Science and Orthodoxy vs. Evolution and Progressive Creationism
“Orthodox” modernists and unbelievers who claim to be Orthodox, but are not fully convinced of our faith, should not use the canard that young earth creationism (YEC) comes from Protestants. Young earth creationism comes from Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers of Orthodox Christian Tradition. If you do not believe in YEC, you are not Orthodox. But even if some Protestants accept YEC, it would be the fallacy of Argument Ad Hominem to reject YEC since it is held by Protestants, because the truth of a position is independent of the character of the one holding it.
CHURCH FATHERS WERE YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISTS. TO BE TRULY ORTHODOX IS TO BE TRULY PATRISTIC. YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM IS THE OFFICIAL TEACHING OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY
Saints Basil, Ephraim the Syrian and John Chrysostom believed the six days of creation were literal twenty-four hour days. (Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 401).
St. Basil said about the First Day: "There was evening and morning." This means the space of a day and a night..."And there was evening and morning, one day." Why did he say "one" and not "first"?...He said "one" because he was defining the measure of day and night and combining the time of a night and a day, since the twenty-four hours fill up the interval of one day, if, of course, night is understood with day." (St. Basil, Hexaemeron 2:8, pp. 33-34).
St. John Chrysostom condemned the view that all of Genesis is allegorical. He said those who want to make it all allegorical are trying to destroy our faith. (Genesis, Creation and Early Man, 337).
St. Ephraim the Syrian: "So let no one think that there is anything allegorical in the works of the six days. No one can rightly say that the things pertaining to these days were symbolic, nor can anyone say that they were meaningless names or that other things were symbolized for us by their names." (Oden, Louth, Ancient Christian Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Old Testament, Vol.1, Genesis 1-11p. 9).
St. Ephraim the Syrian regards the days of Creation Week as natural days. (see Commentary on Day 1, as quoted in "Genesis, Creation and Early Man", p. 101).
St. Basil regarded the first day as setting the standard for the natural day. (see Hexaemeron, Homily 2, Chapter 8, as quoted in "Genesis, Creation and Early Man," p. 401).
St. Ambrose on twenty-four hour days. (Hexaemeron, Homily 1, as quoted in Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 401 (editors note).
Saints Gregory of Nyssa, Jerome and Gregory the Great believed that God created the world in six natural days. (according to Ruffini, Cardinal Ernesto, The Theory of Evolution Judged By Reason and Faith, pp. 68-69).
Blessed Augustine taught the literal interpretation of Genesis. (Book 1, Chapter 16).
In 1909 the Pontifical Biblical Commission rejected the idea that the first three chapters in Genesis "contain allegories" and symbols destitute of any foundation in objective reality but presented under the garb of history for the purpose of inculcating religious and philosophical truth. (Warkulwiz, The Doctrines of Genesis 1-11, p. 165, citing Denzinger, Enchiridion Symbolorum no 2122).
"The great majority of the Fathers interpreted Genesis 1-11 in its plain sense." (Warkulwiz, p. 3) and that the world is only several thousand years old (ibid).
"The literal and obvious sense of Genesis 1-11 was held by all Christians and Jews until the time of so-called enlightenment in the eighteenth century"... (ibid).
The Fathers unanimously understood Genesis 1-11 as a literal-historical document. (see Warkulwiz, p. 31).
"In 1909 the Pontifical Biblical Commission rejected arguments that deny the literal-historical nature of Genesis 1-3." (DZ, no. 2121). The PBC also rejected claims that the accounts "contain legends, historical in part and fictional in part, composed freely for the instruction and edification of souls." (ibid).
"Catholic scientists and scholars must reject the theory of evolution because a genuine Catholic theology of creation cannot accommodate it." (Warkulwiz, p. 8).
"The notion of an earth billions of years old, which is espoused by Catholic theistic evolutionists, has had a numbing effect on the faith of youth. (Warkulwiz, p. 9).
"The Fathers of the Church were familiar with the Greek atomists' idea of the universe being formed over aeons of time by natural forces, and they promptly rejected it." (Warkulwiz, p. 10).
"None of the Fathers of the Church believed in an ancient universe." (Warkulwiz, p. 189).
Except for Augustine (who believed everything was created at once, either actually or potentially), the Church Fathers unanimously believed that the earth was created in six natural days. (ibid, 197).
