Darwin and Doctrine: The Compatibility of Evolution and Catholicism

In Darwin’s Dangerous Idea, the philosopher Daniel Dennett referred to evolution as a “universal acid,” an idea that necessarily alters our way of thinking about everything—largely by eating away at our belief in a loving providential Creator. And since the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, countless believers have sensed an apparent conflict between evolution and the Christian faith, abandoning the latter in light of the robust evidence for the former.
 
But does the science of evolution necessarily lead to atheism or override the doctrines of Christianity? If not, how exactly can they fit together in a single search for truth?
 
In Darwin and Doctrine, molecular and cell biologist Dan Kuebler investigates the evolution-creation question from within the framework of the Catholic tradition. After a brief history of the Church’s engagement with evolutionary theory, Kuebler systematically yet swiftly answers the big questions that can move the dialogue forward: What exactly does the scientific data demonstrate about evolution? What does the Catholic understanding of creation, and the creation of man, entail? And how can we integrate the truths from both science and theology into a cohesive whole?
 
Thoughtful, accessible, and inspiring, Darwin and Doctrine surveys the whole lay of the land—past, present, and future—of the Catholic approach to evolution. And it offers all readers—Catholic, non-Catholic Christian, and non-Christian alike—a fascinating exploration of the compatibility and mutual flourishing of science and religion. 
 

Dr. Daniel Kuebler is a professor of biology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, where he teaches courses on evolution, cell physiology, and science and faith. He holds a BA in English, an MS in Biology from the Catholic University of America, and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. His scientific research involves studying the properties of adult stem cells isolated from human bone marrow, adipose, and placental tissue. He is the Vice-President of the Society of Catholic Scientists, an international society of Catholic PhD-level scientists with over two thousand members. He is also on the board of the Spitzer-Magis Center, which explores the intersection of science, reason, and faith, and provides materials for high-school students on these topics. Dan is the co-author of The Evolution Controversy: A Survey of Competing Theories (Baker Academic, 2007) and has written both academic and popular articles on issues related to science, religion, and ethics. His work has appeared in Our Sunday Visitor, Aleteia, First Things, Evangelization & Culture, and the McGrath Journal for Church Life. He has six kids, and resides with his wife, Nellie, in Steubenville, Ohio.