== Deism ===
[[Philosophy:Deism|Deism]] is belief in a [[Religion:God|God]] or first cause based on [[Philosophy:Reason|reason]], rather than on [[Philosophy:Faith|faith]] or [[Unsolved:Revelation|revelation]]. Most deists{{Who|date=June 2012}} believe that God does not interfere with the world or create [[Philosophy:Miracle|miracle]]s. Some deists{{Who|date=June 2012}} believe that a Divine Creator initiated a universe in which evolution occurred, by designing the system and the natural laws, although many deists believe that God also created life itself, before allowing it to be subject to evolution. They find it to be undignified and unwieldy for a deity to make constant adjustments rather than letting evolution elegantly adapt organisms to changing environments.

One recent convert to deism was philosopher and professor [[Biography:Antony Flew|Antony Flew]], who became a deist in December 2004. Professor Flew, a former atheist, later argued that recent research into the origins of life supports the theory that some form of intelligence was involved. Whilst accepting subsequent Darwinian evolution, Flew argued that this cannot explain the complexities of the origins of life. He also stated that the investigation of [[Biology:DNA|DNA]] "has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce [life], that intelligence must have been involved."<ref>[http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/atheist_philosopher_041210.html Atheist Philosopher, 81, Now Believes in God | LiveScience<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He subsequently clarified this statement in an interview with Joan Bakewell for BBC Radio 4 in March 2005: "What I was converted to was the existence of an Aristotelian God, and Aristotle's God had no interest in human affairs at all."<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/belief/scripts/antony_flew.html BBC interview, Professor Antony Flew] March 22, 2005.</ref>{{Relevance inline|date=March 2012}}<!-- No evidence that Flew is a TE, so how is this paragraph relevant? --><!-- He accepts evolution, but believes in a deity. -->

=== Hinduism ===
Hindu views on evolution include a range of viewpoints with regard to [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]], [[Philosophy:Creationism|creationism]], and the origin of life within the traditions of [[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]]. The accounts of the emergence of life within the universe vary, but classically tell of the [[Religion:Deity|deity]] called [[Religion:Brahma|Brahma]], from a [[Philosophy:Trimurti|Trimurti]] of three deities also including [[Religion:Vishnu|Vishnu]] and [[Religion:Shiva|Shiva]], performing the act of "creation", or more specifically of "propagating life within the universe". with the other two deities responsible for "preservation" and "destruction" (of the universe) respectively.<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/beliefs/intro_1.shtml |title=Religion & Ethics-Hinduism |publisher=BBC |access-date=2008-12-26}}</ref> Some Hindu schools{{Who|date=June 2012}} do not treat the scriptural [[Astronomy:Creation myth#Hindu|creation myth]] literally and often the creation stories themselves do not go into specific detail, thus leaving open the possibility of incorporating at least some theories in support of evolution. Some Hindus{{Who|date=June 2012}} find support for, or foreshadowing of evolutionary ideas in scriptures, namely the [[Religion:Vedas|Vedas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.well.com/user/jct/science.html | title=Science and spirituality: Any Points of Contact? The Teachings of U.G.Krishnamurti: A Case Study |last=Moorty | first=J.S.R.L.Narayana | work = Krishnamurti Centennial Conference | access-date=2008-12-26 |date=May 18–21, 1995}}</ref>

==== Day and night of Brahma ====
Science writers [[Biography:Carl Sagan|Carl Sagan]] and [[Biography:Fritjof Capra|Fritjof Capra]] have pointed out similarities between the latest scientific understanding of the age of the universe, and the Hindu concept of a "day and night of Brahma", which is much closer to the current known age of the universe than other creation myths. The days and nights of Brahma posit a view of the universe that is divinely created, and is not strictly evolutionary, but an ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth of the universe. According to Sagan:
{{quotation|The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which time scales correspond to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long, longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang.<ref>{{cite book | last =Sagan | first =Carl |  title =Cosmos | publisher =Ballantine Books | year =1985 | isbn =978-0-345-33135-9 }} p. 258.</ref>}}

Capra, in his popular book ''[[Unsolved:The Tao of Physics|The Tao of Physics]]'', wrote that:
{{quotation|This idea of a periodically expanding and contracting universe, which involves a scale of time and space of vast proportions, has arisen not only in modern cosmology, but also in ancient Indian mythology. Experiencing the universe as an organic and rhythmically moving cosmos, the Hindus were able to develop evolutionary cosmologies which come very close to our modern scientific models.<ref>{{cite book | last =Capra | first =Fritjof |  title =Tao of Physics | publisher =Shambhala | year =1991 | isbn =978-0-87773-594-6 }} p. 198</ref>}}

