Christian Belief and Evolution

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 189, 31 October 1927, Page 1

Christian Belief and Evolution

“NO OPPOSITION” CANON ARCHDALL’S ADDRESS “Those who fancied there was opposition between scientific research and Christian religion are creating for themselves an unnecessary difficulty.” TN expressing this opinion in the A course of a sermon at St. Mary’s Cathedral last evening on evolution and its relation to the teachings of the Church, Canon H. K. Archdall, headmaster of King’s College, held that evolution in its spiritual sense was not adverse to theological doctrines, but that it was an essential part of Christian belief. Canon Archdall took as his text, “My Father worketh even until' now, and I work,” from the fifth chapter of St. John. He contended that in using those words Christ had Himself substituted

the idea of continuous progress for the old conception of creation as an operation completed once and for all. There were- other instances, he said, in which Christ boldly challenged the story of Genesis, but this was one instance in which He followed the law and tire prophets by drawing out a better principle. He gave His hearers to understand defintely that the work of God in creation never ceased. .Scientific description of the development of the world was a glorious epic. Extending their boudaries the various sciences had almost united into one vast empire of thought, presenting a splendid picture of creation, more stimulating to the imagination. Astronomy, physical geology, biology, anthropology and human history, he contended, described a vast creative process that had made the world what it was. L>ealing further with the process of evolution, Canon Archdall said that it would continue, and that it was their duty to find out the laws of evolution in order to know how they might be recreated and redeemed. It was, he considered, a true realisation of the workings of evolution that alone would serve to impart the full spiritual life.