Bonaventure (1274) and his mentor, Alexander Hales (1245) held to six literal days of creation. (Warkulwiz, p. 423).
Ancient Jews believed the world was a few thousand years old. (see Warkulwiz, p. 191).
Pope Pius XII said that the first eleven chapters of Genesis "pertain to history in a true sense." (Humani generis).
"evolution of species...has no support whatsoever from Scripture or Tradition." (Warkulwiz, 127).
"The Fathers believed in the permanence of the kinds." (Warkulwiz, 134).
Blessed Augustine believed that the world was less than 6,000 years old at the time he lived (City of God 12:10, p. 232).
St. Theophilus (A.D. 115-181), sixth bishop of Antioch, and Julius Africanus (A.D. 200-245), believed that the world was 5,530 years old. (Theophilus,"To Autolycus," in "Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2, pp. 118-21; Julius Africanus,"Five Books of Chronology," in "Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol.6, pp. 130-38).
The common Byzantine Christian reckoning (derived from the Septuagint), placed the date of creation at 5,508 B.C. (Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 236).
Russia inherited from the Byzantines the Orthodox Calendar based on the creation era. The date for the creation of the world was used by the Russians as the starting point for their empire. (see Riasanovsky, A History of Russia, p. 244).
Fr. Seraphim Rose writes: "even the most mystical Fathers" such as St. Isaac the Syrian accepted without question the common understanding of the Church that the world was created "more or less" in 5,500 B.C. (Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 236).
"Jewish cabalists, who look for secret codes in the Bible and who believe in creation by emanation, have long maintained that only children and the simple-minded should be encouraged to believe in a literal six natural day period of creation." (Warkulwiz, p. 193).
ADAM AND EVE
"The Fathers of the Church believed the Genesis account of the creation of Eve literally, although they sometimes superimposed allegorical interpretations on it. The creation of Eve from the side of Adam is so strongly affirmed in Magisterial teaching"... (Warkulwiz, 262).
"The Fathers and Doctors of the Church and all the popes, bishops and faithful for nineteen centuries believed that God created Adam immediately from the dust of the earth." (Warkulwiz, 234).
St. Basil said that God made Adam directly from the earth to distinguish him from animals. (On the Origin of Man 2:4, as quoted in Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 159).
Adam was created from the earth according to Saints Irenaeus, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, Cyril of Alexandria, John Damascene, Ephraim, Tertullian, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine. (See Rufini, Cardinal Ernesto, The Theory of Evolution Judged by Reason and Faith, pp. 124-129).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem: "Eve was begotten of Adam and not conceived of a mother"...(Oden, Louth, Ancient Christian Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Old Testament, Vol.1, Genesis 1-11p. 67).
St. Ephraim believed Eve was already inside Adam when God removed his rib. (ibid, p. 36).
St. Ambrose said God created Eve from the body of Adam. (Warkulwiz, p. 270).
Theodoret of Cyr taught that God made Eve from Adam. (Warkulwiz, 270).
St. John Chryosostom said Adam and Eve lived like angels. (Eight Homilies on Genesis 8:4, quoted in Genesis, Creation and Early Man, p. 151).
1909 Pontifical Biblical Commission: "the fall of our first parents from their primitive state of innocence," and "the promise of a future Redeemer" are things in Genesis that must be be taken in the "literal and historical sense" because they "pertain to the foundations of the Christian religion." (Warkulwiz, p. 321).
1909 Pontifical Biblical Commission stated that the temptation of Eve by the devil "under the guise of the serpent "must be taken in "the literal and historical sense." (Denzinger, Enchiridion Symbolorum no 2123).
St. John Damascene wrote of "our first parents." ( Oden, Louth, Ancient Christian Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Old Testament, Vol.1, Genesis, 1-11 p. 17).
Pope Pius II in 1459 condemned the notion that Adam was not the first man. Pope Pius XII in 1950 condemned polygenism. (Warkulwiz, p. 343).
Blessed Augustine: "in the very beginning Adam and Eve were the parents of all peoples." (Quoted by Warkulwiz from Jurgens, The Faith of the Early Fathers, no. 1813).
Theodoret of Cyr: "the myriads of tribes [came] from one couple." (Quoted by Warkulwiz from Jurgens, The Faith of the Early Fathers, no 2147).
Sirach: [Adam was honored] "above every living being in creation." (49:16).
