god after darwin 6. evolution and divine action september 3, 2006 9 to 9:50 am in the parlor all are...

God After DarwinGod After Darwin6. Evolution and Divine 6. Evolution and Divine

ActionAction

September 3, 20069 to 9:50 am in the Parlor

All are welcome!

God Our Father,God Our Father,open our eyes to see your hand at workopen our eyes to see your hand at workin the splendor of creation,in the splendor of creation,in the beauty of human life.in the beauty of human life.Touched by your hand our world is holy.Touched by your hand our world is holy.Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us,Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us,to share your blessings with our brothers to share your blessings with our brothers

and sisters,and sisters,and to experience the joy of life in your and to experience the joy of life in your

presence.presence.We ask this through Christ Our Lord.We ask this through Christ Our Lord.

- - Every Day We Praise YouEvery Day We Praise You, Catholic Book Publishing Co., p. 136, Catholic Book Publishing Co., p. 136

God After God After Darwin. A Darwin. A Theology of Theology of Evolution.Evolution. John John F. Haught, F. Haught, Westview Press, Westview Press, 2000. ISBN 0-2000. ISBN 0-8133-3878-6 8133-3878-6 (Chapter 9)(Chapter 9)

Background image on the PowerPoint slides is taken from the cover art of God After Darwin

Responses to Responses to 101 Questions 101 Questions on God and on God and Evolution.Evolution.

John F. Haught, John F. Haught, Paulist Press, Paulist Press, 2001. ISBN 0-2001. ISBN 0-8091-3989-88091-3989-8

John F. HaughtJohn F. Haught is the Landegger is the Landegger Distinguished Distinguished Professor of Professor of Theology at Theology at Georgetown Georgetown University, and University, and Director of the Director of the Georgetown Georgetown Center for the Center for the Study of Science Study of Science and Religion.and Religion.Photos captured from the on-line interview

with Dr. Haught at: http://MeaningOfLife.tv

ReviewReview

ReviewReviewWhat Evolution Tells UsWhat Evolution Tells Us

The modern theory of evolution (= the The modern theory of evolution (= the “neo-“neo-Darwinian SynthesisDarwinian Synthesis”) says that the great diversity ”) says that the great diversity of life can be of life can be naturallynaturally explained by the combination explained by the combination of of chancechance, , lawlaw, and , and deep timedeep time:: 1. 1. Chance:Chance: accidental, chance events or contingencies: accidental, chance events or contingencies:

• a genetic mutation that lead to new characteristics in an organisma genetic mutation that lead to new characteristics in an organism• a natural disaster that changes the environment that an organism a natural disaster that changes the environment that an organism

must adapt tomust adapt to 2. 2. Law:Law: the deterministic laws of the deterministic laws of natural selectionnatural selection

(natures “selects” as survivors organism who best adapt to (natures “selects” as survivors organism who best adapt to the environment; all others perish),the environment; all others perish), chemistry, and physicschemistry, and physics

3. 3. Deep Time:Deep Time: enormous depths of time enormous depths of time

ReviewReviewWhat Evolution Tells UsWhat Evolution Tells Us

Evolution tells us human beings are the result Evolution tells us human beings are the result of billions of years of a meandering, haphazard of billions of years of a meandering, haphazard process of “process of “natural selectionnatural selection,” a journey ,” a journey marked by untold pain and suffering, loss, marked by untold pain and suffering, loss, waste, and in the end, extinction for most waste, and in the end, extinction for most species.species. More than 99% of all species born in the crucible More than 99% of all species born in the crucible

of evolution have died out under the relentless of evolution have died out under the relentless jackboot of natural selection.jackboot of natural selection.

ReviewReviewWhy Might God Create In Such a Way?Why Might God Create In Such a Way?

Why might God choose to create in such Why might God choose to create in such a way?a way?

Why might God create a world Why might God create a world characterized by the meandering, characterized by the meandering, wasteful, painful path of evolution?wasteful, painful path of evolution?