==== Daśāvatāras and evolution ====
The British geneticist and evolutionary biologist J B S Haldane observed that the Dasavataras (ten principal avatars of Lord [[Religion:Vishnu|Vishnu]]) provide a true sequential depiction of the great unfolding of [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]]. The avatars of [[Religion:Vishnu|Vishnu]] show an uncanny similarity to the biological theory of evolution of life on earth.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/101713 |title=Similarities in concept of evolution of life on earth in Dashavatar and modern Geology. |access-date=2013-06-18 |archive-date=2012-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606135036/http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/101713 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2012}}<!-- not any word about Haldane in this sourse -->

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Avatars
! Explanation
! Evolution
|-
| Matsya.
| First avatar is a [[Biology:Fish|fish]], one which is creature living in water.
| If we compare it with biological evolution on different Geological Time Scale first developed life was also in the form of fish which originated during [[Earth:Cambrian|Cambrian]] period.
|-
| Kurma
| Second avatar was in the form of Tortoise (reptiles).
| In geology also first reptiles comes as second important evolution which originated in Mississippian age just after Amphibians.
|-
| Varaha
| Third avatar was in the form of Boar.
| Evolution of the amphibian to the land animal.
|-
| Narasimha
| The Man-Lion (Nara= man, simha=lion) was the fourth avatar.
| But in geology no such evidences are mentioned. It may have been related with Ape Man The term may sometimes refer to extinct early human ancestors.
|-
| Vamana
| Fifth Avatar is the dwarf man.
| It may be related with the first man originated during Pliocene. It may be related with Neanderthals. Neanderthals were generally only 12 to 14&nbsp;cm (4½–5½ in) shorter than modern humans, contrary to a common view of them as "very short" or "just over 5 feet".
|-
| Parashurama,
| The man with an axe was the sixth avatar.
| It has the similarities with the first modern man originated during [[Earth:Quaternary|Quaternary]] period or the man of Iron Age.
|}

Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Lord Buddha were the seventh, eighth and ninth other avatars of Lord Vishnu. It indicates the physical and mental changes and evolution in the man from its time of appearance.

=== Islam ===
Most Muslims reject origin of species from a common ancestor by evolution as incompatible with the Qur'an. A scholar of Indian subcontinent [[Biography:Israr Ahmed|Dr. Israr Ahmed]] and most of his followers accept the theory of evolution because according to them, Quran itself has references of [[Biology:Primordial soup|Primordial soup]] spanning in various chapters and the event of prostration to Adam does not nullify evolution rather it reinforces it. Amongst who accept evolution, many believe that humanity was a special creation by God. For example, Shaikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, an American Muslim and specialist in Islamic law has argued in ''Islam and Evolution''<ref>[http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/evolve.htm Evolution and Islam<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> that a belief in [[Biology:Macroevolution|macroevolution]] is not incompatible with Islam, as long as it is accepted that "Allah is the Creator of everything" (Qur'an 13:16) and that Allah specifically created humanity (in the person of Adam; Qur'an 38:71-76). Shaikh Keller states in his conclusion however:
<blockquote>
"As for claim that man has evolved from a non-human species, this is unbelief (kufr) no matter if we ascribe the process to Allah or to "nature," because it negates the truth of Adam's special creation that Allah has revealed in the Qur'an. Man is of special origin, attested to not only by revelation, but also by the divine secret within him, the capacity for ma'rifa or knowledge of the Divine that he alone of all things possesses. By his God-given nature, man stands before a door opening onto infinitude that no other creature in the universe can aspire to. Man is something else."
</blockquote>

==== Ahmadiyya ====
The Ahmadiyya movement universally accept the scientific principle of the process of evolution, with divine guidance.<ref>[http://itl-usa.org/ahmadi/ahmadi13.html  Jesus and the Indian Messiah – 13. Every Wind of Doctrine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509033003/http://www.itl-usa.org/ahmadi/ahmadi13.html |date=2010-05-09 }}</ref>

Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the (late) leader of the Ahmadiyya movement, elaborated this by explaining the complex mechanism of evolution as having been played more like strategic game of chess rather than a random game of dice.<ref>Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth: [http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/part_5_section_10.html Part V, Section 10: A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance!]</ref>

=== Judaism ===
In general, three of the four major denominations of American [[Religion:Judaism|Judaism]] (Reconstructionist, Reform, and Conservative) accept theistic evolution. Within [[Religion:Orthodox Judaism|Orthodoxy]], there is much debate about the issue.  Most Modern Orthodox groups accept theistic evolution and most [[Religion:Haredi Judaism|Ultra-Orthodox]] groups do not.  This disagreement was most vociferous in the Natan Slifkin controversy which arose when a number of prominent Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis banned books written by Rabbi Natan Slifkin which explored the idea of theistic evolution within Jewish tradition.  These Rabbis forming part of Jewish opposition to evolution considered that his books were [[Religion:Heresy|heresy]] as they indicated that the Talmud is not necessarily correct about scientific matters such as the [[Earth:Age of the Earth|age of the Earth]].