Book of Wisdom: "Wisdom protected the first formed father of the world, when he alone had been created; she delivered him from his transgression, and gave him strength to rule all things." (10:1).
The view that Eve was literally taken from Adam's rib was held by such notable saints as John Chrysostom, Ambrose, Ephraim the Syrian and Cyril of Jerusalem. (for quotes and sources see: Genesis, Creation and Early Man, by Fr. Seraphim Rose).
Pope Pelagius I (died 4 March 561) said that the first woman was created "from the rib of the man." (Denzinger, Enchiridion Symbolorum no 228a).
In 1909 the Pontifical Biblical Commission said that the literal-historical sense is to be adhered to in regard to "the formation of the first woman from the first man." (ibid, no. 2123).
All the Holy Fathers, even St. Seraphim of Sarov, believed that Eve came from Adam’s rib.
The historical Adam is affirmed by Ante-Nicene Pope St. Clement of Rome (r. 88–99), Pseudo-Clement, St. Ignatius of Antioch, The Epistle of Barnabas, St. Justin Martyr, Pseudo–Justin and ancient Pagan testimonies, St. Theophilus of Antioch, St. Irenæus of Lyons, St. Hippolytus of Rome. (for quotes and sources see the upcoming book "Thou art Dust: Recovering the Catholic Doctrine of the Origin of Adam’s Body," by the Kolbe Center).
Popes from Pelagius I up to Leo XIII and Pius X have explicitly taught that Adam and Eve had no parents but that Adam was made immediately from the earth and Eve immediately from Adam's side. There is no evolution here.
There is now abundant genetic data that supports the existence of a literal Adam and Eve. (Mortenson, et al. Searching for Adam; Sanford and Carter, God, Family and Genetics--a Biblical Perspective, Part 1 in Genetic Evidences Supporting The Divine Origin of Man and Family (2016); Published in Proceedings of the Symposium at Rome "The Two Shall Become One" at The Creation of Adam and Eve as the Foundation of the Church's Teaching on Holy Marriage. Human Life International; Part 2 in Genetic Evidences Refuting the Evolution of Man and Family (2016) published in Proceedings of the Symposium at Rome).
All the Mitochondrial chromosomes in the world are nearly identical and trace back to a single woman known as "Mitochondrial Eve."
Further, the studies indicate that this Mitochondrial Eve lived just thousands of years ago.
EVOLUTION MAKES GOD THE AUTHOR OF DEATH, INSTEAD OF THE DEVIL
God as the author of death suggests a strong dualist tendency in God. Process and dualism always seem to go hand it hand.
Holy Writing teaches that God imposed death as punishment for the transgression. (Gen. 2:17; 3:19)."For God made no death." (Wisdom 1:13). "But by the envy of the devil came death into the world." (Wisdom 2:24). "By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin." (Romans 5:12). "From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we all die." (Ecclesiasticus 25:33; Cf. 1Tim. 2:14; Rom. 5:12 et seq; John 8:44).
St. John of Damascus: "He who once assumed the appearance of a malignant serpent and implanted death in the creation, is now cast into darkness by Christ's coming in the flesh." (Mother Mary and Kallistos Ware, trans, The Festal Menaion, p. 134).
BELIEF IN EVOLUTION IS DANGEROUS
Father Seraphim Rose wrote: “Evolution is one of the most dangerous concepts that faces the Orthodox Christian today. Perhaps it is the very key intellectual assault upon the Church, to the very philosophy of the coming Antichrist…evolution is a whole mindset that is quite incompatible with Orthodoxy.” (Fr. Seraphim Rose, Letter dated April 5/18, 1973). Even according to Charles Darwin, the theory of evolution is incompatible with Theism. He wrote: "It seems to me absurd to doubt that a man may be an ardent Theist and an evolutionist." (Letter 7, May 1879). Darwin remained an agnostic.
Pope Leo XIII warned that false science could prove fatal in destroying the principles of true philosophy in young minds. (see Providentissimus Deus).
"The notion of an earth billions of years old, which is espoused by Catholic theistic evolutionists, has had a numbing effect on the faith of youth. (Warkulwiz, p. 9).
Denis Lamoureux is a top theistic evolutionist. He stated: "Evangelical students are leaving the church in alarming numbers. You might know a few, maybe someone in your family. One reason for this is science, biological evolution in particular. " (Lamoureux, Four Views on the Historical Adam). Lamoureux admits that evolution causes people to lose faith. He cites a Barna Group study.
