Abstract
Diversity is often the strength and the weakness of an edited volume, and this collection of essays is particularly diverse, even for a text in an interdisciplinary field such as theology and science. It works mostly in the texts’ favour, although those primarily concerned with the theology of ‘theology and science’ might not be particularly interested in some of the more scientific essays. Yet, these scientific essays provide a valuable contribution to the overall weight of this volume and are sound introductions to the current status of evolutionary theory, or at least the aspects of evolutionary theory that are of concern to theologians. The volume is built upon a selection of papers from two conferences in 2009 (the bi-centenary of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On The Origin of Species) at Notre Dame and the Gregorian University in Rome. Phillip R. Sloan, in the introduction to the volume, also clearly explains the scope of this text: it deals with issues pertaining to evolutionary science post 1959—an area of science commonly referred to as the neo-Darwinian synthesis (in short, Darwinian evolution substantiated by genetics). As such, there is little Church history in the volume, and in fact, very little about Darwin himself. The title Darwinism in the Twenty-First Century might actually be more true to the content of the book.
This volume is delineated into four sections: Nature; Humanity; God; Past and Future Prospects. In the first section, essays two, three and four are predominantly scientific. They demonstrate some of the complexities and nuances which exist in evolutionary science. They dispel a common misinterpretation of evolutionary theory which depicts evolution as a monistic and rigid set of laws of nature. The actual field is far more diverse and contentious, and the laws of evolution are far more approximate than that of physics or mathematics. That being said, the basic tenets of evolution by natural selection remain, and the ongoing vivacious dialogue amongst scientists should not be taken as evidence of uncertainty about these basics; all life evolves and is sculpted by a natural process of survival. In essays five and six, the tone changes from one of almost pure science, to one of philosophy of science. In these essays, the theological implications are far more obvious, but still implicit as the authors engage in a discussion on teleology/teleonomy. In case there was any confusion, authors Auletta, Collage and D’Ambrioso clearly state that they do not wish to focus on theological matters (p. 145). Nevertheless a discussion on whether life has a physical purpose in the world exudes theological undertones.
The second section turns its attention to some key questions regarding humanity in the context of theology and science. Among the issues discussed are the origins of humanity from a scientific perspective, the evolutionary benefits of rituals, ethics and religion, and a re-evaluation of anthropocentrism. The highlights of this section include Paul E. Griffiths and John S. Wilkins’s criticism of ‘evolutionary debunking’—the idea common amongst new atheists such as Daniel Dennett that evolutionary explanations of religious behaviour somehow ‘debunk’ the legitimacy of belief. Griffiths and Wilkins offer an admirably fair overview of such arguments, seriously considering and endorsing their positive aspects. Ultimately, they provide a strong conclusion not against evolutionary explanations of religious behaviour, but against their potential ‘debunking’ or devaluing religious claims to truth. Philip R. Sloan’s essay also touches upon a deeply important and troubling question for theologians; that of how anthropocentrism be understood. The clear backlash against anthropocentrism is evident not just in theology and science, but also in eco-theology, and is even a prevalent theme in Pope Francis’s Laudato Si. Sloan walks a fine line between appreciating Darwinian perspectives on our animal nature and our uniqueness.
The third section of this collection is the most theologically potent. John O’Callaghan’s chapter titled ‘Evolution and the Catholic Faith’ offers an interesting criticism of what he feels is a cavalier abandonment of the notion of the soul in light of evolutionary theory. Yet, his own position follows the consensus of a move away from Plato or Descartes’s dualism, and towards something different; a renewed Aristotelian conceptualization of the soul. William Carrol’s chapter, ‘After Darwin, Aquinas’ provides a sound and resounding criticism of what he terms ‘physico-theologies’ that became popular during the Enlightenment. Surely, he is correct that a good deal of contention within theology and science emerges from a favouring of such kinds of theologies, William Paley being the most famous. An alternative, he suggests, is a return to the theology of Aquinas. Carrol’s concluding understanding of God differs quite a deal from several popular understandings of God within the field of theology and science, and thus his paper is of considerable importance. As is Celia Deane-Drummond’s chapter; however, as Carrol’s chapter stems from a 2009 paper, Deane-Drummond’s work is more substantially developed in a number of later publications between 2012 in the journal Zygon, and her 2014 work The Wisdom of the Liminal. The final section of the book offers some more neutral reflections and speculations relating to the future of Darwinism, its profound influence in numerous fields, and its uniqueness in comparison with the more rigid sciences of physics.
As noted above, the appeal of this text is its diversity. It is a truly inter-disciplinary volume rather than some theological reflections from scientists, or some thoughts on science proffered by theologians. It might be worth being somewhat familiar with the very basics of Darwinism and, indeed, theological engagement with evolutionary theory before embarking on this text. Yet, it offers a solid overview of some key issues in the current dialogues between theology, philosophy and biology, as well some new and insightful contributions on all fronts.