Evolution

Awaiting the fullness of the Church in heaven

06/06/2019

John 16:29-33 The disciples said to Jesus, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."

I am a fan of the theory of evolution. Now, I don’t buy everything that Charles Darwin believed when he wrote his ground-breaking book called On the Origin of Species in 1859. That theory launched the modern science of evolutionary biology. Darwin espoused two governing principles for his theory. First, species evolve over generations, changing from a less complex organism to a more complex one, the so-called “branching pattern of evolution.” Darwin wrote: “The affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been represented by a great tree. I believe this simile largely speaks the truth.” The second principle is natural selection, whereby desirable qualities are retrained and undesirable qualities are rejected. When you combine these two principles, you get a purely natural explanation for how human beings arrived on earth.

Now, we can certainly debate the veracity of Darwin’s theory. But what I cannot deny or debate is how I have experienced evolution in my own life. What I believed and how I behaved as a ten-year old is not what I believed or how I behaved as a twenty year old. Then as a thirty year old, I again evolved and did not believe or behave like a twenty year old. The same thing happened at forty, and I can see my personal evolution emerging as I turn fifty this year. Is there any reason to think this evolution will not continue inexorably at sixty or seventy? The funny thing is at each stage I thought I had it all figured out, and scoffed at the stage before. I see in my own life the “branching pattern of evolution,” from the less complex to the more complex; from enjoying mac and cheese to relishing a filet mignon and merlot. And I pray the changes have not been the result of natural selection but rather wrought by supernatural selection, that is, the evidence that evolution is God’s grace at work in my life.

Today’s scriptures also speak of a kind of evolution in the history of the Church from the less complex to the more complex, driven by supernatural selection. Paul arrives in Ephesus and asks if the disciples had received the Holy Spirit. They replied: “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Paul explains the difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus, and the disciples make an evolutionary leap in learning and living the faith. In the gospel, the disciples reach a new level of understanding and are ready to rest on their laurels. They think they have it all figured out, like I did at twenty. They say over-confidently: “Now you are talking plainly and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe you came from God.” Jesus warns them, however, they are about to undergo a moment of supernatural selection, and survival of the fittest, that is, the spiritually fittest. You might recall that Judas did not survive that supernatural selection.

If we step back and survey all scripture, we can detect Darwin’s theory of evolution unfolding. Starting from Genesis and the relatively uncomplicated creation of Adam and Eve until we reach the culmination of the work of grace through supernatural selection in the Book of Revelation. The full complexity of creation will be manifest in the Church at the end of time, when it branches out to embrace everything. St. Paul suggested this evolution in Ephesians 4:13, saying: “Until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.” In other words, the goal of evolution is when the Body of Christ, the Church, will stand fully erect and glorious, like a man evolved from a monkey.

My friends, you don’t have to be a fan of Darwin’s theory of evolution to see it can be useful in the Christian journey of faith. For example, can you see how your own faith life has slowly evolved from the less complex to the more complex? St. Paul would say you’ve gone from drinking milk to eating solid food in 1 Corinthians 3:2. This evolutionary theory of faith may also help us be more patient with children and grandchildren who seem to know little about the faith, or maybe with those who think they know everything about the faith. What they believe and how they behave at twenty might not be how they will be at thirty. Supernatural selection is at work. This evolution may also help bishops be more patient with their priests and it may help priests to be more patient with their bishops. This evolutionary theory may help spouses be more patient with one another. Why? Well, at any moment we may experience an evolutionary leap of learning and living. This theory may help all of us not to feel too cocky or over-confident, even Charles Dawrin.

Humanity has not yet reached the last stage of evolution as described in Revelation. The Body of Christ, the Church, has yet to be glorified in heaven, when we will finally stand erect, “homo erectus” the truly upright person.

Praised be Jesus Christ!