The theory of evolution was the foundational belief of Hitler and Stalin. Karl Marx dedicated his book "Das Kapital" to Charles Darwin.
THEISTIC EVOLUTIONISTS AND PROGRESSIVE CREATIONISTS ARE CONDEMNED BY THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
The Fathers of the Church were young earth creationists. Young earth creationism is part of the tradition of the Orthodox Church.
The sixth session of the 7th ecumenical council:
"Those who, moved by Divine zeal, always concur with the Fathers and the traditional ordinances of the Church flee from all who hold contrary opinions, as though from enemies."
From the Synodicon of the Holy Spirit:
"To all things innovated and enacted contrary to the Church tradition, teaching, and institution of the holy and ever-memorable fathers, or to anything henceforth so enacted, ANATHEMA."
Eighth proceeding of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod:
“If anyone breaks any ecclesiastical tradition, written or unwritten, let him be anathema.”
St. Vincent of Lérins:
"for Christians to declare something which they did not previously accept has never been permitted, is never permitted, and never will be permitted,—but to anathematize those who proclaim something outside of that which was accepted once and for ever, has always been a duty, is always a duty, and always will be a duty."
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The miracle working Saint Nektarios wrote: "The followers of pithecogeny [the derivation of man from apes] are ignorant of man and of his lofty destiny, because they have denied him his soul and Divine revelation. They have rejected the Spirit, and the Spirit has abandoned them. They withdrew from God, and God withdrew from them; for, thinking that they were wise, they became fools...If they acted with knowledge, they would not have lowered themselves so much, nor would they have taken pride in tracing the origin of the human race to the most shameless of animals. Rightly did the Prophet say of them: 'Man, while in honor did not understand, but joined the beasts and became like them.'" (Sketch Concerning Man, pp. 216-217).
Scientists concede that their most cherished theories are based on embarrassingly few fossil fragments and that huge gaps exist in the fossil record."(Time Magazine, Nov. 7, 1977)."The evolutionary establishment fears creation science, because evolution itself crumbles when challenged by evidence. In the 1970s and 1980s, hundreds of public debates were arranged between evolutionary scientists and creation scientists. The latter scored resounding victories, with the result that, today, few evolutionists will debate. Isaac Asimov, Stephen Jay Gould, and the late Carl Sagan, while highly critical of creationism, all declined to debate."(Dr. James Perloff, Tornado in a Junkyard (1999), p. 241)" I doubt if there is any single individual within the scientific community who could cope with the full range of [creationist] arguments without the help of an army of consultants in special fields."(David M. Raup, "Geology and Creation," Bulletin of the Field Museum of Natural History, Vol. 54, March 1983, p. 18)."As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency--or, rather, Agency--must be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos for our benefit?"(Astronomer George Greenstein, "The Symbiotic Universe," page 27).
I want to recommend a YouTube channel called, “Standing For Truth,” where creation-evolution debates are regularly conducted. I also want to encourage any Orthodox Christian to get the most knowledgeable “Orthodox” evolutionist you can find, and have him debate on this channel. I believe you will see the weakness of the evolution theory. Donnie authored the book “The Endogenous Retrovirus Handbook”. Here is the link to Standing For Truth:
https://www.youtube.com/@StandingForTruthMinistries/featured
BOOKS AGAINST EVOLUTION
Refuting Evolution, by Sarfati;
Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, by Denton;
Darwin On Trial, By Johnson (3Rd Edition);
Origins (Video Series), by A.E. Wilder Smith;
Biological Evolutionism, by Constantine Cavarnos;
The Endogenous Retrovirus Handbook, by Donnie B
Genesis, Creation and Early Man, by Fr. Seraphim Rose;
The Chronicles of the Beginning, by Father Daniel Sysoev;
Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, by Behe;
The Natural Sciences Know Nothing of Evolution, by A.E. Wilder Smith;
Not By Chance! Shattering The Modern Theory of Evolution, by Spetner;
Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed, By Axe;
The Doctrines of Genesis 1-11: A Compendium and Defense of Traditional Catholic Theology on Origins, by Warkulwiz. [Catholic work].
See Biologic Institute (led by Douglas Axe), Answers in Genesis, Institute For Creation Research and Creation.com.
A growing number of scientists doubt Darwinian Evolution. See this video:
