Quote Originally Posted by Centurion1 View Post
The church as a whole did not in 500 AD.

I daresay you know exactly what I meant but are just being difficult.
Quote Originally Posted by Chuchip View Post
Wait how could Augustine and the church in 500 AD believe in evolution? I thought the theory didn't come about until the 19th century.
Well, first of all, Augustine was long dead by 500 AD, nearly a century in fact.

Secondly, Darwinian evolution was first proposed in the 19th Century but the theory was a scientific crock until we were able to verify Mendelevian genetics and "modern" evolutionary theory is far advanced from Darwin's original hypothesis, it even includes elements of Lamarkism. However, the concept of evolution is actually a very obvious one, animals develop and adapt, just as people do. It has always been plain to see for all stock breeders, and it was a fairly uncontentious stance until quite recently. Nor has is ever been vigarously opposed by the Churches on religious grounds, in so far as it was opposed it was on the basis of scientific scepticism.