Vatican Astronomer NOT Sacked for Evolutionary Views
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that Father George Coyne had been sacked from heading the Vatican Observatory because of his strong favorable views regarding biological evolution. As faithful readers of H&R will recall, I blogged that item and worried that there were other signs that the Roman Catholic hierarchy is backing off earlier statements of support for the science behind biological evolution.
Now Anthony Dick over at National Review Online's Corner blog reprints an email in which Father Coyne rebuts the claims made by the Daily Mail, saying that it was his own idea to step down, not Pope Benedict XVI's. In the meantime, the Pope has held a seminar on the topic of biological evolution. It will be interesting to see what type of statements come out of that seminar later this year.
I apologize for passing along misinformation (it's better to eat crow while it's hot). In the meantime, let's wish Father Coyne a long and well-deserved rest.
Thanks for the heads up to David White.