Dear Dr. Geraghty, As Catholics the Church allows us to believe in evolution as long as we don't deny creation and that we all descended from Adam and Eve. Now since Adam and Eve are our first parents, I don't see how it can be possible for Adam and Eve to have evolved from apes. The theory of evolution shows a gradual evolving of ape to man. So some where along the line wouldn't there have to have been part human part ape beings? Based on this, how could the theory of evolution have any possible merit?

Dear Anon,

The difference between a higher animal like an ape and a man is that the brute animal does not have an immortal or spiritual soul and the man does. If a Catholic holds for evolution, he would have to say that Adam and Eve were the first apes that God out immortal souls into. Like you, I think it is easier to maintain that God created Adam and Eve specially.

Dr. Geraghty

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