It kinda started back during the Protestant reformation, but it’s come back recently. The Catholic church has been weighing in over the last year on the roles of religion and science. Cardinal Shoenborn made the first overt rumblings in support of intelligent design as science back in July [TAOMPH73] [TAOMPH77], though he later claimed his statements were misunderstood. This was followed by a letter to the Pope from three religious scientists asking for clarification of the church’s position on evolution [TAOMPH88]. That was followed by Cardinal Poupard reaffirming the need for reason to be an integral part of religion, reminding those who would listen of the dangers of rampant fundamentalism [TAOMPH187]. This was immediately followed by the Pope calling creation an “intelligent project” while quoting St. Basil, overall suggesting that reason was folly if it denied a universe with direction and order (**ibid.**).
Well, in this continuing Vatican tennis match, “its astromer is making a few declarations of his own”:http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10101394/. Rev. George Coyne was reported as saying the following:
“Intelligent design isn’t science even though it pretends to be,” the ANSA news agency quoted Coyne as saying on the sidelines of a conference in Florence. “If you want to teach it in schools, intelligent design should be taught when religion or cultural history is taught, not science.”
Whew! This is getting good. I’m riveted. Is anyone keeping score?
.. [TAOMPH73] http://steve.cooleysekula.net/blog/?p=826
.. [TAOMPH77] http://steve.cooleysekula.net/blog/?p=822
.. [TAOMPH88] http://steve.cooleysekula.net/blog/?p=811
.. [TAOMPH187] http://steve.cooleysekula.net/blog/?p=711
