Cardinal says pope's speech on evolution was misinterpreted

He said that the Catholic Church did not deviate from the teachings on origin of the universe.

Cardinal Mar George Alencherry

Kochi:  A day after Pope Francis declared that theories of evolution and Big Bang were real, Syro-Malabar Church head Cardinal Mar George Alencherry has come out with a statement that Pope’s speech on the ‘origin of universe’ was misinterpreted.

Cardinal Alencherry, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said that the Catholic Church did not deviate from the teachings on origin of the universe.

“Catholic Church teaches that God is the creator of the universe and man is created with a soul by God. Neither the theories on evolution nor ‘Big Bang’ stands against the teachings of the Church as far as the faithful are concerned,” the cardinal said.

Speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences the Pope was clarifying that God should not be considered as a magician. He just explained that God created living and non-living beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that God gave to each one so that they would reach their fulfillment,” the prelate pointed out.

“Though many people attempted to interpret ‘evolution’ at different times, there is no doubt that the origin of universe and man are from God,” the Cardinal said.

He further said that the intervention of God cannot be ignored even if the ‘Origin of Universe’ is scientifically explained and proved. Evolution and Big Bang are theories which have to be proved, the statement said.

Source: New Indian Express