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	Chance or Purpose? Creation, Evolution and a Rational Faith Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn Ignatius Press, 2007 - 200 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

In this book, Cardinal Schoenborn responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned the "theology of creation". Can we still speak intelligently of the world as "creation" and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a "delusion"? How should an informed believer read Genesis? If God exists, why is there so much injustice and suffering? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? What is man's destiny? Is everything a matter of chance or can we discern purpose in human existence? In his treatment of evolution, Cardinal Schoenborn distinguishes the biological theory from "evolutionism", the ideology that tries to reduce all of reality to mindless, meaningless processes.

He argues that science and a rationally grounded faith are not at odds and that what many people represent as "science" is really a set of philosophical positions that will not withstand critical scrutiny.

Chance or Purpose? directly raises the philosophical and theological issues many scientists today overlook or ignore. The result is a vigorous, frank dialogue that acknowledges the respective insights of the philosopher, the theologian and the scientist, but which calls on them to listen and to learn from each another.

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A Thoughtful Attempt at Reconciliation and Understanding of Science and Religion

Christoph Cardinal Schonborn's book title CHANCE OR PURPOSE: CREATION, EVOLUTION AND A RATIONAL FAITH is a thoughtful attempt to make connections between religious belief and modern science. Readers should note tht Cardinal Schonborn is not a fundamentalist, whatever that term means, and he is not a militant atheist. This book is not an attempt at a "middle ground," but an attempt to let "both sides" know that there are possible areas where agreement can be reached for further debate and discussion.

Cardinal Schonborn is clear that a literal interpretation of the Bible is not science and that the Bible was not written as a science book. Cardinal Schonborn mentioned that even the early Church Fathers were clear that the Bible was not meant to scientifically explain the Cosmos. In fact, St. Augustine (354-430)stated that the Bible was not an astronomy book, and students could study science in the schools. St. Augustine stated that the Bible and the Church teachings were designed to help men achieve salvation and not to teach science. In fact St. Augustine as well as other early Church Fathers stated that the much of the Bible was allegorical.

Another topic that Cardinal Schonborn examined is the fact that the Catholic Church enshrined reason next to Revealed Truths as part of learning. The Medieval Scholatics and especially St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)stated that science and the Bible were not at odds. His conclusion was that apparent conflicts were due to an inadequet understanding of the Bible. In other words, Cardinal Schonborn argued that there were Medieval scholars who recognized that there were apparent differences between the Bible, Catholic teaching, and science.

The basic premise of Cardinal Schonborn's book is that there is a starting point for all learning including scientific learning. The use of a priori thinking and logic are fundametnal to scientic learning(biology, geology, astronomy, physics, chemistry, etc.)as well as mathematics. Cardinal Schonborn is also clear that reason is also important to metaphysical questions and learning such as ethics, good vs. evil, justice, etc. He is clear that ideas and concepts are just as real as scientific studies. The key for Cardinal Schonborn is that there is a starting point by which ideas and science can be understood and advanced.

What Cardinal Schonborn critisized in this book were the concepts of formlessness and radical skepticism. He was clear that ideas of formless ness and extreme skepticism led to nowhere. Without reason and some fundamental starting point such as religion or the concept of a Creator, there could be no science or advance in knowledge. If nothing is accepted as a priori premises, nothing is achieved due to no basics from which to build knowledge.

Cardinal Schonborn was also critical of the misuse of Darwin's ideas. Cardinal Schonborn had some good comments on the use of Social Darwinism. For example the rulers of Big Communism had a "plan" whereby those in the Workers' Paradise would react to the plan by "successful adaptation." In spite of concentration camp brutality and mass murder, the plan failed because men are more complex than what the Plan allowed. Social Darwinism was also the rationale of the strongest race. Anyone not fit was doomed. In fact, one modern biologist stated that some people needed to be biologically upgraded to be fit for the modern world. A rational religious view was much better means of understanding social organization.

Cardinal Schonborn also commented on the vastness of the universe and the insignificant size of the earth and the solar system. This discussion carried over to Man whom Cardinal Schonborn stated was created in God's image with dignity and that man had reason for a guide. Cardinal Schonborn is well aware that the solar system is on the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. Yet, he is also clear that size does not matter. As far as we know, men are the only ones who is aware of the universe and his place in it. If one were to measure value by size, a man in love would give his fiancee a boulder rather than a diamond. Men would seek to live on Jupiter which is much larger than the earth. Yet, life cannot be sustained on that planet.

A very good point that Cardinal Schonborn made is that intelligence is important. Yet, intelligent men who are aware of the limitations of their knowledge demonstrate wisdom. The point that Cardinal Schonborn made is that those who ascribe to materialism and a chance universe as an ideology do not "know it all." Cardinal Schonborn explains that there are ultimate questions that give men a chance to think and if they do not know everything, they can at least have understanding.