ReviewReviewWhy Might God Create In Such a Way?Why Might God Create In Such a Way?

We suggested that the answer lies in a We suggested that the answer lies in a fundamental, eternal characteristic of fundamental, eternal characteristic of God: God is God: God is self-emptying (=kenosis) self-emptying (=kenosis) suffering lovesuffering love..

ReviewReviewGod’s Self-Emptying LoveGod’s Self-Emptying Love

Love needs an Love needs an “Other”“Other” that is not oneself to love. that is not oneself to love. Without an “Other” who is Without an “Other” who is independent independent of oneself, of oneself, love cannot be actualized.love cannot be actualized.

God’s God’s self-emptying, self-giving loveself-emptying, self-giving love is manifest in: is manifest in: allowing creation to come into being allowing creation to come into being independentindependent of God’s of God’s

self – to be self – to be “Other”“Other” than God – and than God – and endowing that creation with the ability endowing that creation with the ability to evolveto evolve = = to be to be

“self-creative“self-creative and and self-orderingself-ordering

Such a universe is really the only kind of universe Such a universe is really the only kind of universe that could be the product of love – for love desires the that could be the product of love – for love desires the independenceindependence and spontaneity of the “Other.” and spontaneity of the “Other.”

ReviewReviewGod Comes to Us From the FutureGod Comes to Us From the Future

As the world evolves, self-creates, self-orders itself, God comes:As the world evolves, self-creates, self-orders itself, God comes: from the “future,”from the “future,” from “the sphere of the not-yet,” of “not-yet-being,”from “the sphere of the not-yet,” of “not-yet-being,” from the “realm of possibility and potentiality,” from the “realm of possibility and potentiality,” from “that which might come / is to come”from “that which might come / is to come”

and God sustains the world continually at:and God sustains the world continually at: the cusp of where the future meets the present,the cusp of where the future meets the present, the threshold between “not-yet” and “now”the threshold between “not-yet” and “now”

where God offers to Creation possibilities, “novelty” = novel where God offers to Creation possibilities, “novelty” = novel informational patterns and orderings, informational patterns and orderings,

and God lures, persuades, but does not force Creation towards and God lures, persuades, but does not force Creation towards God’s vision of Creation’s fulfillment and completion.God’s vision of Creation’s fulfillment and completion.

God is, in other words, the “Power of the Future,” more Omega God is, in other words, the “Power of the Future,” more Omega than Alphathan Alpha

ReviewReviewTodayToday

Today we will look more deeply into how Today we will look more deeply into how God might be able to act in this God might be able to act in this independent, self-creating, self-ordering independent, self-creating, self-ordering world that God has createdworld that God has created How is God able to “lure” or “persuade” the How is God able to “lure” or “persuade” the

universe towards God’s vision of the universe towards God’s vision of the universe’s fulfillment and completion?universe’s fulfillment and completion?

Process Process TheologyTheology

Process TheologyProcess TheologyAlfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead

Many of the ideas we have been Many of the ideas we have been discussing over the past several weeks discussing over the past several weeks come from come from “process theology”“process theology”

““Process theology,”Process theology,” reflections upon reflections upon God and nature based on the God and nature based on the “process “process philosophy”philosophy” proposed by 20 proposed by 20thth English English philosopher philosopher Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead..

Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead was born in was born in 1861; died in 19471861; died in 1947


1880: Whitehead entered Cambridge 1880: Whitehead entered Cambridge University and studied mathematics University and studied mathematics

1884: elected to a fellowship at 1884: elected to a fellowship at CambridgeCambridge

1910: moved to the University of 1910: moved to the University of LondonLondon

1924: accepted a chair in philosophy at 1924: accepted a chair in philosophy at Harvard University, where he remained Harvard University, where he remained until he retired in 1937until he retired in 1937


1910 to 1913: wrote, with his most 1910 to 1913: wrote, with his most important student, important student, Bertrand RussellBertrand Russell, , the 3 volume work the 3 volume work Principia Principia Mathematica. Mathematica. He then began to turn He then began to turn his attention to philosophyhis attention to philosophy

His most important and influential His most important and influential book was book was Process and RealityProcess and Reality, , published in 1929published in 1929

Process TheologyProcess TheologyNature and GodNature and God

All of nature is in the All of nature is in the processprocess of of becomingbecoming

This This “restlessness”“restlessness” of nature requires an of nature requires an explanation just as much as the explanation just as much as the order order of of nature requires an explanationnature requires an explanation

What is the What is the source source of theof the novelty novelty that is that is always emerging at each moment of this always emerging at each moment of this world’s becoming?world’s becoming?


Whitehead: God is the ultimate source of both Whitehead: God is the ultimate source of both nature’s nature’s orderorder and and noveltynovelty

At every instant, God influences and “lures” At every instant, God influences and “lures” the universe by offering it the universe by offering it new possibilities for new possibilities for becoming (“novelty”)becoming (“novelty”)

Evolution and change occurs because God is Evolution and change occurs because God is interested in interested in “adventure”“adventure”, not in preserving a , not in preserving a status quostatus quo ““Adventure:”Adventure:” the cosmic aim towards more intense beauty the cosmic aim towards more intense beauty

• ““beauty:” a harmony of contrastsbeauty:” a harmony of contrasts


Events that do not fit our sense of Events that do not fit our sense of order, which we term “random,” are order, which we term “random,” are signs of the universe’s becoming, signs of the universe’s becoming, signs of the universe opening itself signs of the universe opening itself up to novelty = new forms of orderup to novelty = new forms of order

Process TheologyProcess TheologyGod’s PowerGod’s Power

God’s power in luring the universe with God’s power in luring the universe with new possibilities for becoming is a new possibilities for becoming is a persuasive powerpersuasive power, not a coercive power., not a coercive power. God does not “force” the universe into any God does not “force” the universe into any

particular designparticular design God loves the universe, wants the universe to be God loves the universe, wants the universe to be

independent, “Other” than God, and a ‘persuasive” independent, “Other” than God, and a ‘persuasive” power is the only power compatible with lovepower is the only power compatible with love


God power as “persuasive power” is God power as “persuasive power” is notnot a a diminishment of God’s diminishment of God’s omnipotenceomnipotence.. If power is defined as “the capacity to influence,” If power is defined as “the capacity to influence,”

than a persuasive power is much more potent than than a persuasive power is much more potent than any coercive powerany coercive power

A universe created and maintained by coercive A universe created and maintained by coercive power would just be a puppet, an appendage of power would just be a puppet, an appendage of GodGod

Whereas, a universe allowed to independently Whereas, a universe allowed to independently respond to God’s persuasive power is, in the end, a respond to God’s persuasive power is, in the end, a much more substantial and wondrous thing, filled much more substantial and wondrous thing, filled with a much greater intensity of beingwith a much greater intensity of being


Because God’s Power is persuasive rather Because God’s Power is persuasive rather than coercive, the universe may not than coercive, the universe may not always respond to God’s persuasionalways respond to God’s persuasion especially when it reached the human phase especially when it reached the human phase

of the universe’s unfoldingof the universe’s unfolding

The risk of “evil” is thus present, and The risk of “evil” is thus present, and even intensified when human freedom even intensified when human freedom emerged in the universe.emerged in the universe.

Process TheologyProcess TheologyGod’s Intimacy With CreationGod’s Intimacy With Creation

God is intimately present at every moment of God is intimately present at every moment of the world’s becoming, and every moment of the world’s becoming, and every moment of the universe’s evolution is eternally preserved the universe’s evolution is eternally preserved in God’s feeling and memory.in God’s feeling and memory.

