"There is no a priori incompatibility between the theories of evolutionism and the message of the Bible and of theology". This was repeated today by mgr. Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Papal Council for Culture, as he presented the international conference on "Biological evolution: facts and theories A critical assessment, 150 years after the ‘Origin of the Species", due to take place in Rome from 3rd to 7th March 2009, on the resolve of the Papal Gregorian University and Notre Dame University, sponsored by the Papal Council for Culture as part of the Stoq project (Science, Theology and the Ontological Quest). "Darwin has never been condemned by the Church and the Origin of the Species is not on the Index went on Ravasi , but above all there have been some significant resolutions about the theory of evolution by the church magisterium". Of these, Ravasi quoted the "Humani Generis" by Pius XII, dated 1950, which states that the Church "does not forbid" that the doctrine of evolution "be the subject of research and discussions" by those who are experts about it "in any field", and the "famous speech" made by John Paul II on October 12th 1996 at the Academy of Science, in which evolution is no longer regarded as "a mere assumption" but as a "theory that has progressively established itself as a subject of research". (continued)” ” ” “
