Pope and evolution: Nothing new to see here

A mini-frenzy erupted early this week, after Pope Francis addressed the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican. In a speech he delivered at the institution October 27, he said that the theory of evolution and the concept of the Big Bang isn’t contradicting Catholic beliefs. Many took it as something revolutionary, another of Pope Francis’ forward-thinking new ideas; but in reality, the notion that creationism and evolution can go side-by-side isn’t new to the Roman Catholic community. It is, what a biologist tells Newsweek, merely “echoing” what Francis’ predecessors viewed, on the “importance of respecting the independence and integrity of scientific inquiry.” The Atlantic, on the other hand, says the big fuss is just Western media “perpetuating the faith-versus-science binary,” and takes away from the real issues the Church needs to face.

Read more on Newsweek and The Atlantic.