God experiences, suffers, remembers God experiences, suffers, remembers foreverforever everythingeverything that occurs in the unfolding of the that occurs in the unfolding of the universeuniverse God thus not only creates and sustains the God thus not only creates and sustains the

universe, but also God also “saves” and “redeems” universe, but also God also “saves” and “redeems” the universe from absolute perishingthe universe from absolute perishing

Nothing in creation happens outside of God’s Nothing in creation happens outside of God’s love and compassionate feelinglove and compassionate feeling

Process TheologyProcess TheologyEvil and SinEvil and Sin

There are two kinds of “evil” and “sin” in There are two kinds of “evil” and “sin” in an evolving universe in the process of an evolving universe in the process of becoming:becoming: The The evil of disorderevil of disorder

• Suffering, war, famine, deathSuffering, war, famine, death

The The evil of monotonyevil of monotony• The clinging to trivial forms of order, refusing to be The clinging to trivial forms of order, refusing to be

open to what is new, fresh, renewingopen to what is new, fresh, renewing

PanexperientialismPanexperientialismor Panpsychismor Panpsychism

PanexperientialismPanexperientialism

So how is God able to “lure” or So how is God able to “lure” or “persuade” the universe to accept new “persuade” the universe to accept new possibilities of becoming?possibilities of becoming?


Alfred North Whitehead made the Alfred North Whitehead made the controversial suggestion that what we controversial suggestion that what we variously call:variously call: ““subjectivity,”subjectivity,” ““inner sense,”inner sense,” ““mind”mind” ““capacity to experience”capacity to experience” ““interiority”interiority”

is present to some degree in every constituent, every is present to some degree in every constituent, every entity of the cosmos, even inanimate particles of entity of the cosmos, even inanimate particles of matter.matter.


That is:That is: there is some measure of “feeling,” of there is some measure of “feeling,” of “subjectivity” in every entity, that gives each “subjectivity” in every entity, that gives each entity a real capacity to “experience” the lure entity a real capacity to “experience” the lure of God.of God. This capacity, in its most highly developed, most This capacity, in its most highly developed, most

intense form found in human beings, is what we intense form found in human beings, is what we call our consciousness = our self-awareness = our call our consciousness = our self-awareness = our subjectivity = our inner sense of ourselves.subjectivity = our inner sense of ourselves.

This suggestion of Whitehead that every constituent This suggestion of Whitehead that every constituent of the nature possesses some degree, however of the nature possesses some degree, however primitive, of “subjectivity” is called primitive, of “subjectivity” is called panexperientalismpanexperientalism or or panpsychistpanpsychist..


The built-in, often almost negligible, but The built-in, often almost negligible, but real capacity to “experience” the lure of real capacity to “experience” the lure of God is what allows the natural world to God is what allows the natural world to evolve towards God’s vision of the evolve towards God’s vision of the world’s fulfillment and completionworld’s fulfillment and completion

de Chardin’s “Law de Chardin’s “Law of Complexity-of Complexity-

Consciousness”Consciousness”

Complexity-ConsciousnessComplexity-Consciousness

Teilhard de Chardin (b. 1881, d. 1955), the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin (b. 1881, d. 1955), the Jesuit biologist and theologian, proposed a similar but biologist and theologian, proposed a similar but slightly different explanation for how God is able to slightly different explanation for how God is able to “lure” or persuade creation in its process of evolution.“lure” or persuade creation in its process of evolution.