One minor weakness of this book is that Cardinal Schonborn could have cited fameous Catholics for their scientific achievements. For example, he could have cited St. Albertus Magnus (1193-1280)who did considerable work in experimental biology and astronomy. Cardinal Schonborn could have cited the outstanding work done by the Jesuits. A book that was published named the 300 best mathematicians beginning c. 900 BC. Five percent of these mathematicans were Jesuits. There over 30 craters on the moon named after Jesuits. The Jesuits pioneered the study of seismology which was once called the Jesuit Science. Mention could have been made of Father Gregor Mendal (1822-1884)who pioneered the study of genetics. Cardinal Schonborn could have used these examples as well as others to inform readers that men of deeply held religious convictions have made important contributions to mathematics and science.

This book does not claim to be the "final answer." All Cardinal Schonborn tried to do was to give a reasonable explanation that science and religion are not necessarily hostile. While this reviewer has some crticisms as noted above, this is book is highly recommended to those who have an interest in the "debate" between religion and science, if there is one.

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A Theology of Creation

Cardinal Schonborn's article in the New York Times in July 2005, "Finding Design in Nature," generated a great deal of misunderstanding and controversy. For many, his article was a defense of Intelligent Design Theory and an attack on Pope John Paul II's pronouncement of the compatibility between Faith and Evolution. Nevertheless, this book clarifies any possible misunderstanding. The Cardinal clearly distinguishes between Belief in Creation and the Big Bang, and between "Creatio Continua"("continuing creation") and Evolution. He always emphasizes the idea that theology and natural science do not contradict one another because both are rational and complementary ways of approaching reality. Although he criticizes the methodological approach of the proponents of Intelligent Design, he thinks that the philosophical question as to the origins of the "intelligent design" in living things is a legitimate one. Furthermore, he thinks that philosophy is an excellent tool to distinguish between science and scientism or ideology masquerading as science. He concludes that God, as theologians and philosophers understand Him, cannot be an object of scientific inquiry. The scientific method can neither exclude nor include God. Hence, the Cardinal dares to provide his readers with a profound theology of creation in dialogue with the findings of science.
This Theology of Creation has four basic elements:
1)There is an absolute beginning that was the free and sovereign constitution of being out of nothing.
2)There is variety and order in creation and both are willed by God.
3)We believe, not just in an absolute beginning, but also that creation is being sustained. God keeps in being everything that he created: there is continuing creation.
4)Creation is guided. Divine providence is part of the doctrine of creation. God is guiding his work to a goal.
Throughout the book Cardinal Schonborn is concerned with the question of the relation between the four elements outlined above and the theory of evolution.Other important topics of the book that are related to the four basic elements are:
1) If God guides everything, then how is it that there is so much suffering and injustice in the world?
2) The creation of man and whether, and in what sense, man can be considered as the "crown of creation". Are men part of nature, or are they elevated above it, or both?
3) What does Christ have to do with creation?

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Finally the Church's clearity on science and God

I was so pleased to listen to an interview with the Archbishop reperesenting the Holy See's clarifications on science and God. This book is what I have been waiting to see. Anyone who takes the time to read this work seriously and to understand its relationship to the Catholic world view in its wisdom reveiled in the writings of St. Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, and St Agustin to list a few will recognize the embrace of science as fundamental to the Church. This work finally sets the record staight how God's existence and our search for truth, explanation and beauty in the physical reality are not a conflict for our rational mind! I wish everyone would read this with intelligent analysis.

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Chance or Purpose? Creation, Evolution and a Rational Faith

A clear, thoughtful exposition of the relationship between science and religion. Avoids the pitfalls of looking for God in the unexplained aspects of science, but rather identifies God in the ongoing existance of the universe around us. Don't look for proofs, but expect a better understanding.


A Firm Introductory Text on Creation

Cardinal Schonborn's text serves as an excellent introductory text into the Catholic understanding of the terms "creation" and "evolution," an understanding which his salient in today's world which too often misunderstands this relationship. It is a testament to the naivety of many who think that the Catholic must use the term creation in a static, fundamentalistic sense. In this capacity, it reminds the Catholic that the scientific phenomena which are studied in the task of understanding evolution are not mere phenomena to be explained away. Instead, they are facts which are part of the greater whole of understanding creation and salvation as a dynamic process which is willed from eternity, not in some sort of finite temporal succession.

The great strength of this book is also related to its weakness. This is a dense topic on which much has been written and still much will be considered in coming years. The Cardinal looks to explain much in his considerations and therefore seems to jump all "over the board" without much direction except to the Catholic eye. His reflections are definitely aimed toward Catholics (the book having been developed out of a series of catechetical lectures) and therefore takes a road from a consideration of creation, its exposition in the Godhead, its fulfillment in Christ, and the weight of humanity therein. The progression is logical but is much looser than that which would be normally undertaken in a dense theological tome. I therefore suggest it for those who are looking for an overview of Catholic cosmology but then also suggest for one to go further and springboard from this text into its sources for a much more nuanced and formed conceptualization and understanding of the implications of the Catholic understanding of Creation.

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