Advocates of theistic evolution within Judaism follow two general approaches. Either the creation account in the Torah is not to be taken as a literal text, but rather as a [[Symbol|symbol]]ic work, or, alternatively, that the 'days' do not refer to 24-hour periods. The latter view, called day-age creationism, is justified by how the first day in the biblical account actually precedes the creation of the sun and earth by which 24-hour days are reckoned and by how the seventh day of rest has no evening and morning. In the day-age view, Jewish scholars point out how the order of creation in Genesis corresponds to the scientific description of the development of life on Earth—the sun, then earth, then oceans, then oceanic plant life, fish preceding land-based life, with mammals and finally humans last—and in no way specifies the method of creation in a manner prohibitive of evolution.

Karaite Judaism is a Jewish a movement which is distinct in that they do not accept the Talmud (a series of Rabbinic commentaries) as law and follow the Hebrew scriptures as they are written. Karaites are currently divided on the question of evolution with many or most Karaite Jews leaning in favor of Theistic Evolution.

=== Samaritanism ===
The Samaritans, a divergent branch of the Israelites (the other being the Jews), generally accept Theistic Evolution. Samaritans do not consider themselves to be Jewish, but hold similar beliefs. The Jews, however, hold the Tanakh (consisting of the Torah or Pentateuch, plus Nevi'im, and Ketuvim) as canonical scripture in conjunction with the Oral Law as compiled in the Talmud, while the Samaritan's canonical scriptures consists only of the Torah (a slightly differing Pentateuch, i.e. the Five Books of Moses), but exclude both Nevi'im and Ketuvim, as well as excluding the Talmud.

=== Pantheism ===
[[Philosophy:Pantheism|Pantheists]] (for instance in Naturalistic Pantheism) may view natural processes, including evolution, as work or emanations from the impersonal, non-anthropomorphic deity.<ref>{{Cite book  | title = The New Oxford Dictionary Of English  | publisher = Clarendon Press|year = 1998 | location = Oxford  | pages =  1341|isbn = 0-19-861263-X  }}</ref><ref name="Deity">Owen, H. P. ''Concepts of Deity''. London: Macmillan, 1971, p. 65.</ref>

== Proponents ==

=== Evolutionary biologists who were also theists ===
Although evolutionary biologists have often been agnostics (most notably Thomas Huxley and [[Biography:Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin]]) or [[Philosophy:Atheism|atheists]] (most notably [[Biography:Richard Dawkins|Richard Dawkins]]), from the outset many have had a belief in some form of theism. These have included [[Biography:Alfred Russel Wallace|Alfred Russel Wallace]], who in a joint paper with [[Biography:Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin]] in 1858, proposed the theory of [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]] by [[Biology:Natural selection|natural selection]]. Wallace, in his later years, was effectively a deist who believed that "the unseen universe of Spirit" had interceded to create life as well as consciousness in animals and separately in humans.<ref>Martin Fichman, (2004). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=j2E293wQ63AC An elusive Victorian: the evolution of Alfred Russel Wallace]''. p. 159</ref> Darwin had a longstanding close friendship with the American botanist Asa Gray who was a leading supporter of Darwin's theory, and a devout Presbyterian.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/religion-historical-resources |title=Historical Resources |year=2009 |publisher=Darwin Correspondence Project |access-date=2009-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504201014/http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/religion-historical-resources |archive-date=2012-05-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Gray wrote a series of essays on the relationship of natural selection to religious belief and [[Philosophy:Natural theology|natural theology]], and supported the views of theologians who said that design through evolution was inherent in all forms of life.<ref name=Grayreviews>{{cite web |url=http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/essays-reviews-by-asa-gray |title=Essays & reviews by Asa Gray |publisher=Darwin Correspondence Project |access-date=2009-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007070259/http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/essays-reviews-by-asa-gray |archive-date=2010-10-07 |url-status=dead }}<br>{{cite web |url=http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/gray-essay-evolution-theology |title=Essay: Evolution & theology |author=Asa Gray |date=January 15, 1874 |work=Darwin Correspondence Project |publisher=The Nation |access-date=2009-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007070628/http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/gray-essay-evolution-theology |archive-date=October 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Darwin had Gray and Charles Kingsley in mind when he wrote that "It seems to me absurd to doubt that a man may be an ardent theist & an evolutionist".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/entry-12041 |title=Letter 12041 — Darwin, C. R. to Fordyce, John, 7 May 1879 |publisher=Darwin Correspondence Project |access-date=2009-12-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618112333/http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/entry-12041 |archive-date=2014-06-18 }}</ref>

An early example of this kind of approach came from computing pioneer Charles Babbage who published his unofficial ''Ninth Bridgewater Treatise'' in 1837, putting forward the thesis that God had the omnipotence and foresight to create as a divine legislator, making laws (or programs) which then produced species at the appropriate times, rather than continually interfering with ''ad hoc'' miracles each time a new species was required.

