The Church of England is to apologise to Charles Darwin for its initial rejection of his theories, nearly 150 years after he published his most famous work.
The Church of England will concede in a statement that it was over-defensive and over-emotional in dismissing Darwin’s ideas. It will call “anti-evolutionary fervour” an “indictment” on the Church”.
The bold move is certain to dismay sections of the Church that believe in creationism and regard Darwin’s views as directly opposed to traditional Christian teaching.
The apology, which has been written by the Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, the Church’s director of mission and public affairs, says that Christians, in their response to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, repeated the mistakes they made in doubting Galileo’s astronomy in the 17th century.
“The statement will read: Charles Darwin: 200 years from your birth, the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still. We try to practise the old virtues of ‘faith seeking understanding’ and hope that makes some amends.”
Opposition to evolutionary theories is still “a litmus test of faithfulness” for some Christian movements, the Church will admit. It will say that such attitudes owe much to a fear of perceived threats to Christianity.
The comments are included on a Church of England website promoting the views of Charles Darwin to be launched on Monday.
News from Telegraph
6 responses so far ↓
James // Sep 18, 2008 at 3:49 am
What a bunch of retaards and apostates. Lets get it right it was not Darwins theory, not Charles anyway. It was a plagirist load of rubbish from his Grandfather and a stunt to gazzunp Wallace who history hardly ever mentions. The Whore of England does not in any way represent the Bride of Christ. the master of the universe who put the world together and will rip it asunder. The Anglican break away from the cult of Romanism is in no way a voice for Biblical Christianity and is a traitor to the great English martyrs who died for the believe in the literal cultural hermanuetical reading of Gods Word. You have the cheif nutter saying sharia Law should be implemented in Britain and now this next bit of lunacy.
Darwin will be screaming from hell to try and get a message to the Whore that he got it wrong, but hey 1second when any Godless person ways up dead in Hell they will then understand.
Becky // Oct 29, 2008 at 10:52 am
James,
For a follower of Christ you sound so full of hate! Poor guy.
Jonathan CHM // Mar 24, 2009 at 11:16 pm
God is the one that created Adam. The supporting verse is Genesis 1:27, “God created man in his own image”.
Man was formed directly by God by means of using dust from the ground instead of transforming from ape to man. The supporting verse is: Genesis 2:7, “..the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, & breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; & man became a soul.”
Woman was formed by means of using a rib from Adam: Genesis 2:21-22, “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, & he slept: & he took one of his ribs, & closed up the flesh…And the ribs, which the Lord God had taken from made, made he a woman”.
From the biblical verses above, Darwin’s theory on evolution could not stand.
admin // Mar 25, 2009 at 2:43 am
You said it yourself. Evolution is not true according to your little book. But that’s about it. In the real world, evolution is as true as a fact.
martti_s // Apr 25, 2009 at 7:04 am
wow, raison and christianity coexist!
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