Did any Church Fathers specifically reject Darwinian Evolution?
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Another user made the comment:
> What is undisputed is that the Fathers left no room for evolution.
Now, the Church Fathers for the most part believed that Earth was Created some time between about 3,000 BC and 10,000 BC (and certainly not billions of years ago), which is a serious problem for the idea that chance processes are solely responsible for the extant diversity of life. Elsewhere I also asked https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/94425
However, while there is evidence to *suggest* that the idea was not unknown (see previously cited question), it is difficult to establish for certain whether it was or was not.
Conversely, the more general notion that chance processes are responsible for Creation — that is, the claim that intelligent design played no role — is much more evident, with one author going so far as to claim:
> I was astonished to find how many of the pronounced and basic features of the Darwinian theory were anticipated even as far back as the seventh century B.C. (Henry Fairfield Osborn, *From the Greeks to Darwin*)
What did the Church Fathers have to say in defense of Providence / Design *specifically* in the context of refuting claims to the contrary? I'm particularly interested in claims that *life* was not designed, but will accept arguments against *cosmological* non-design as well.
Asked by Matthew
(12382 rep)
Feb 8, 2023, 07:15 PM
Last activity: Feb 27, 2023, 02:35 PM
Last activity: Feb 27, 2023, 02:35 PM