[[Biography:Pierre Teilhard de Chardin|Pierre Teilhard de Chardin]] (1881&ndash;1955) was a noted geologist and paleontologist as well as a Jesuit Priest who wrote extensively on the subject of incorporating evolution into a new understanding of Christianity. Initially suppressed by the Roman Catholic Church, his theological work has had considerable influence and is widely taught in Catholic and most mainline Protestant seminaries.

Both [[Biography:Ronald Fisher|Ronald Fisher]] (1890&ndash;1962) and [[Biography:Theodosius Dobzhansky|Theodosius Dobzhansky]] (1900&ndash;1975), were Christians and architects of the [[Biology:Modern synthesis (20th century)|modern evolutionary synthesis]]. Dobzhansky, a Russian Orthodox, wrote a famous 1973 essay entitled ''Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution'' espousing evolutionary creationism:

:"I am a creationist and an evolutionist. Evolution is God's, or Nature's, method of creation. Creation is not an event that happened in 4004 BC; it is a process that began some 10 billion years ago and is still under way... Does the evolutionary doctrine clash with religious faith? It does not. It is a blunder to mistake the Holy Scriptures for elementary textbooks of astronomy, geology, biology, and anthropology. Only if symbols are construed to mean what they are not intended to mean can there arise imaginary, insoluble conflicts... the blunder leads to blasphemy: the Creator is accused of systematic deceitfulness."

In the realm of biology and theology, the saying coined by Thomas Jay Oord is perhaps appropriate: "The Bible tells us how to find abundant life, not the details of how life became abundant."

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}  
* Ahmadiyya views on evolution
* American Scientific Affiliation
* Arthur Peacocke
* [[Unsolved:Biblical cosmology|Biblical cosmology]]
* BioLogos
* [[Astronomy:Cosmogony|Cosmogony]]
* [[Philosophy:Cosmological argument|Cosmological argument]]
* Epic of Evolution
* [[Philosophy:Existence|Existence]]
* [[Unsolved:Rejection of evolution by religious groups|Rejection of evolution by religious groups]]
* [[Biology:Level of support for evolution#Support for evolution by religious bodies|Level of support for evolution § Support for evolution by religious bodies]]
* [[Religion:Mormon views on evolution|Mormon views on evolution]]
* [[Philosophy:Natural theology|Natural theology]]
* Religious Naturalism
* The Challenge of Creation
* [[Philosophy:Theism|Theism]]
* Timeline of the Big Bang
* Timeline of cosmological epochs
* [[Astronomy:Ultimate fate of the universe|Ultimate fate of the universe]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last=Ronan |first=Colin A. |year=1995 |orig-year=Originally published 1980 |title=The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China: An Abridgement by Colin A. Ronan of Joseph Needham's Original Text |volume=1 |location=Cambridge; New York |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-29286-3 |lccn=77082513 |oclc=3345021 |title-link=Science and Civilisation in China}}
* Numbers, Ronald, ''The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design'', Expanded Edition, 2006, Harvard University Press, {{ISBN|0674023390}}
* Scott, Eugenie C., "Antievolution and Creationism in the United States", ''Annual Review of Anthropology'', Vol. 26, (1997), pp.&nbsp;263–289, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2952523 JSTOR]
{{Refend}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Biography:Francis Collins|Collins, Francis]]; (2006) ''The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief'' {{ISBN|0-7432-8639-1}}
* Michael Dowd (2009) ''Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World'' {{ISBN|0-452-29534-3}}
* Falk, Darrel; (2004) ''Coming to Peace with Science: Bridging the Worlds Between Faith and Biology'' {{ISBN|0-8308-2742-0}}
* [[Biography:Kenneth R. Miller|Miller, Kenneth R.]]; (1999) ''Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution'' {{ISBN|0-06-093049-7}}
* Miller, Keith B.; (2003) ''Perspectives on an Evolving Creation'' {{ISBN|0-8028-0512-4}}
* Corrado Ghinamo; (2013) ''The Beautiful Scientist: a Spiritual Approach to Science'' {{ISBN|1621474623}}; {{ISBN|978-1621474623}}

[[Category:Religious belief and doctrine]]
[[Category:Evolution and religion]]

{{Sourceattribution|Acceptance of evolution by religious groups}}