Whitehead had suggested that Whitehead had suggested that every atomic particularevery atomic particular of reality had built into it a primitive subjectivity, a of reality had built into it a primitive subjectivity, a capacity to “feel” God’s lure, and respond to itcapacity to “feel” God’s lure, and respond to it

de Chardin suggested that subjectivity (“withinness”) de Chardin suggested that subjectivity (“withinness”) was a property of ordered collections of atomic was a property of ordered collections of atomic particularsparticulars


The greater the physical complexity of the The greater the physical complexity of the structure of atomic particulars, the greater the structure of atomic particulars, the greater the degree and sophistication of its property of degree and sophistication of its property of “subjectivity” or “withinness”“subjectivity” or “withinness” In the enormous physical complexity of life, the In the enormous physical complexity of life, the

degree of subjectivity or “withinness” became so degree of subjectivity or “withinness” became so intense that “consciousness” or “mind” emergedintense that “consciousness” or “mind” emerged

• 1. Sphere of Matter (1. Sphere of Matter (GeosphereGeosphere) )

• 2. Sphere of Life (2. Sphere of Life (BiosphereBiosphere))

• 3. Sphere of “Mind” (3. Sphere of “Mind” (NoosphereNoosphere))


de Chardin’s “de Chardin’s “Law of Complexity-Law of Complexity-ConsciousnessConsciousness” = consciousness has ” = consciousness has grown in direct proportion to the increase grown in direct proportion to the increase in organized physical complexityin organized physical complexity


The property of “withinness,” the capacity to The property of “withinness,” the capacity to “feel” the lure of God, is what allows the “feel” the lure of God, is what allows the natural world to evolve towards God’s vision natural world to evolve towards God’s vision of the world’s fulfillment and completion, of the world’s fulfillment and completion, towards “God-Omega.”towards “God-Omega.”

This capacity to respond to God is greatest in This capacity to respond to God is greatest in the most physically complex entities in which the most physically complex entities in which “withinness,” “subjectivity” has grown into “withinness,” “subjectivity” has grown into “consciousness” and “mind” (“The “consciousness” and “mind” (“The Noosphere”)Noosphere”)

The Mind-Body The Mind-Body ProblemProblem

The Mind-Body ProblemThe Mind-Body Problem

Both Whitehead’s and de Chardin’s Both Whitehead’s and de Chardin’s concept that there is some degree of concept that there is some degree of “subjectivity,” or “withinness” even “subjectivity,” or “withinness” even within inanimate matter, a “subjectivity” within inanimate matter, a “subjectivity” that becomes “conscious self-awareness” that becomes “conscious self-awareness” = “mind” when it is highly intense, helps = “mind” when it is highly intense, helps address the “mind-body” problem.address the “mind-body” problem.


Mind, mentality, subjectivity, Mind, mentality, subjectivity, consciousness, a sense of inner consciousness, a sense of inner experience – is an experience – is an objectiveobjective aspect of aspect of realityreality

However, science typically ignores However, science typically ignores subjectivity, consciousness, mind … subjectivity, consciousness, mind … because it is not readily accessible to because it is not readily accessible to measurement and objectificationmeasurement and objectification


A traditional religious response is A traditional religious response is dualismdualism:: Mind / Consciousness = a property of the “Soul” Mind / Consciousness = a property of the “Soul”

or “Spirit,” a “supernatural” immortal entityor “Spirit,” a “supernatural” immortal entity Body = the perishable, physical housing for the Body = the perishable, physical housing for the

“Soul”“Soul”


Whitehead’s and de Chardin suggestion that Whitehead’s and de Chardin suggestion that subjectivity / withinness (= mind, consciousness, in subjectivity / withinness (= mind, consciousness, in its most intense manifestations) is something actively its most intense manifestations) is something actively present in everything, inanimate as well as animate present in everything, inanimate as well as animate matter, removes the need for “dualism”matter, removes the need for “dualism”

Human Beings are Human Beings are psychosomatic unitiespsychosomatic unities, and our , and our inner sense of ourselves, our self-awareness, our inner sense of ourselves, our self-awareness, our consciousness, our “minds,” is the intense consciousness, our “minds,” is the intense manifestation of the “subjectivity” or “withinness” manifestation of the “subjectivity” or “withinness” that is present in everything, even inanimate that is present in everything, even inanimate collections of matter.collections of matter.

god after darwin 6. evolution and divine action september 3, 2006 9 to 9:50 am in the parlor all are...

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