Spanish bishop reaffirms that science and faith are complementary

Burgos, Spain, Feb 16, 2010 / 21:03 pm

Auxiliary Bishop Cecilio Raul Berzosa Martinez of Oviedo, Spain remarked this week that science and faith, “when they are authentic,” are not enemies and cannot ignore each other.  He added that “they must be complementary, as they are traveling companions in the mystery of life.”

During a conference on evolution and creation in Burgos, the bishop recalled that “during the 70s and 80s there indeed was a great struggle between religion and the dominant ideology, which was materialism.”  Today, he explained, “the opposite is occurring.  Science opens doors and windows to the mystery and the Church offers a reflection based on theology.”

Referring to human fossils found in Atapuerca, an archeological site located east of Burgos in Spain where some believe the oldest human remains in Europe have been found, Bishop Berzosa said these discoveries are “just another episode in the mystery of evolution, which began not one million, but 15 billion years ago.”

“Scientists want to uncover what happened during all this time but questions remain that cannot be answered at Atapuerca or at any other site.”

“Who wrote the script (of evolution)?  Why and how?” he asked.

For people of faith, the answers to those questions can be found in God, who is the creator and author of life.  Scientist “simply remain on the threshold.”

For this reason, Bishop Berzosa noted, “The Christian faith allows for the idea of evolution, although not an evolution that is closed and blind, such as the exclusive result of chance or happenstance.  God has created the world through a form of evolution.”