Cosmology QUESTION from Carol Ormes December 12, 1999 Could you please give me some information on cosmology and how it stands with the Catholic Church. My parish has had a couple of workshops concerning cosmology and some of the material doesn't sound quite right. Thank you
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius on December 13, 1999 Dear Mrs. Ormes:
Cosmology means study of the universe or the science of the world. As such it is not counter to Catholicism as Catholicism has a cosmology.
The problem occurs in that a person's cosmology, as a branch of philosophy, may be based upon erroneous philosophical principles, or as a branch of science, upon false scientific principles contary to the faith. But philosophy and science properly understood, seeks to know what the universe is about. How does it work and function, how does the elements of the universe work together, what does all this mean for us as humans (which leads into ontology which is the study of being).
The Church allows science to do its thing. For example, one can be a good Catholic and believe in the Theory of Evolution. The Science that is false is a science that denies God as creator, denies a soul created by God.
As a branch of metaphysics (non-material world) the Catholic cosmology will include the realm of God, the realm of Angels, and the realm of the material world.
So to answer your question we would need to know what theory of cosmology was being taught in order to know whether or not it was contrary to the Catholic Cosmology.
You might want to look at the lengthy article in the Catholic Encyclopedia on Cosmology.
God Bless.
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