Vatican symposium examines underlying purpose of evolution

Published: 2004-06-29

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- The Vatican Observatory hosted a three-day symposium examining the underlying purpose and deeper structure of the flukes, quirks and seemingly random results of evolution. The scientists and theologians attending the June 24-26 symposium said there may be more at work in evolution than just simple, random selection and "struggle for survival." The symposium, organized by the Pennsylvania-based John Templeton Foundation, which promotes research and provides grants for projects that involve science and religion, brought together 13 scientists and theologians who presented the latest from their respective research on evolution. "Evolution is an extremely important area of science," and our understanding of it is still in its infancy, said Mary Ann Meyers, a senior fellow at the foundation and organizer of the symposium.

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